Christmas Sequilhos
Buttery, melt-in-your-mouth Brazilian cookies with a festive Northern flavor addition.
This week realized I hadn’t baked a single cookie this season, so in a moment of desperation to fix it, I thought about the cookies of my childhood—those buttery, crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth little dreams: Sequilhos!
I called my Auntie in Brazil last Tuesday to ask for the recipe. Of course, she didn’t have one, but she had a very straightforward method to share: mix a couple of spoonfuls of butter (margarine for her childhood), some sugar (god knows how much), and keep adding cornstarch until you have a pliable dough. Roll the dough into balls with the palms of your hands and bake until the bottoms are golden brown, but the tops stay as pale as can be. When I asked her how many minutes in the oven, she simply replied, “Until the bottoms are golden brown, but the tops are still terribly pale.” Ok, that sounds right to me.
Sequilhos recipes come in countless versions because they’re the kind of cookies you make on a whim—perfect for that afternoon coffee when you need a treat or when surprise visitors pop by (and yes, surprise visitors are a thing in Brazil!). Each of us has our own version, our own unique way of making them. Mine, for example, swaps sugar for sweetened condensed milk, and gladly welcomes a rich egg yolk for improved dough structure.
These days, you can easily find them in Brazilian supermarkets, neatly packed in shiny plastic bags, perfectly shaped and uniform—nothing like the ones I love, though. For me, Sequilhos are always a bit different, made with variations of the recipe, and that’s exactly how they should be.
Most recipes include desiccated coconut, which adds a lovely texture, or sometimes lemon zest. I like both, but I went for a more festive touch with this version, adding dried cranberries and a splash of Grand Marnier because that’s what I had on hand. They turned out delicious, though probably not quite what Auntie would approve of. The nerve of me, adding cranberries to a Sequilho! Jeez!
The orange liqueur gave a subtle hint of flavor, which I love, but if you're craving a more intense orange taste, I suggest adding zest instead. You can also experiment with other dried fruits like golden raisins (I’d love that!), prunes, apricots, or even freeze-dried strawberries. Matcha would make them amusingly green, and perhaps sugared orange peel could be interesting, too.
Feel free to use my recipe as a base and get creative. The dough is incredibly forgiving and fun to work with—it actually feels like play dough! I used to love baking it when I was a kid, and it’s the perfect holiday baking project if you want to get your kids involved. I remember making them tiny and pretending they were popcorn (??)
The decorative fork pattern on top is a Sequilho trademark, and I’ll admit, I’ll be a little upset if you skip that part. But if you promise me you’ll serve them while they’re still warm, filling your house with the irresistibly sweet aroma of butter and milk (it’s the sweetened condensed milk working its magic) right out of the oven, we’ll be even.
Oh, and they’re gluten-free!
Happy baking.
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Christmas Sequilhos
Makes 30 cookies
1 stick salted butter, softened (113g / ½ cup)
If you prefer to use unsalted butter, just add a pinch of salt
200g sweetened condensed milk (½ can / ⅔ cup)
1 egg yolk
2 tbsp Grand Marnier or zest of half an orange (optional)
300g cornstarch (2½ cups)
100g dried cranberries (¾ cup)
Line one or two, if you have, baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, add the softened butter, sweetened condensed milk, egg yolk, and Grand Marnier (or orange zest). Whisk thoroughly until smooth.
Gradually add the cornstarch, about ¼ at a time, folding it in with a spatula or wooden spoon until fully combined. Once all the cornstarch is incorporated, add the dried cranberries and mix them evenly into the dough. Gently and briefly knead the dough with your hands until it’s smooth and shiny.
Preheat the oven to 350°C (180°F).
Divide the dough into two portions. Roll each into a log about 1¼ inches (3 cm) in diameter and 15 inches (38 cm) long. Cut each log into 15 equal pieces (30 total) and roll each into a ball about 1¼ inches (3 cm) in diameter. Alternatively, use a small cookie scoop or tablespoon to portion and roll into balls.
Note: Please don’t get too caught up in the measurements here. I’ve never met a single Brazilian who measures these cookies. They’re super forgiving, so feel free to play around with the size and shape you prefer—no need to stick to any rules. Personally, I only used a ruler for this recipe development (and, for the record, I hated it). I’m pretty sure rulers are actually banned in Brazilian kitchens when baking Sequilhos! :)
Arrange the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, slightly spaced apart. Flatten each gently with a fork, creating a decorative pattern. If the dough sticks to the fork, dust lightly with cornstarch or chill briefly.
If your kitchen is warm, I recommend chilling the shaped cookies for 10 minutes in the fridge while the oven preheats. This will help maintain their shape.
Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden brown while the tops stay delicately light, almost untouched by color. Check on them frequently to avoid overbaking— the key to a melt-in-your-mouth Sequilho is making sure they don't bake too long.
Cool cookies on the baking sheets for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
I love dusting them with powdered sugar and serving them warm when possible.
Be sure to let the cookies cool completely on a wire rack before storing them to prevent moisture buildup inside the container.
Louca para testar essa receita perfeita!
Obrigada, Jaíne e feliz 2025!
Another winner from Jaíne. Merci beaucoup.