Chilean Mantecados — Lard Shortbread Cookies Recipe

Chilean mantecados dusted with powdered sugar, crumbly lard shortbread cookies — Homemade Chilean mantecados

Chilean mantecados are crumbly shortbread cookies made mainly with flour and pork lard, flavored with lemon zest and a splash of white wine, and dusted generously with powdered sugar after baking. They take 15 minutes of preparation plus 15 minutes of baking and serve 6 people.

The lard gives them a very particular texture that melts in the mouth, and they are ideal for any occasion.

How to Make Chilean Mantecados?

Mantecados are really simple: you basically mix the ingredients in a bowl, taking care not to overwork the dough so the cookies stay light and tender. The dough is rolled out, cut into rounds, and baked until just colored.

Nutritional Information

Each serving of mantecados contains approximately 400 kcal, 45 g of carbohydrates, 20 g of fat, 5 g of protein, 2 g of fiber, 15 g of sugars, 30 mg of cholesterol, and 50 mg of sodium. These values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients and portion sizes.

Homemade Chilean Mantecados Recipe

Preparation: 15 minutes
Cooking: 15 minutes
Servings: 6 people

Ingredients

500 g (4 cups) of all purpose flour
250 g (8.8 oz) of lard, melted and warm
80 g (2/3 cup) of powdered sugar, plus extra for dusting
50 ml (1.7 fl oz) of white wine
2 egg yolks
1 lemon, for zest
Almonds, to decorate (optional)

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Instructions

In a large bowl, combine the egg yolks, the powdered sugar, and the lemon zest and mix well. Add the sifted flour and the warm melted lard and mix with a wooden spoon. Pour in the white wine and keep working the dough just until it comes together, fairly dry and slightly crumbly, without overkneading.

Sifted flour, the main ingredient of the mantecado dough — Sifted flour

Roll out the dough with a rolling pin to about 1.5 cm thick, pressing any cracks closed with your fingers. Cut out the mantecados with a round cutter or a wide glass and arrange them on an oiled baking tray until all the dough is used.

Powdered sugar for the dough and for dusting the mantecados — Powdered sugar

Bake in an oven preheated to 180 C (356 F) for about 15 minutes, until the surface starts to take on color without browning. Let them cool to room temperature and serve warm or cold, dusted generously with powdered sugar.

Pork lard, the fat that gives mantecados their classic texture — Pork lard

Additional Tips

Rest the dough

Once the dough is formed, chill it for 20 minutes before rolling and cutting. It firms up, keeps the cookies from losing their shape, and improves the texture.

Use a double tray

For more even baking and to keep the bases from browning too fast, set the baking tray on top of another empty tray.

Top with almonds

Press a piece of almond into each cookie before baking for an extra layer of flavor.

Original ingredient	Substitute	Ratio	Flavor note
Pork lard	Unsalted butter	1:1	Creamier, less sandy
White wine	Orange juice	1:1	Fruitier
Lemon zest	Orange zest	1:1	Sweeter citrus
Almonds	Walnuts	1:1	Earthier

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Can I replace the lard?

Yes, with unsalted butter if you prefer to avoid pork lard. The texture will be slightly different, less sandy and more creamy.

2. How do I store mantecados?

Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. In humid weather, add a piece of paper towel to keep them from softening.

3. Why do they crumble when you eat them?

That is the desired texture. The sandy, melt in the mouth crumb comes from not overworking the dough and from the high fat content of the lard.

4. Can mantecados be frozen?

Freeze the cut, raw dough for up to 1 month, or the baked and completely cooled cookies for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature.

What Are Mantecados?

Mantecados are shortbread style cookies made with manteca, lard, which gives them their name. In Chile they are a traditional homemade cookie, dusted with powdered sugar and eaten at once or at Christmas.

History and Origin of Mantecados

The origin of the mantecado is still debated. Some sources trace it to Spain, to the convent of Santa Clara in Estepa, from where it spread across the country and later to Latin America.