The holidays are here, and hundreds of cookies are being made all over the United States. I am participating in the International Holiday Cookie Exchange. It is a food blogger online exchange of cookies from all over the world. Even though I am not much of a cookie eater, my kids indeed are! I see this as an opportunity to introduce them to some of the cookies that I grew up eating back in Venezuela. Polvorosas were always homemade by the owners of the bodega in the corner and sold from a pewter plate that sat on the counter covered with a kitchen towel.

Polvorosas are super simple cookies that date back to the colonial era in Caracas. The name makes reference to their crumbly consistency. Polvorosas comes from the world “polvo” which means dust. These cookies are so crumbly that they melt in your mouth as they also make a mess around you when you are eating them. They require a minimum amount of ingredients and minimal effort. Originally they are made with three essential ingredients: flour, lard, and sugar. I changed the recipe, I used coconut oil instead of lard, and I loved the results. The trade also made my cookies vegan which is an excellent addition to an already delicious recipe.

Make sure to scroll all the way to the bottom and visit all the other blogger’s cookie recipes. Have fun making cookies these holidays!

Ingredients:
Makes 24 cookies

3 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cup coconut oil (melted)
Powder sugar for dusting (optional)

Preheat your oven to 350° F and prepare a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Melt the coconut oil in the microwave for 30 seconds. It doesn’t have to be completely liquified, it just needs to be very soft. Let it cool. In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Mix well using a whisk. Add the coconut oil and combine using a wooden spoon. It should look like wet sand. At this point, use your hands to make a dough. Dust with more flour if needed. Use a tablespoon to help you make equal portions. Roll the dough between the palm of your hands making a small ball. Place it on the prepared baking sheet, leaving enough space between balls. If the dough becomes too sticky, you can put it in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to make it easier to roll.

Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Let them sit in the sheet pan for few minutes after taking them out of the oven, they are very crumbly. Transfer to a cooling rack and let them cool down for at least 2 hours, transfer them to a serving plate and dust with powder sugar. Enjoy!

We’re celebrating International cookies today – see the tasty treats from around the world:

• • Alfajores (dulce de leche sandwich cookies) from Caroline’s Cooking
  • Boussou La Tmessou (Algerian Shortbread Cookies) from Tara’s Multicultural Table
  • Chocolate Sable Cookies from Curious Cuisiniere
  • Dutch Speculaas Cookies from Palatable Pastime
  • Pepparkakor (Swedish ginger cookies) from The Redhead Baker
  • Peppermint Shortbread Cookies from A Day in the Life on the Farm