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This simple espejo Mexican cookie recipe is a treat. Espejos, which translates to “mirrors” in Spanish, are a popular Mexican pan dulce with sweet, crumbly texture. Today I will teach you how to make them at home step by step.
Cookies are a popular type of Mexican pan dulce, available in various shapes, flavors, and finishes like polvorones, sprinkled cookies, and more.
My Kids Favorite Pan Dulce
Whenever we visit Mexico, my family welcome us with freshly baked espejos, knowing my children will devour at least one every day during our stay.
They always miss them when we come back and since finding authentic espejos in the United States proved challenging, I learned how to make them at home.
Now, instead of waiting for our trips to Guanajuato, my children can enjoy these yummy treats year-round, keeping them connected to their Mexican heritage through the familiar flavors of my childhood.
If you haven't had a “espejo” before now is the time to try them out. Let's make them!
Table of Contents (click to expand)
Types of Espejos
There are several types of Espejo cookies. Most are coated in white icing, thought some feature icing in other colors, especially pink.
Others come covered in melted chocolate.
Its name comes precisely from this reflective glaze, just like a mirror, as well as its round shape.
They can be super thin, this type is a little more crisp, but crumbles more easily, too. But they can also be thick, like the ones we are making today. Their consistency is still firm but a little softer in the middle.
No matter how thick or thin you make them, both are delicious with that delicate flavor of butter, sugar, and vanilla.
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The Ingredients
This Mexican cookie is one of the easiest to prepare because it only requires a few basic ingredients: butter, sugar, salt, egg, vanilla, and flour.
We recommend that you keep everything at room temperature. The butter should be soft to the touch but still firm.
Do I Need a Mixer to Make Espejos Pan Dulce?
The answer is no, but a mixer speeds up the process and reduces effort.
However, it is important to say that when using a mixer, it's also easier to over-mix the dough, so be careful.
When adding the flour, mix just long enough to integrate it, no more. In fact, I turn off the mixer while I can still see flour in the mixture, and finish integrating it with a spatula.
Tips
If you have a silicone pastry mat at home, use it. It will help with the cleaning process afterward.
The thickness of the cookie is important because it will define the baking time. If you have a rolling pin with thickness rings, use it. If you don't, no problem, have a ruler nearby to measure.
When it is time to cut the cookies, work with half the dough first, it will make the job easier.
If it is a hot day and you notice that the mixture becomes extremely smooth when rolled out, return it to the refrigerator for about 10-15 minutes to firm it up again. And put the cut cookies in the fridge for 10-15 minutes before baking.
Let's make them!
Step-by-Step Process
(Ingredient list in the printable recipe below)
Prep time 5 minutes – Start to finish 1.5 hours
Makes 9 thick espejos
Beat the butter until smooth, add the sugar and continue beating until it reaches a smooth and fluffy consistency, about 5 minutes.
Add the salt, egg, and vanilla and continue beating until everything is well combined.
Lower the speed and gradually integrate the flour without over-working the dough. It should have a sandy consistency.
Stop the mixer and put the dough on top of some plastic wrap. Take two corners of the wrap, lift and push together, rotating the wrap until you get a smooth and compact dough (See video). Cover tightly and refrigerate for 30-40 minutes.
Pre-heat the oven to 350° F (180 °C).
Take half of the dough (return the other half to the refrigerator) and place it on a lightly floured surface. Flour the rolling pin as well, and roll the dough out to a thickness of 3/4 cm (a little less than 1/2 inch).
Cut the dough with a 10 cm diameter (about 4 inch) mold and place the cookies on a baking sheet that is greased or covered with parchment paper or a silicone pastry mat.
Gather the pieces of dough that are left after cutting the cookies and roll them out to continue cutting. Repeat with the other half.
Important Note: You have to work the dough as quickly as possible because you don't want the butter to melt. If the weather is warm, put the cookies in the fridge as you form them.
Once you have cut all the cookies, you will surely have a little dough left; make a ball, flatten it with your hand or with the rolling pin, and place it with the rest of the cookies.
Put them in the fridge for 5 min.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the edges and bottom are golden brown.
Remove from the oven, cool for about 3 minutes, and carefully transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Freshly baked cookies are a bit brittle, but they take on a firmer consistency once they cool.
When the cookies are completely cold, prepare the frosting. Mix the three ingredients, sugar, water, and lemon juice, until it is very thick and spreadable.
Take one of the cookies, and with a spatula, cover it with the glaze. Repeat until finished with all the espejos. When the frosting cools, it will look shiny like a mirror, but don't expect to see yourself in it.
For chocolate, instead of the sugar frosting, melt the chocolate and coat the cookies with it while it is hot.
Enjoy!
More Pan Dulce Recipes
Do you like Mexican bread and pan dulce? Try at least one of these authentic pan dulce ideas.
Print the Recipe
Espejo Mexican Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
For the cookie dough
- 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup confectioner’s sugar 100 gr
- 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 gr
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups all purpose flour 360 gr + more for dusting
For the glaze
- 1 cup confectioner’s sugar 100 gr
- 1 Tablespoon water 15 ml
- 3 drops of lemon or lime juice.
- For chocolate espejos you will need 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate 120 gr
Get Recipe IngredientsUtensilios
- Mixer (optional)
- Medium bowl (if you are not using a mixer)
- Spatula
- Pastry silicone mat (optional)
- Wooden rolling pin or rolling pin with rings for thickness
- Plastic wrap
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper, or silicone mat that fits your baking sheet
- Cookie cutter (10 cm)
- Icing spatula
- Cooling racks
Instructions
- Beat the butter until smooth, add the sugar and continue beating until it reaches a smooth and fluffy consistency, about 5 minutes.
- Add the salt, egg, and vanilla and continue beating until everything is well combined.
- Lower the speed and gradually integrate the flour without over-working the dough. It should have a sandy consistency.
- Stop the mixer and put the dough on top of some plastic wrap. Take two corners of the wrap, lift and push together, rotating the wrap until you get a smooth and compact dough (See video). Cover tightly and refrigerate for 30-40 minutes.
- Pre-heat the oven to 350° F (180 °C).
- Take half of the dough (return the other half to the refrigerator) and place it on a lightly floured surface. Flour the rolling pin as well, and roll the dough out to a thickness of 3/4 cm (a little less than 1/2 inch).
- Cut the dough with a 10 cm diameter (about 4 inch) mold and place the cookies on a baking sheet that is greased or covered with parchment paper or a silicone pastry mat.
- Gather the pieces of dough that are left after cutting the cookies and roll them out to continue cutting. Repeat with the other half.
- Once you have cut all the cookies, you will surely have a little dough left; make a ball, flatten it with your hand or with the rolling pin, and place it with the rest of the cookies.
- Put them in the fridge for 5 min.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the edges and bottom are golden brown.
- Remove from the oven, cool for about 3 minutes, and carefully transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- When the cookies are freshly baked, they are a bit brittle, but they take on a firmer consistency once they cool.
- When the cookies are completely cold, prepare the frosting. Mix the three ingredients, sugar, water, and lemon juice, until it is very thick and spreadable.
- Take one of the cookies, and with a spatula, cover it with the glaze. Repeat until finished with all the espejos. When the frosting cools, it will look shiny like a mirror, but don’t expect to see yourself in it.
- For chocolate, instead of the sugar frosting, melt the chocolate and coat the cookies with it while it is hot.
Nutrition
Notes
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