Filled Sweet Salvadoran cookie (with any marmalade type)

In El Salvador, bakeries aka panaderias are all over, and these cookies are always found through out the year. However, for Christmas time, you can find different fillings in it. The city I was born, they made seasonal sweet pastelitos filled with the traditional pineapple marmalade, fig marmalade, and meat. So, if you like the sweet and salty combination, you better try the meat-filling ones!

Now, that I live in a different place where I can find other types of fruits in season, I’ve made them with apricot, cranberry, and peach marmalades. They always turn so great, and I think the key is the dough.

Simple Ingredients

All purpose flour

Salt

Sugar

baking powder

Butter or Crisco vegetable shortening

Achoite

Egg

Water

How to make sweet pastelitos step by step

1. If you have stand mixer, or hand mixer, you can use it for the very first step. Combine all ingredients except the egg, achiote, and water.
2. Once you see ingredients are roughly combined, add egg, achiote, and water and continue to mix for about 3 more minutes.
3. Take the dough into a flat surface and knead with your hands until dough looks uniformed.
4. Cover and let it rest for 15 minutes.
5. Shape small balls (20 or so, depending how big you want them)
6. Make a round small tortilla with them, or use roller to do it.
7. Add marmalade in one of the rolled out circles and cover with other circle. Seal the edges by using your finger to make a twist around all the edge. See video for reference.
8. Place them in a lined baking sheet, bake for 40 minutes at 350 F
9. Take them out, let them cool and enjoy!

How to serve

Serve with a hot drink for a late snack, or as a dessert.

How to store

Store them at room temperature for about one week.