Recipes Desserts Cookies Gingerbread Cookies Marranitos 4.0 (2) 2 Reviews Bake up a tray of these soft and chewy cookies, which are spiced with vibrant ginger flavor and shaped like pigs. By The Pho Cookbook. Her new book, Vietnamese Food Any Day, empowers you to make Viet food whenever you want; no Asian markets required." tabindex="0" data-inline-tooltip="true"> Andrea Nguyen Andrea Nguyen A bank examiner gone astray, Andrea Nguyen is living her dream of writing impactful cookbooks and teaching others how to cook well. She recently won a James Beard Award for The Pho Cookbook. Her new book, Vietnamese Food Any Day, empowers you to make Viet food whenever you want; no Asian markets required. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on May 9, 2024 Tested by Jasmine Smith Tested by Jasmine Smith Jasmine Smith is a recipe developer and tester at Dotdash Meredith Corporation. In addition to her work in test kitchens, Jasmine is a freelance culinary producer for a variety of food festivals. Meet the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Linda Xiao / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Active Time: 30 mins Total Time: 3 hrs Yield: about 1 1/2 dozen cookies These soft, chewy, and mildly spiced cookies are called marranitos, and also known as puerquitos and cochinitos. They are a Mexican bakery favorite. Frequently Asked Questions What’s the best way to roll and cut out cookies? If the recipe calls for chilling the dough or the cut-out cookies before baking, don’t skip that step. It will prevent cookies from spreading too much.You can roll chilled dough out on a lightly floured surface, or you can roll out the dough between two pieces of parchment paper — doing so will help prevent you from using too much flour, which can toughen the cookies. You can usually reuse scraps at least one time, possibly twice. (Check your recipe.) If you reroll dough too many times, you run the risk of tough cookies with puckers or crevices. Where can I find a pig-shaped cookie cutter? Pig-shaped cookie cutters are available at specialty stores or online at annclarkcookiecutters.com. What is panela? Panela is an unrefined cane sugar similar to brown sugar used in Latin American and Mexican cooking. It is available at Latin American grocery stores or online at burlapandbarrel.com. Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Brushing the cookies with egg wash halfway through the bake time minimizes the wrinkles that form on the surface and makes way for the cookies to finish with a glossy, smooth sheen. Make ahead Cookies can be prepared through step 3 up to one month in advance. Freeze cookies on baking sheets for one hour; transfer to a large ziplock plastic bag. To bake, proceed with step 4 as directed. Ingredients 3/4 cup unsalted butter (6 ounces), at room temperature 2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar or panela cane sugar (such as Burlap & Barrel) 3/4 teaspoon baking powder 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice 2 large eggs, at room temperature 3 tablespoons molasses 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (about 10 ounces), plus more for work surface 1 tablespoon water Chopped bittersweet chocolate, mini chocolate chips, sparkling sugar, or sprinkles (optional) Directions Beat butter in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed 5 to 10 seconds. Add brown sugar, baking powder, ginger, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and allspice. Beat until mixture is creamy and a light khaki color, about 4 minutes. Add 1 egg, molasses, and vanilla. Beat until combined, about 20 seconds, stopping to scrape down sides of mixer bowl as needed. Add flour, and beat on low speed until mostly combined but still lumpy, 20 to 30 seconds. Remove bowl from mixer, and use a spatula to finish working in flour. Divide dough in half, and wrap each half tightly in plastic wrap. Press each to flatten into a 3/4-inch-thick disk. Refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours or up to overnight. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Unwrap 1 dough half; roll out to 1/4-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut out cookies using a lightly floured 3 3/4-inch pig-shaped cookie cutter. Transfer cookies to prepared baking sheets, spacing at least 3/4 inch apart; set aside dough scraps. Repeat process with remaining dough half. Reroll dough scraps, and cut cookies. Freeze cookies on baking sheets until firm, about 20 minutes. Beat remaining 1 egg with 1 tablespoon water; set aside. Working with 1 baking sheet at a time (keeping second sheet in freezer), bake cookies in preheated oven 5 minutes. Remove pan from oven; lightly brush cookies with egg. If desired, decorate cookies with chocolate, sparkling sugar, or sprinkles. Return to oven; bake until cookies are puffed and set, 4 to 6 minutes. Let cookies cool on pan 3 minutes; transfer cookies to a wire rack. Repeat process with second baking sheet. Serve cookies warm or at room temperature. Originally appeared in Food & Wine magazine, April 2024 Rate It Print