Mantecaditos (butter cookies) are perfect to serve alongside the afternoon cafecito. These Dominican cookies are very easy to prepare, even for the novice baker.
Why we ❤️ it
There are two things that we Dominicans love after a good lunch: a cafecito and a dulcito (a little coffee, and a little sweet). Yeah, we are just as fond of diminutives.
Full dessert is OK, but it's not exactly the custom in the Dominican Republic. A few bites of something sweet and a cup of our insanely sweet coffee just do the thing to please our national sweet tooth (teeth?). Mantecaditos (butter cookies) -- notice the diminutive there again? -- are the perfect accompaniment to the post-lunch coffee, and perfect prelude for a -- diminutive alert! --siestesita.
What are mantecaditos?
Mantecaditos are the classic Dominican butter cookies: simple, crispy, and buttery.
Unlike the Danish Christmas butter cookies we all love (yes, we have that recipe!), and subject of so many memes, these Dominican cookies are much more simple, cheaper, and easier to make, and very much a part of our traditional Dominican dessert repertoire. The "easier to make" part is what I like the most about it.
The ingredients in mantecaditos – butter, vanilla, flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and eggs – are also affordable, and easy to find anywhere. They don't require a mixer, molds, or extruders, which means that if you have an oven and – preferably – a food processor, you're all set.
Mantecaditos (Dominican butter cookies)
About this recipe
Learning how to make mantecaditos may be one of the simplest things when it comes to baking. The ingredients are accessible, and the preparation is very simple.
There are very little that changes in this recipe from cook to cook, but if you have any tips to make this differently or better, I'd love to hear them. Let me know in the comments.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 egg (medium)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1½ stick butter (salted), (¾ cup [185g]) chilled, plus extra for greasing the baking tray
Instructions
Mixing: In the food processor vase, combine vanilla, flour, sugar, egg, baking soda, salt, and butter.Pulse until the mix forms rice-sized granules.Chill the dough while the oven is preheated to 400 ºF [200 ºC].
Shaping: Form balls with the dough, about an inch in diameter. Place down on a greased tray (or lined) and press down to flatten to about ¼ inch thickness (about half a centimeter).
Baking: Bake in preheated oven until lightly golden (about 15-20 minutes). Please keep an eye on them because they can go from light golden to burn really fast, and – as most ovens are not really precise – the cooking time is not exact.Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature on a wire tray.
Serving and storing: Serve cooled with coffee or tea, or store in a tightly closed jar. for 24 hrs, or refrigerated for two days.
Video
Tips and Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated automatically based on ingredients listed. Please consult your doctor if you need precise nutritional information.
Published Ene 2, 2009, and last revised
