Mantecaditos

Mantecaditos (Puerto Rican Shortbread Cookies) are crisp, yummy buttery cookies that are great with coffee or hot chocolate! Made with just a few ingredients and easily shaped, these cookies are no fuss to make. They’re also very popular around the holidays! 

Mantecaditos are Puerto Rican cookies that is popular throughout the whole year and are found in most Puerto Rican panaderias (bakeries) throughout the island.

However, they become even more special around the holidays!

And of course, cookies is an absolute must for the holidays!  Which makes having a true no fuss cookie recipe that much more appreciated this time of year. 

Enjoy these with a good cup of coffee or tea for a yummy treat.  Or pack them up in a beautiful tin can and surprise a friend or family member with a cookie gift. They will be forever grateful for your cookie generosity!

Mantecaditos are basically shortbread cookies due to the fact that the recipe doesn’t require any eggs or leavening agents.

I just love how simple these are to make!  Requires few ingredients, no waiting time on dough and are easily shaped.

So what about toppings?

Toppings

Although, colored sprinkles, colored sugar crystals, guava paste and jelly are popular toppings, you will also see mantecaditos topped with caramel, chocolate, maraschino cherries, confectioners sugar and other flavored jellies.

However, to keep with the theme of Christmas, I decided to top these with red and green colored sugar sprinkles but also made sure to top some with guava paste (pasta de guayaba) since it’s my absolute favorite!

Note: If you are not familiar with guava paste, it is a concentrated puree made from the guava fruit grown in many tropical climates.

Guava is delicious and perfect in many desserts.  It is especially delicious in my favorite dessert in the world!  Pastelillos de Guayaba!  Delicious guava pastries made with just 3 ingredients!

Guava, phyllo dough and confectioners sugar!  Such a simple dessert to make but oh so delicious!

These have been my favorite since childhood!  So make sure to check them out!  Love, love guava!

Types of Flavoring

Use vanilla or almond extract or a combination of the two.

The subtle note of the extract makes these cookies so yummy and reminds me of home!

Ingredients to Make Mantecaditos

• 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
• ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
• ½ cup shortening
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
• ½ teaspoon salt*

Toppings

• Guava paste
• Colored sprinkles
• Colored sugar crystals
• Flavored jellies

How to Make Mantecaditos

1. Preheat oven to 350° degrees.
2. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
3. In a large bowl, mix the butter, shortening and sugar.  Whisk until light and fluffy.  About 2 minutes.

1. Add the extract and salt.  Add the flour a little at a time and whisk or use your hands until well combined and dough forms.
2. Divide dough into small balls about an 1½ inch in size.
3. Place balls on cookie sheet.
4. Create an indent in each cookie with your thumb forming a small well.
5. Add sprinkles or a small piece of guava cube (½ inch) in the center.

1. Bake the cookies for about 15-20 minutes or until edges are golden brown.
2. Remove from the oven and let them sit for 2-5 minutes before removing them from the cookie sheet.
3. Finish cooling cookies on a wire rack to cool completely and harden some.
4. Enjoy with coffee, tea or milk!

For more hyper yummy treats, you will also love these:

Pastelillos de Guayaba (Guava Pastries)

Guava BBQ Sauce (Salsa BBQ de Guayaba)

Quesitos (Cream Cheese Puff Pastry)

Fresas con Crema (Mexican Strawberries and Cream)

Gorditas de Azucar (Sugar Gorditas)

📖 Recipe