Polvorones (Three Color Mexican Cookies) & My Trip to Los Cabos

I had more fun baking my interpretation of three color Mexican cookies called Polvorones than any other cookies I've baked in a long time!  After eating and drinking my way through Los Cabos, I realize once again that I am a baker at heart as it was the Mexican pastries that sparked my imagination and inspired me in the kitchen after my trip.  Not that I would have minded fish tacos with fresh salsa, guacamole and homemade corn tortillas for dinner tonight.  I searched the internet for a recipe for the Three Color Mexican Cookies called Polvorones that we discovered served at the breakfast buffet at our hotel.  The closest recipe I found was for Big Pink Mexican Cookies from the NerdyBaker.  I did some tweaking to create my Three Color Polvorones and am very happy with the resulting soft not too buttery Mexican style cookies.

My husband Scott and I went with an ILT golf group to Los Cabos this past week.  We stayed at the Westin Resort where we enjoyed a beautiful room with a view of the coast and a daily volley ball game played on the white sandy beach.  We played golf every morning, went whale watching one afternoon, enjoyed leisurely lunches and relaxed with friends by the pool.

Our afternoon whale watching started in Cabo San Lucas where we joined a tour and headed out of the harbor passing right next to the famous Arch before facing the wind and high seas searching for migrating whales.

The inspiration for my homemade cookies was a cloth lined basket of soft crumbly three colored cookies called Polvorones, aren't they beautiful and don't you think they would make the perfect mid morning snack on the golf course?

I don't know why I didn't order this every morning but the last day of the trip I ordered the huevos rancheros. I was very sorry that I only had it once as the eggs were perfectly cooked, the corn tortillas and slightly spicy sauce were memorable, this may be the meal that brings me back to Mexico for another plate.

Starting with a dramatic colored sunrise over the Sea of Cortez I'm sharing a few pictures of the adventures on my trip and finally the recipe for the Polvorones.  I'm sure you will notice a few themes here, whales, Margaritas, golf, delicious food, friends and a good time had by all.

Ingredients and Directions for Polvorones (Three Color Mexican Cookies)

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup vegetable shortening (Spectrum Organic all vegetable)
1 cup powdered sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 & 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
5-6 drops red and yellow food coloring
Coarse sugar for sprinkling on top of cookies

In the bowl of a standing mixer beat the shortening, butter and sugar until creamy and light in color, 2-3 minutes.  Beat in the egg and vanilla.  Gradually beat in the flour and salt.  Remove the dough from the bowl and divide into three portions.  Add the cocoa powder into one portion and blend into the dough.  Add the red food coloring into one portion and blend until the dough is pink, adding more or less depending on the strength of color you prefer.  Remember the color of the dough will be slightly lighter after baking.  Add the yellow food coloring to the remaining portion of dough and blend until the dough is evenly colored yellow.
Lay out at least an 18 inch length of plastic wrap on the counter.  Form each portion of dough into evenly sized logs on the plastic wrap.  Place the yellow and pink logs next to each other and place the cocoa log on top, press together using the plastic wrap to roll the dough together into one log.  Place in the freezer while you preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Remove the log shaped dough from the freezer, unwrap the plastic wrap and place on a cutting board.  Slice into 1/4 inch pieces and place on two baking sheets.  Sprinkle with coarse sugar.  You should have a dozen on each sheet.  Bake for 14-15 minutes until lightly golden brown and firm to touch.  Cool on the baking sheets for 5-10 minutes, remove cookies from baking sheets and continue cooling on metal racks.