Marranitos (Little Ginger Pigs)

Submitted by Kim D.

"These pig shapped cookies are very popular in all the Mexican bakeries here around Texas. They taste similar to gingerbread, but with a more dense texture. They are one of my favorite breakfast treats with a cup of coffee or a tall glass of milk. This recipe was printed in the Houston Chronicle and comes from a cookbook written by Melissa Guerra, called "Dishes From the Wild Horse Desert"."

 

• Ready In: 45mins
• Ingredients: 13
• Serves: 30

ingredients

• 283.49 g piloncillo
• 236.59 ml water
• 2 piece star anise
• 1 mexican cinnamon stick
• 2.46 ml ground cloves
• 14.79 ml ground ginger
• 946.36 ml all-purpose flour
• 9.85 ml baking powder
• 4.92 ml salt
• 113.39 g vegetable shortening or 113.39 g lard
• 59.14 ml granulated sugar
• 1 egg, whisked with
• 14.79 ml water, for egg wash

directions

1. Place the piloncillo in a small saucepan with 1 cup water, star anise, and cinnamon.
2. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 2 minutes.
3. Remove saucepan from heat and allow to cool completely, stirring the mixture as it cools so that the sugar dissolves.
4. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
5. Whisk together cloves, ginger, flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
6. Mix in the shortening (or lard) and strain the piloncillo syrup in until the mixture comes together to form a dough.
7. Divide the dough in half.
8. Working with half the mixture at a time, roll out to 1/3-inch thickness and cut out with a pig-shaped cookie cutter.
9. Place the cookies to an ungreased baking sheet.
10. Brush with the egg wash.
11. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.
12. Cool on wire racks.

Reviews

[richard_brian]

Being mexican this recipe is not like any marranitos I have ever eaten it had to strong a taste of ginger and the texture was not good the color was to light they are usually brown. If anyone has a good authenic marranito recipe please put it on this website thank you.