Portuguese Traditional Spiced Honey & Olive Oil Biscuits

There’s nothing quite like beautiful cinnamon and olive oil biscuits, and honestly, the aromas remind me so much of the typical Portuguese ferraduras biscuits. This is a simple and delicious biscuit, with that crispy texture on the outside and creamy inside, perfect for sweetening up a São Martinho celebration. This is also a classic autumn and winter biscuit in Portugal, it’s the time of year for baking, for spices, and for sugar, hehehehe!

I have to admit that I absolutely love these typical Portuguese biscuits. They’re not complicated, mostly rustic and simple. I sometimes have difficulty with chocolate chip cookies, biscuits covered in vanilla icing, creams and jams, it’s too much sugar with really the same old flavours, when what truly brings me joy is a simple and crispy not too sweet biscuit with a hint of spices, brown sugar, honey and olive oil ;D So let’s get to the recipe!

Portuguese Traditional Spiced Honey & Olive Oil Biscuits

Servings: 19
Time: 45mins
Difficulty: Normal
Rating: ★★★★★
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Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, these rustic Portuguese biscuits are autumn in every bite! Uh lálá im getting poetic here hehehehe.

Ingredients

Flour – 300g (No Baking Powder)
Eggs – 3 (at Room Temperature)
Brown Sugar – 125g
Baking Powder – 1 Teaspoon
Cinnamon – 2 Teaspoons
Fennel – 1 Teaspoon
Olive Oil – 130ml (Warm)
Egg Yolk – 1 (For Brushing)

Directions

Start by preheating the oven to 180ºC (356°F) and lining a baking tray with non-stick paper.
Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon in a bowl and mix.
Add the slightly warm olive oil (you can heat it in a pan or microwave) and mix again.

Then add the eggs, whisking until a dough forms.
Remove the dough to a board or table and knead a little. If it is too wet, add flour until you get a smooth dough.
Shape into balls or, in my case, broa-shaped cookies and place on the lined baking tray.
Finally, whisk the egg yolk and brush generously over each biscuit, then bake in the oven for about 18 minutes until golden brown.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before eating or store in an airtight container. Bon appétit!

Notes: Use a good quality olive oil, but not an extra virgin with too strong a flavor, you want the cinnamon and spices to shine through, not compete with a peppery oil.

This is important! Cold eggs won’t incorporate as smoothly into the dough, which can affect the texture.

The dough should be soft but not sticky. If it’s sticking to your hands, don’t hesitate to add a tablespoon more flour at a time.

These can be shaped into balls, flattened rounds, or the traditional Portuguese broa shape (slightly domed rustic rounds). They’ll spread just a bit in the oven.

If you’re not a fan of anise/fennel flavor, you can reduce it to ½ teaspoon or omit it entirely. Some Portuguese versions use orange or lemon zest instead!

These biscuits keep beautifully in an airtight container for up to a week, if they last that long! The flavor actually improves after a day or two.

Don’t skip brushing with egg yolk! It gives these biscuits their beautiful golden shine and adds to that crispy exterior.

These biscuits are traditionally made for São Martinho (St. Martin’s Day) on November 11th, celebrated with chestnuts, wine, and these wonderful spiced treats.

This recipe for Portuguese Traditional Spiced Honey & Olive Oil Biscuits was originally created on BakeAfter.com. Esta receita de Biscoitos Tradicionais de Canela e Azeite foi publicada em português no Iguaria.com.