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Sequilhos
Cornstarch condensed milk cookies
Brazilian cornstarch and condensed milk cookies
Brazilian grandmothers keep a tin of sequilhos (seh-KEEL-yos) on the shelf for afternoon cafezinho, and children in São Paulo and Minas Gerais grow up pinching them from it. Made almost entirely from cornstarch, butter and sweetened condensed milk, they bake pale and chalky-looking, then dissolve on the tongue like a cloud of milky sugar. A fork pressed into each ball leaves the classic stripes. This version adds one egg yolk for a little richness; plenty of families leave it out, and the cookies are just as good. Because there is no wheat, they are naturally gluten free. Chef's tip: lift one off the tray after the minimum time and check the base; it should be the faintest cream-gold, not brown, or the melting texture turns sandy.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 20
Ingredients
For the cookies
- 10 ½ oz cornstarchplus a little for your hands
- 3 ½ oz unsalted buttersoftened
- 1 egg yolkleave out for eggless sequilhos
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan) and line two baking trays with baking paper.
Step 2: Beat 3 ½ oz unsalted butter, 7 oz sweetened condensed milk, 1 egg yolk, 1 tsp vanilla extract and 1 pinch salt in a bowl with a wooden spoon until smooth and glossy.
2 minStep 3: Add 10 ½ oz cornstarch a third at a time, mixing first with the spoon and then with your hand, until you have a soft dough that no longer sticks to your palm. If it cracks badly when rolled, work in a teaspoon of milk; if it sticks, add a spoonful more cornstarch.
4 minStep 4: Roll walnut-sized pieces (about 10 g) into balls between lightly dusted palms and set them 3 cm apart on the trays.
Step 5: Press each ball once with the back of a fork to flatten it slightly and mark the stripes. Dip the fork in cornstarch between cookies so it doesn't stick.
6 minStep 6: Bake one tray at a time for 12–15 minutes, until the cookies are firm to a light touch and the bases are only just turning cream-gold. The tops stay pale.
14 minStep 7: Leave them on the tray for 10 minutes; they are fragile when hot and firm up as they cool. Move to a rack and cool completely, then store in an airtight tin for up to 2 weeks.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 120 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 19 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does sequilhos take?
- About 35 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 20 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 sweetened condensed milk?
- Oat, soy or almond milk, same amount (use unsweetened for savoury dishes).
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