Traditional Portuguese Lemon Ring Cookies • Biscoitos Argolas

Okayyyyy, so today we have a somewhat recipe fail… hehehehe just kidding!!!!! ;D These are the classic Portuguese Argola Cookies, super common both in the mainland and on the islands like the Azores. They’re incredibly simple cookies with a hint of lemon that you can whip up in no time, making them perfect for tea time, an afternoon snack, or whenever you’re craving something sweet.

This is one of those truly typical Portuguese cookies, nothing fancy, simple dough, simple and rustic flavors, not too sweet, and wonderfully crunchy. Now, where I messed up is that I was supposed to use all-purpose flour and I used self-rising flour instead, so the cookies “puffed up” a bit as you can see hehehe. But the recipe I’m posting is the traditional one, so your cookies will be a bit thinner and crispier than mine, but they will come out great either way! 😀

So if you want cookies like mine, just swap the all-purpose flour for self-rising flour. These are classic plain Portuguese biscuits, but just because they’re plain doesn’t mean they’re not delicious, sometimes what’s really tasty is a crispy, crumbly, sweet cookie. Let’s get to the recipe!

Traditional Portuguese Lemon Ring Cookies • Biscoitos Argolas

Servings: 12
Time: 40mins
Difficulty: Easy
Rating: ★★★★★
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Nothing like some crispy traditional cookies with a hint of lemon to brighten anyones day! 😀

Ingredients

Flour – 300g
Flour – For Dusting
Butter – 110g (At Room Temperature)
Sugar – 140g
Eggs – 3 L
Milk – 3 Tablespoons
Lemon – 1 Teaspoon (Zest)
Lemon – 1 Tablespoon (Juice)
Salt – A Pinch

Directions

Start by lining a baking tray with non-stick paper and preheat the oven to 180ºC (356ºF).
In a bowl, combine the sifted flour and salt, and mix.
In a separate bowl, whisk the butter at room temperature with the sugar until creamy.
Add the butter mixture, eggs, vanilla, milk (1 tablespoon), lemon zest, and lemon juice, and whisk again until you have a smooth, liquid cream.
Add the flour and mix everything together to form a dough. If it is too dry, add more milk; if it is fine, do not add the extra 2 tablespoons of milk.
Knead until you have a ball of dough that is neither too soft nor too dry.

Remove balls of dough (try to make them all roughly the same weight so that the cookies are the same size, use a scale if necessary) onto a floured surface and create a small roll of dough that you will fold to create a ring. Place on the baking sheet.
Repeat until you have no more dough. I made 12 large cookies, but you can make smaller ones, as long as they are all roughly the same size so they bake evenly.
Bake for about 15 to 18 minutes (depending on the oven and the size of the cookies). When the edges start to turn golden brown, they are ready. Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Bon appétit!

Notes & Tips: You can store these cookies in an airtight container with a bit of paper towel (the paper towel will absorb any moisture). They’ll keep well for up to a week.

Since these cookies are quite firm and crunchy, they’re perfect for dunking in milk or tea!

Try to make all your dough ropes the same thickness so they bake evenly. If some are thicker than others, the thin ones might get too brown while the thick ones are still underdone.

Don’t have fresh lemon? You can use orange zest instead for a different citrus twist, or even add a touch of vanilla extract for a more neutral flavor.

If you accidentally use self-rising flour like I did, your cookies will be puffier and more cake-like. Still delicious, just different from the traditional crispy texture!

Traditional argolas are often quite large, but feel free to make mini versions for bite-sized treats. Just reduce the baking time to 10-12 minutes for smaller cookies.

This recipe for Traditional Portuguese Lemon Ring Cookies • Biscoitos Argolas was originally created on BakeAfter.com. Esta receita de Biscoitos Tradicionais Argolas foi publicada em português no Iguaria.com.