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Salpores de arroz
Crumbly rice flour cookies
Crumbly Salvadoran rice-flour cookies
Ask in a Salvadoran panadería for pan dulce to go with the afternoon cafecito and you will be offered salpores, round cookies with a sugar-crackled top that break into soft, sandy crumbs. Salpores de arroz are made with rice flour instead of wheat, which gives them their fine, almost powdery texture and makes them naturally gluten free. They taste of butter and vanilla with just enough sugar. Families in San Salvador buy them by the bag for wakes, birthdays and Sunday visits, and they are made to be dunked. Chef's tip: use finely milled white rice flour, not glutinous rice flour, which turns the cookies gummy; and don't wait for colour on top, because salpores stay pale and an extra few minutes dries them out.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
For the dough
- 4 ½ oz unsalted buttersoftened
- 4 oz caster sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 10 ½ oz fine white rice flour
- 1 ½ tsp gluten-free baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 tbsp whole milkas needed
To finish
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan) and line two trays with baking paper.
Step 2: Cream 4 ½ oz unsalted butter and 4 oz caster sugar for 3 minutes, until pale. Beat in 2 eggs one at a time, then 1 tsp vanilla extract.
4 minStep 3: Stir in 10 ½ oz fine white rice flour, 1 ½ tsp gluten-free baking powder and 1 pinch salt. The dough should be soft enough to roll into balls without cracking; add 2 tbsp whole milk a spoonful at a time if it crumbles.
3 minStep 4: Roll into 25 g balls, set them 4 cm apart and press each to 1.5 cm thick with your palm. Mark a cross on top with a knife if you like.
8 minStep 5: Sprinkle the tops with 2 tbsp granulated sugar.
Step 6: Bake for 16–20 minutes, until the bases are light gold and the edges feel firm while the middles still give slightly. The tops will crack and stay pale.
18 minStep 7: Leave on the trays for 10 minutes, as they are very tender when hot, then cool on a rack. Store airtight for up to a week.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 250 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 36 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does salpores de arroz take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of unsalted butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of caster sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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