Prep: 25 minutes

Chill: 2 to 3 hours

Bake: 10 to 12 minutes per batch

Makes: 40-50 cookies

The story of exploration and settlement in what is now the U.S. was written in languages other than English.

These anise cookies were brought to New Mexico by the early Spaniards, who established Santa Fe in 1607. New Mexico declared the biscochito (also spelled bizcochito) the state cookie in 1989.

This recipe comes from the New Mexico secretary of state website. The yield will vary depending on the size of cutters you use.

6 cups flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups lard

1 3/4 cups sugar

2 teaspoons anise seeds

2 eggs

1/4 cup brandy

1 tablespoon cinnamon

Sift flour in a bowl with baking powder and salt.

In separate bowl, cream the lard with 1 1/2 cups sugar and anise seeds until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time.

Mix in flour mixture and brandy until well blended. Refrigerate, 2-3 hours.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Turn dough out onto a floured board; pat or roll to 1/4- or 1/2-inch thickness. Cut into shapes. (The fleur-de-lis is traditional.) Place cookies on parchment-paper-lined baking sheets.

Mix the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and the cinnamon together in a small bowl. Dust the cookies with the cinnamon sugar. Bake until lightly browned, 10-12 minutes.