Hey, y’all! There’s something about the holidays that makes the simplest smells feel comforting, and these cookies do exactly that. The warm spices and buttery dough fill the house in the best way, and my recipe for Mexican Christmas Cookies adds a quiet Southern nod to a classic.
Mexican Christmas Cookies
These Mexican Christmas Cookies are a simple and comforting way to celebrate the season. They’re soft, gently spiced, and loaded with dates and pecans (because we don’t do light-handed flavor around here). They fit in anywhere: a cookie swap, a church potluck, or a quiet night in with a Hallmark movie. However you enjoy them, they’re the kind of cookie that settles in and becomes a new favorite without even trying.
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Mexican Christmas Cookies Ingredients
- 3 c. all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. ground ginger
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp. ground cloves
- 6 oz. dates, chopped
- 1 c. chopped pecans
- 3 tbsp. milk
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 c. unsalted butter, room temp
- 2 c. sugar
- 3 eggs
How to Make Mexican Christmas Cookies
- In a large bowl, whisk together your flour, salt, and all those warm spices.
- Toss in the chopped dates and pecans. Stir them up really good so everything’s coated. Don’t be afraid to use your hands, sometimes that’s the only way to get those sticky dates separated.
- In a small bowl, stir together the milk and baking soda. Set it aside and let it do its thing.
- In a mixer, beat the butter and sugar about 6 minutes until it’s light and fluffy. You want it to look like sweet clouds.
- Add in the eggs and that milk mixture. Beat until smooth, scraping down the sides.
- Pour the wet ingredients over the dry mix with the dates and pecans. Stir the ingredients together until well combined.
- Divide the dough into three portions. Roll each one up in wax paper like a log, wrap it tight, and pop it in the fridge for at least 3 hours (overnight is even better).
- When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 375°F. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Slice the dough into cookies and space them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 10 minutes or until the edges are just lightly golden.
- Let them rest on the pan for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
- Chop those dates small. They're sticky little things, but worth the effort. Use kitchen scissors if your knife’s giving you trouble.
- Don't skip the chill. Chilling the dough helps the flavors meld and makes slicing easier. Trust me, it’s worth the wait.
- These cookies freeze beautifully. Just wrap the dough logs tight and freeze for up to a month. Slice and bake straight from the freezer!
- Roll the sliced cookies in coarse sugar before baking for a festive touch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sure can! But down here, pecans are the nut of choice. Use what you've got.
Dates add a rich, chewy sweetness, but you can swap in dried cranberries or raisins if you'd prefer.
Yep! Just use a good 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. The texture might be a tad different, but they'll still be tasty.
About a week in an airtight container. But let's be honest, they'll be gone way before that.
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Mexican Christmas Cookies
Mexican Christmas Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 c. all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. ground ginger
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp. ground cloves
- 6 oz. dates chopped
- 1 c. pecans chopped
- 3 tbsp. milk
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 c. unsalted butter room temp
- 2 c. sugar
- 3 eggs
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together your flour, salt, and all those warm spices.
- Toss in the chopped dates and pecans. Stir them up really good so everything’s coated. Don’t be afraid to use your hands, sometimes that’s the only way to get those sticky dates separated.
- In a small bowl, stir together the milk and baking soda. Set it aside and let it do its thing.
- In a mixer, beat the butter and sugar about 6 minutes until it’s light and fluffy. You want it to look like sweet clouds.
- Add in the eggs and that milk mixture. Beat until smooth, scraping down the sides.
- Pour the wet ingredients over the dry mix with the dates and pecans. Stir the ingredients together until well combined.
- Divide the dough into three portions. Roll each one up in wax paper like a log, wrap it tight, and pop it in the fridge for at least 3 hours (overnight is even better).
- When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 375°F. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Slice the dough into cookies and space them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 10 minutes or until the edges are just lightly golden.
- Let them rest on the pan for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool.
Notes
- Chop those dates small. They're sticky little things, but worth the effort. Use kitchen scissors if your knife’s giving you trouble.
- Don't skip the chill. Chilling the dough helps the flavors meld and makes slicing easier. Trust me, it’s worth the wait.
- These cookies freeze beautifully. Just wrap the dough logs tight and freeze for up to a month.
- Slice and bake straight from the freezer! Roll the sliced cookies in coarse sugar before baking for a festive touch.
Y'all come back now, ya hear?
My best,
JC
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