Chilean galletas de chuno are tender butter cookies made with chuno, the Chilean name for potato starch, plus flour, powdered sugar, egg, vanilla, and lemon zest, often topped with an almond. They take 20 minutes of preparation plus 10 minutes of baking and serve 6 people.
They are very popular in Chile and are made with an ingredient deeply rooted in Andean cooking, and they are easy to prepare and melt in the mouth.
How to Make Chilean Chuno Cookies?
Chuno cookies are very simple to make, even in a gluten free version, since the wheat flour can be replaced with rice flour or another alternative, and the sugar with a sweetener such as stevia. You cream butter and sugar, add the egg and flavorings, mix in the flour and chuno, chill the dough briefly, and bake small flattened balls.
Nutritional Information
Each serving of chuno cookies contains approximately 320 kcal, 4 g of protein, 16 g of fat (10 g of saturated fat), 40 g of carbohydrates, 20 g of sugars, 60 mg of cholesterol, and 80 mg of sodium. These values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients and portion sizes.
Homemade Chilean Galletas de Chuno Recipe
Preparation: 20 minutes
Cooking: 10 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Ingredients
- 150 g (1 cup) of chuno (potato starch)
- 150 g (1 1/4 cups) of powdered sugar
- 100 g (3/4 cup) of all purpose flour
- 100 g (3.5 oz) of butter, softened
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon of lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
- Almonds, to decorate (optional)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and powdered sugar into a smooth paste, then add the egg, the lemon zest, and the vanilla and stir until combined.
- Add the sifted flour, the chuno, and the baking powder and mix until you have a soft dough that does not stick to your fingers. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 180 C (356 F) for at least 10 minutes. Divide the dough into portions and roll small balls of about 4 to 5 cm, arrange them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, place an almond in the center of each if you like, and flatten them gently with your hands.
- Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the edges start to turn golden. Let them rest for a few minutes on the tray, then cool on a rack at room temperature. Serve on their own, at once, or alongside other desserts.
Additional Tips
Chill the dough
The 20 minutes in the refrigerator firm up the butter so the cookies hold their shape in the oven instead of spreading.
Do not overbake
Take them out as soon as the edges start to color. Chuno cookies should stay pale and tender, and they firm up as they cool.
Sift the starch
Potato starch can form small lumps. Sifting it together with the flour gives a smoother dough and a finer, melt in the mouth texture.
| Original ingredient | Substitute | Ratio | Flavor note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wheat flour | Rice flour | 1:1 | Gluten free, more crumbly |
| Chuno (potato starch) | Cornstarch | 1:1 | Slightly firmer |
| Powdered sugar | Powdered stevia blend | Per package | Fewer calories |
| Lemon zest | Orange zest | 1:1 | Sweeter citrus |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Is chuno the same as cornstarch?
No. Both are starches, but chuno comes from potatoes, as potato starch, while cornstarch comes from corn. Their textures and properties are slightly different.
Only if you replace the wheat flour with a gluten free flour such as rice flour and check that none of the other ingredients contain traces of gluten.
3. How do I store them so they last longer?
Keep them in an airtight container, preferably glass, at room temperature for up to 7 days. You can also freeze them for 2 months and warm them briefly in the oven to bring back their texture.
4. What is the difference between white and black chuno?
White chuno, as used here, is refined potato starch, while black chuno is whole freeze dried potato, traditional in Andean cooking but not suitable for this kind of baking.
What Is Chuno?
In Chilean kitchens and supermarkets, chuno usually means potato starch, a fine white powder used to thicken sauces and to make baked goods lighter. The name comes from the Andean chuno, the traditional freeze dried potato of the altiplano.
Chuno in Chilean Baking
Potato starch gives cookies and cakes a delicate, crumbly texture because it has no gluten. That is why chuno cookies are softer than regular butter cookies, and why the recipe adapts so easily to gluten free versions.
Did You Know?
Chuno is rich in starch, which is why it has long been used in Chilean home cooking to make light dishes for people with delicate stomachs.
How to adapt this recipe to a vegan or vegetarian version?
How to adapt this recipe to a gluten-free version?
How to adapt this recipe to a keto (ketogenic) version?
Recommended
- Chilean Honey Cookies Recipe
- Chilean Champagne Biscuits Recipe
- Chilean Princes Cookies Recipe
- Andean Chuno Phuti Recipe
