Mantecados — Andalusian crumbly lard biscuits

i. Origin & history

Mantecados have been made in Andalusia since at least the 16th century. The town of Estepa, near Seville, is the famous mantecados-producing centre — over a hundred small workshops bake them between September and December.

ii. Ingredients

Makes 24 servings · scroll the side panel to adjust

• 250 g plain flour
• 100 g icing sugar
• 150 g lard (or unsalted butter), soft
• 60 g ground almonds
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Pinch salt
• Icing sugar to dust

iii. Method

1. Toast flour in a dry oven at 130 °C for 30 min, stirring occasionally — this is the key step. Cool fully.
2. Mix toasted flour with icing sugar, ground almonds, cinnamon, zest, salt.
3. Mix in soft lard to a soft sandy dough.
4. Press 1.5 cm thick. Cut small rounds. Place on a lined tray with space.
5. Bake at 170 °C for 18-20 min until pale gold.
6. Cool fully on the tray — they are very fragile when warm. Dust with icing sugar.

iv. Tips & common mistakes

• Use the freshest ingredients you can. The recipe relies on them.
• Read the method through first. Several steps must be ready in advance.
• Season patiently. Sweetness and salt are tuned at the end, not the start.

v. Variations

Mantecados de Estepa are the canonical. Polvorones are the close cousin with more icing sugar. Almond mantecados use more almonds. Cinnamon mantecados emphasise cinnamon.

vii. More from Spanish & Portuguese

• Polvorones — close-cousin Iberian crumble cookies
• Rosquillas — Spanish ring biscuits
• Speculaas — Dutch spiced biscuits
• Kourabiedes — Greek almond shortbread
• Kue Bangkit — Indonesian coconut cookies
• Shortbread — Scottish butter biscuit