Classic Portuguese Fidalgo Crispy Twisted Cookies

I absolutely love cookies and I have to admit I was completely blown away by these Fidalgo Cookies, also known as Fidalguinhos or Biscoitos Fidalguinhos de Braga. This is a classic regional cookie from Braga, Portugal, with such a peculiar shape, it literally looks like the cookie is crossing its legs, which seems to be a nod to the style of a fidalgo (nobleman), someone who’s always relaxed and gets everything they want without much effort. These super crispy rustic classic cookies have that satisfying snap that makes you want to break them into pieces and savor every crunchy bite.

These cookies have a monastic origin from the recipe collection of the Convent of Nossa Senhora dos Remédios in Braga. There are other similar cookies in terms of the cookie dough, but shaped like an O, called Fidalgos or Fidalgos de Valongo, I assume given that the ingredients are very similar and Valongo and Braga are practically neighbours, they’re variations of each other. Speaking of the cookie itself, this one is absolutely delicious, it’s a crispy cookie, hmm… I’d even say crunchy with a slight cinnamon aroma. It’s a fantastic cookie for those who love firmer cookies that you can break apart and eat piece by piece.

The traditional version involves making thin strips which requires a bit more work (and let’s be honest, not all of mine turned out perfect hehehe), but the homemade version of fidalgo cookies is more like a twisted cookie, just make a slightly thicker strip of dough and twist it. Either way, you’ll end up with these wonderfully crispy, rustic treats that disappear faster than you can say “fidalgoooooo”! Lets check the recipe!

Classic Portuguese Fidalgo Crispy Twisted Cookies

Servings: 22
Time: 1hr 30mins
Difficulty: Normal
Rating: ★★★★★
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These twisted little crispy treats look like they're crossing their legs in the most aristocratic way possible! Hehehehe

Ingredients

Unbleached Flour – 300g
Sugar – 100g
Butter – 50g (Room Temperature)
Eggs – 2 L (Room Temperature)
Egg Yolks – 2 (Room Temperature)
Lemon – 1/2 (Zest)
Cinnamon – 1 teaspoon

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the sugar and sifted flour.

Add the eggs, egg yolks, butter, lemon zest, and cinnamon, knead everything well until you have a ball of dough, and let it rest for about 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
After 30 minutes, shape the cookies. I made 22 cookies, each weighing 25 grams, so it’s a good idea to remove pieces of dough and weigh them to ensure that all the cookies are relatively the same size and will cook evenly.

Now roll out the dough into a very thin roll, about 20 cm long.

Fold the roll in half and twist the bottom of the cookie. Look at the photos for reference.
Place them on the baking sheet and repeat until you have no more dough. Bake for about 11 minutes. When the edges start to brown, they are ready. Keep an eye on the oven.

And that’s it! Let them cool a little so they become nice and crispy, and they’re ready to eat. Once they’ve cooled, store them in an airtight container to keep them crispy. I have to admit that they didn’t last very long. I don’t know what happened, but like magic, they disappeared in a couple of days, heheheh. Enjoy!

Notes: Traditionally, these cookies are placed on a baking sheet greased with butter and dusted with flour, but that was mainly to prevent the cookies from sticking to the pan, something that’s not as much of a concern nowadays with parchment paper and silicone mats.

The original recipe doesn’t mention salt, but since I normally use unsalted butter, I thought… since the recipe doesn’t call for salt, maybe the salt comes from the butter, so I went and bought salted butter, a good Azorean butter, hehe.

Don’t worry if your twisted shapes aren’t perfect! The homemade charm is part of what makes these cookies so special. Even if they look a bit wonky, they’ll taste absolutely fantastic.

These should be properly crispy, that satisfying snap when you bite into them is what you’re aiming for. If they’re still soft after cooling, pop them back in the oven for a minute or two.

Since this recipe uses egg yolks, you’ll have leftover whites, perfect opportunity to make some mini meringues while your oven is still hot!

Keep them in an airtight container to maintain that perfect crispiness. They should stay fresh and crunchy for about a week (if they last that long!).

This recipe for Classic Portuguese Fidalgo Crispy Twisted Cookies was originally created on BakeAfter.com. Esta receita de Biscoitos Fidalgos de Braga foi publicada em português no Iguaria.com.