I am actually more fond of the Days of the Dead than I am of Halloween, though they both have their place. I love Dias de los Muertos, perhaps because of my own spiritual side. I enjoy the idea of no one really being dead until the last person who has a memory of them is gone. Many people have gone before me that I wish were still around, mainly because I have so many questions that I never thought of when I was younger.
So even though I don’t have a trace of Mexican in me, I appreciate their colorful cultural celebration of those who have passed. Instead of scary skeletons and a dark concept of death, their art celebrates the happy, dancing, musical acceptance of death. They believe that their loved ones return every year during the monarch butterfly migration and stay long enough to enjoy the food offerings and the honor bestowed upon them.
As I said, I am not Mexican, but I usually celebrate with food. More than once, I’ve made Pan de Muertos (Day of the Dead bread), but I liked the idea of doing something different.
The cookies are based on the traditional bread, and if you like licorice/anise flavors (as I do), you will love these. They are shaped like the bread, with ’bones’ criss-crossing the tops of the cookies. It’s a small, delicious way to celebrate.
Days of the Dead Cookies
Ingredients:
- 2-½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup granulated sugar + more for sprinkling
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp anise extract
- 1 tsp anise seeds
- 1 Tbsp orange zest
Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together in a large bowl with a hand or stand mixer until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).
Add the eggs, beating well. Then mix in the vanilla extract, orange zest, anise seeds, and anise extract. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until well combined.
Take about a tablespoon of dough and roll it into a ball. Flatten the ball slightly to form a 1-½ inch cookie. Make a smaller ball of dough and place it on the top. Then take 4 small pieces of dough and form them into thin “ropes,” making them thinner in the middle, and place them under the smaller ball of the cookie to create the traditional shape of ’bones’. (See photos).
Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between each one. Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
Sprinkle the cookies with granulated sugar while they are still warm, and allow them to cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container. Makes about 12 cookies.
