Mantecados: Traditional Spanish Shortbread Cookies

5 from 10 votes

These traditional Spanish mantecados are the perfect cookies for the holidays or anytime! You'll love this easy Spanish cookie recipe.

Prep Time15

Cook Time18

Total Time33

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Spanish

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: cookies

Calories: 246.44kcal

Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C).
Beat the vegetable shortening or butter by hand or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, then blend in the olive oil. Add in the sugar and beat until smooth.
Add the egg and lemon zest to the mixture, then squeeze the juice of one of the lemon halves into the mixture. Beat until well combined.
Add the flour and baking soda and beat until smooth, being careful not to overmix. Fold in the almond halves if desired.

Scoop the dough into teaspoon-sized pieces and roll them into balls. Place on a greased cookie sheet and flatten it down a little before baking.
Bake the cookies for about 15-20 minutes, or until they're light brown. Carefully transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool before serving, and handle gently so that they do not crumble!

Make these cookies gluten free by swapping the flour for almond flour. The cookies will have a different texture but will still be delicious!
If the dough mixture is too dry, try adding some milk to thicken it. If the dough mixture is too runny, try adding some additional flour.
Handle the dough gently to keep it from getting tough.