Learn how to make delicious Marranitos (Mexican Gingerbread Pig Cookies) at home

*original recipe from https://www.isabeleats.com

Materials
Stand mixer or electric mixer
Measuring cups & spoons
Rolling pin
Pig cookie cutter
Food brush
Small bowl
Large bowl 
Cookie sheet
Parchment paper
Cooling rack
Ingredients
½ cup of unsalted butter
1 cup of packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
¾ cup unsulfured molasses
¼ cup milk
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
5 cups of all purpose flour
2 tsp ground ginger
1 ½ tsp baking soda
1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions:

  1. Combine in a large bowl your flour, ground ginger, baking soda and cinnamon. 
  1. Add your butter to your mixer and cream until smooth.
  1. Add your dark brown sugar, one egg* and vanilla extract. *If you want you can substitute 1/4 cup of pumpkin puree for a more autumn flavor
  1. With the mixer on low add the molasses and the milk.
  1. Once all the wet ingredients are mixed together add the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon) that you prepared in the large mixing bowl in step one. Add the ingredients slowly with the mixer on low.
  1. Let the mixer mix until dough forms and easily pulls away from the side of the bowl. 
  1. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll it out to about ⅜ inch thickness.
  1. Using your pig cookie cutter, cut out as many pigs in the rolled out dough as possible. Place the pieces of dough together to form another ball of dough and roll out again. Then using your cookie cutter cut out more pigs.
  1. Place your cut pigs on a parchment paper covered baking sheet
  1. Take the second egg, beat it like you are making scrambled eggs in a small bowl. Then take a brush and brush the egg onto the pigs before placing them in the oven.
  1. Place the baking sheet of pigs into a preheated oven at 350 degrees, bake for 17 minutes.
  1. Remove from the oven and let cool, then enjoy!