Monterrey bakers shape these pig-shaped cookies with piloncillo syrup, a technique dating to Spanish colonial sugar mills from the 1600s.
Puerquitos
Indulge in these delightful pig-shaped treats, bursting with the warm essence of molasses and a hint of cinnamon! Perfectly soft and just the right amount of sweet, these cookies are the ultimate companion for your morning coffee or an afternoon snack. Get ready to savor every bite of these charming little delights!
Prep
60
min
Cook
15
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
The Story
These pig-shaped molasses biscuits trace back to 16th-century Mexico, where Spanish colonizers introduced sugarcane and European gingerbread-cutting traditions, which Mexican bakers fused with local piloncillo and cinnamon to create puerquitos—literally 'little pigs'—a treat so beloved that Mexico City panaderías still shape them identically five centuries later, proving colonial collision sometimes produces genuinely good biscuits instead of just bloodshed and paperwork.
Regional Twist
In Oaxaca, bakers swap plain brown sugar for piloncillo cones and add a pinch of ground cloves alongside the cinnamon, giving puerquitos a smokier, more complex molasses backbone than the Mexico City version typically delivers.
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥛Dairy & Eggs(3)
- half a stick of unsalted butter
- 1 egg
- 1 third cup of milk (79.2 ml)
🫙Pantry Staples(5)
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder (5 ml)
- 1 cup of brown sugar (200 g)
- 3 and a half cups of flour (438 g)
- half a cup of molasses (120 ml)
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla (10 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon (5 ml)
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
850
Protein
13g
Carbs
167g
Fat
14g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Mix together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, brown sugar, vanilla, milk, molasses, butter, and egg until combined.
- 2
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for one hour.
- 3
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 4
Roll out the dough on a floured surface and use a pig-shaped cookie cutter to cut out cookies.
- 5
Transfer cookies to a baking sheet and brush with egg wash.
- 6
Bake for about 15 minutes until golden.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Cream the butter and brown sugar together for 2-3 minutes before adding wet ingredients to incorporate 25-30% more air, which creates a lighter, more tender crumb in your puerquitos.technique2-3 minutes creaming | 25-30% air incorporation
- ✓Chill dough for a full 60 minutes at 40°F or below to allow gluten to relax and flour to fully hydrate, preventing excessive spreading during baking and maintaining sharp pig-shaped details.timing60 minutes at 40°F
- ✓Reduce milk to 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) since molasses already contributes 75% water content by weight—excess moisture will cause cookies to spread 20-30% wider and lose definition.ingredient4 tablespoons milk | 75% water in molasses
- ✓Bake at 325°F for 16-18 minutes instead of 350°F for 15 minutes because the high molasses and brown sugar content caramelize rapidly; lower heat prevents dark edges while centers remain chewy.timing325°F for 16-18 minutes (vs 350°F/15 min)
- ✓Use an offset spatula to transfer cookies within 2 minutes of removal from the oven while the structure is still pliable—waiting longer causes them to set rigid and crack during transfer.equipment2-minute window post-bake
Share this recipe
Prep
60
min
Cook
15
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Monterrey bakers shape these pig-shaped cookies with piloncillo syrup, a technique dating to Spanish colonial sugar mills from the 1600s.
Puerquitos
Indulge in these delightful pig-shaped treats, bursting with the warm essence of molasses and a hint of cinnamon! Perfectly soft and just the right amount of sweet, these cookies are the ultimate companion for your morning coffee or an afternoon snack. Get ready to savor every bite of these charming little delights!
The Story
These pig-shaped molasses biscuits trace back to 16th-century Mexico, where Spanish colonizers introduced sugarcane and European gingerbread-cutting traditions, which Mexican bakers fused with local piloncillo and cinnamon to create puerquitos—literally 'little pigs'—a treat so beloved that Mexico City panaderías still shape them identically five centuries later, proving colonial collision sometimes produces genuinely good biscuits instead of just bloodshed and paperwork.
Regional Twist
In Oaxaca, bakers swap plain brown sugar for piloncillo cones and add a pinch of ground cloves alongside the cinnamon, giving puerquitos a smokier, more complex molasses backbone than the Mexico City version typically delivers.
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥛Dairy & Eggs(3)
- half a stick of unsalted butter
- 1 egg
- 1 third cup of milk (79.2 ml)
🫙Pantry Staples(5)
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder (5 ml)
- 1 cup of brown sugar (200 g)
- 3 and a half cups of flour (438 g)
- half a cup of molasses (120 ml)
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla (10 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon (5 ml)
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
850
Protein
13g
Carbs
167g
Fat
14g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Mix together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, brown sugar, vanilla, milk, molasses, butter, and egg until combined.
- 2
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for one hour.
- 3
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 4
Roll out the dough on a floured surface and use a pig-shaped cookie cutter to cut out cookies.
- 5
Transfer cookies to a baking sheet and brush with egg wash.
- 6
Bake for about 15 minutes until golden.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Cream the butter and brown sugar together for 2-3 minutes before adding wet ingredients to incorporate 25-30% more air, which creates a lighter, more tender crumb in your puerquitos.technique2-3 minutes creaming | 25-30% air incorporation
- ✓Chill dough for a full 60 minutes at 40°F or below to allow gluten to relax and flour to fully hydrate, preventing excessive spreading during baking and maintaining sharp pig-shaped details.timing60 minutes at 40°F
- ✓Reduce milk to 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) since molasses already contributes 75% water content by weight—excess moisture will cause cookies to spread 20-30% wider and lose definition.ingredient4 tablespoons milk | 75% water in molasses
- ✓Bake at 325°F for 16-18 minutes instead of 350°F for 15 minutes because the high molasses and brown sugar content caramelize rapidly; lower heat prevents dark edges while centers remain chewy.timing325°F for 16-18 minutes (vs 350°F/15 min)
- ✓Use an offset spatula to transfer cookies within 2 minutes of removal from the oven while the structure is still pliable—waiting longer causes them to set rigid and crack during transfer.equipment2-minute window post-bake