Mexican gingerbread pigs

Puerquitos, marranitos, cochinitos, o galletas de piloncillo. These are the names that these piggy shaped cookies are known by across Mexico. They're an

Makes 16 Large Cookies This is the cookie cutter I used.

Marranitos are often called "Gingerbread Pigs." Traditional marranitos get their delicious spicy-brown flavor from molasses. They are rich and oh so gratifying, their cake-like texture is reminiscent of shortbread, very lightly spiced, and deeply flavored from the traditional dark unrefined sugar known as piloncillo. Marranitos are perfect to accompany a hot cup of coffee or Champurrado (Mexican Hot Chocolate).

Marranitos (Mexican Gingerbread Pigs) are a pan dulce, or sweet bread, flavored with molasses and commonly found in Mexican bakeries.

Moist and rich-tasting beneath a glossy, ever-so-slightly flaky top. Not quite cookie, not quite cake. Marranitos -- or cochinos, or puerquitos, as are they are called in some Mexican-American communities -- are often called "Gingerbread Pigs," although they don't actually have ginger in them - and no cinnamon either. In fact, traditional marranitos get their delicious spicy-brown goodness from molasses. Baking soda is the leavening agent, and it's the variation in the amount used that…

Hidden in the middle of these little piggy-shaped molasses cookies are warming spices and a gooey chocolate-hazelnut surprise.

Moist and rich-tasting beneath a glossy, ever-so-slightly flaky top. Not quite cookie, not quite cake. Marranitos -- or cochinos, or puerquitos, as are they are called in some Mexican-American communities -- are often called "Gingerbread Pigs," although they don't actually have ginger in them - and no cinnamon either. In fact, traditional marranitos get their delicious spicy-brown goodness from molasses. Baking soda is the leavening agent, and it's the variation in the amount used that…

Marranitos, also known as puerquitos, cochinitos or gingerbread piggies, are pan dulce with a distinctive pig shape (hence the name) and a texture somewhere between a cookie and a bread or cake, with crispy edges and a slightly soft and chewy center. Found in panaderias all over Mexico, these popular large cookies get their deep molasses-like flavor and color from piloncillo. They are traditionally mild in flavor — not overly sweet — and lightly spiced; my recipe includes a cinnamon…

Moist and rich-tasting beneath a glossy, ever-so-slightly flaky top. Not quite cookie, not quite cake. Marranitos -- or cochinos, or puerquitos, as are they are called in some Mexican-American communities -- are often called "Gingerbread Pigs," although they don't actually have ginger in them - and no cinnamon either. In fact, traditional marranitos get their delicious spicy-brown goodness from molasses. Baking soda is the leavening agent, and it's the variation in the amount used that…