Christmas mantecados: traditional recipes to make at home

If there is a typical recipe for Christmas, that is the one of the mantecados. Nothing better to enjoy such dates with some homemade shortbread, made by hand and with 100% natural ingredients. A true delight

And is that if we talk about a traditional dessert where there are, which also stands out as one of the most popular during Christmas, those are the delicious and classic Mantecados.

What is a shortbread?

The mantecadoIt is characterized by being a Traditional sweet and very typical in Spanish pastries. Although today there are some variants (such as the case of vegan shortbread), the truth is that traditional shortbread is one that is made from lard, which is kneaded with other ingredients, usually wheat flour and not toasted almond.

Although it is common to consume it at any time of the year, mantecado is also a typically Christmas dessert, which is consumed together with other similar Christmas sweets or similar, as is the case with Wine roscos, the polvorones or the alfajores.

What is your story?

Its origin we must find it towards the sixteenth century, a time when there was a surplus of both cereals and pigs, and it became necessary to think what to do with so much surplus. This is how, always theoretically, pork lard and other similar desserts were born.

About the place where he was born, there is no doubt that it was in Andalusia. However, its origin is disputed by two cities: SteppeY Antequera. But it seems that it was in this last city where he was apparently born. In fact, in the plenary hall of the town hall it is possible to find ourselves with an ancient fresco with a clear reference to the mantecados that were made there.

3 delicious Christmas shortbread recipes

Stay with these recipes to succeed during the Christmas holidays.

Cocoa butter for Christmas

Ingredients

  • 300 grams of lard
  • 200 grams of wheat flour
  • 200 grams of sugar
  • 30 grams of cocoa powder to taste

Recipe step by step

  1. First, spread the flour on the baking tray. It must be very well distributed on the surface, without leaving any empty space.
  2. The tray is placed in the oven to bake the flour. The ideal is to remove the tray every 10 minutes to remove it.
  3. Once the time has passed, the tray is removed from the oven and allowed to cool completely. Meanwhile, sugar and cocoa are placed in a glass bowl. When the flour cools, it is added to this same bowl.
  4. In the glass bowl add the lard and mix all the ingredients well. More or less the time of kneading is five minutes. It must be like a ball.
  5. Place the dough ball on a flat surface, such as the countertop or table, and with a rolling pin or with your hands, flatten it until it is about 2 or 3 centimeters thick.
  6. Then, with a mold figures are formed.
  7. The figures are placed on the oven tray lined with parchment paper and placed in the oven for 25 minutes.
  8. Once the time has elapsed, it is removed and allowed to cool completely.

Almond Christmas mantecados

Ingredients

  • 300 grams of lard
  • 300 grams of ground almonds
  • 400 grams of white flour
  • 250 grams of sugar

Recipe step by step

  1. Put all the ingredients in a glass bowl. First, the lard is added at room temperature. Next, sugar and butter are added. All the ingredients are mixed well; It can be done with a spatula or with your hands.
  2. Then, the flour is added and a kind of ball is formed; all the ingredients must be well mixed with each other, forming a homogeneous paste.
  3. The dough is spread with the roller on the table and figures are cut. In the market you can find molds of Christmas figures, such as bells or stars.
  4. Each of the figures is placed on the baking tray with parchment paper.
  5. They are placed in the oven and left to bake until golden brown; approximately 15 minutes.
  6. Once they are removed from the oven, they are allowed to warm up and a little cinnamon and sugar are added.

Homemade mantecados

Ingredients

  • 250 grams of flour
  • 150 grams of sugar
  • 200 grams of lard
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 2 tablespoons cinnamon

Recipe step by step

  1. In the first place, the lard is mixed with the sugar and both ingredients are mixed well. Then, cinnamon is added.
  2. The flour is spread on the baking tray and baked for a few minutes to dry, but not to toast.
  3. It is removed from the oven and left to cool for a few minutes.
  4. The flour is added to the butter mixture with sugar and cinnamon, and all the ingredients are kneaded so that they are well integrated.
  5. The egg yolks are added one at a time. All the ingredients are mixed again until a homogeneous mass is obtained.
  6. Put a little flour on the countertop or dough and spread the dough. You work with it with the roller, stretching it.
  7. With a mold, or with a glass, shapes are formed and placed on the oven tray with vegetable paper.
  8. Bake between 15 and 20 minutes until they turn a tan color.
  9. They are left to cool and served.

Delicious, right? They are an excellent option to enjoy during this Christmas. Of course, we hope you like them. ThemesChristmas Christmas Recipes

Mantecados Recipe (March 2024)