How To Make Marranitos

To celebrate the upcoming Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15th to October 15th, I am sharing this adapted marranitos recipe for you to make adorable little pigs! I grew up eating these marranitos also called puerquitos or cochinitos, and they always evoke fond memories of going to a Mexican bakery to get some pan dulce every weekend with my family. The recipe is adapted from Isabel’s Eats (a fantastic Mexican recipes blog).

What are Marranitos?

These pig-shaped gingerbread cookies, known as marranitos, hold a special place in Mexican culture. They are a popular Mexican sweet bread, or pan dulce, in traditional Mexican bakeries. Their unique texture, typically on the drier side, pairs perfectly with a cup of coffee or milk. However, I always enjoyed them with a cup of Mexican hot chocolate or milk, a tradition in many Hispanic households.

Nonparelis sprinkles are not in a traditional marranitos recipe, but I thought they would make some fun marranitos for my kids, and they love them! You can omit the sprinkles if you want. They will be perfect for a Hispanic-inspired party with all the sweets and this mazapan macaron recipe I made!

Ingredients you’ll need

To start this recipe, gather all your ingredients. The recipe card is at the bottom for easy viewing and printing.

Here is what you’ll need:

Supplies you’ll need

These supplies are also recommended!

• Baking Mat
• Rolling Pin
• Pig Cookie Cutter (this cutter is on the large side. I also purchased this set but felt that they were too small.)
• Nonparelis Sprinkles (OPTIONAL but fun to add!)
• Baking Wire Rack

Step by Step Instructions On How To Make Marranitos

Step 1: Mix the flour with the cinnamon, ground ginger, allspice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

Step 2: In a stand mixer, cream butter until light and fluffy (about 2 mins).

Step 3: Add brown sugar and eggs one at a time, then molasses, vanilla extract, and milk to the bowl. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Step 4: Add the flour mixture to the stand mixer bowl, working in batches to ensure uniform mixing. Add ½ cup flour if the dough is still sticky and doesn’t pull away from the bowl. Approximately two times, and my mixer started to struggle, and then I stopped adding more flour.

Step 5: Use gloves if you prefer, as this part will be sticky. Divide the dough in half. Add more flour and mix into the dough if the dough is still too sticky. I typically don’t do this because sticky is still good! It will firm up in the fridge after a couple of hours. Cover with a plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Step 6: Preheat to 350 degrees. Lay a parchment paper or spray baking spray on the baking sheet tray.

Step 7: Dust the countertop or baking mat with flour.

Step 8: Roll out the dough to about ¼ inch thick using a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface. Any less than 1/4 will result in crunchy marranitos! Great if you love the crunch!

Step 9: Use the pig cookie cutter to cut out the shapes and place them on the cookie sheet, not too close to each other. Use the flour when you cut the dough with the cutter as needed.

Step 11: Make the egg wash by adding water to the egg and mixing it.

Step 12: Brush egg wash on the tops of the cookies and add sprinkles if desired. 

Step 13: Add sprinkles on the top of the marranitos if desired. 

Step 14: Bake for 12-15 mins.

Step 15: Cool the marranitos on the cookie sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to let them cool completely.

Enjoy these Mexican piggy cookies with a cup of milk or coffee!

Aren’t they the cutest little pigs?

How To Store Marranitos

Store them in a ziplock bag or an airtight container. They will be good at room temperature for several days.

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