Biscochitos: The Anise Cookie That Became a State Symbol

Some states have a bird and a flower and stop there. New Mexico went further and named an official state cookie: the biscochito, a buttery, anise-scented shortbread dusted in cinnamon sugar that appears at every wedding, holiday, and feast day across the state.

A cookie with history

Brought by early Spanish settlers and adapted over centuries, the biscochito traditionally uses lard for its distinctive flaky crumb, with anise seed and a splash of brandy or wine. In 1989 the legislature made it the first official state cookie in the nation.

One bite of a biscochito and a New Mexican is instantly back at their grandmother's table.

Cut, bake, and dust

The dough is rolled and cut — often into fleur-de-lis shapes — baked until pale gold, then rolled warm in cinnamon sugar. The result is delicate, crumbly, and dangerously easy to eat by the dozen.

The taste of celebration

Biscochitos mean something here. They signal Christmas, weddings, baptisms, and every gathering worth marking. Many families guard their recipe closely and bake enormous batches each December.

Field notes

• The traditional flavor comes from anise seed — don't skip it.
• They keep well, making them ideal holiday gifts.
• Look for them at bakeries year-round, not just in December.

Humble, fragrant, and woven into every celebration, the biscochito earns its official status the way all great regional foods do: by tasting unmistakably of home.