Galletitas De Coco
"Coconut Cookies"
From the treasured pages of Cuaderno de Recetas de Cocinas de Teresa, Toluca
Written by Teresa Vélez Orozco
Galletitas De Coco
"Mantequilla 200 grams, azucar 300 grams, huevos batidos 2, Leche una poca, harina 500 grams, royal 2 cucharaditas, sal 1/4 de cucharadita, coco rallado 115 grams. Se amasa la mantequilla batiendola, se pone el azucar que sigue batiendo, se agregan los 2 huevos batidos y el harina cernida con el royal y la sal, se le incorpora el coco rallado. Se hacen cucharadas de esta pasta y se van poniendo en una charola engrasada (separados pues se extienden mucho) en horno moderado por 10 ó 15 minutos."
English Translation
"Butter 200 grams, sugar 300 grams, 2 beaten eggs, a little milk, flour 500 grams, baking powder 2 teaspoons, salt 1/4 teaspoon, shredded coconut 115 grams. Knead the butter by beating it, add the sugar and keep beating, add the 2 beaten eggs and the flour sifted with the baking powder and salt, then add the shredded coconut. Place spoonfuls of this dough on a greased baking sheet (space them apart as they spread a lot) and bake in a moderate oven for 10 or 15 minutes."
Note on the Original Text
The recipe is straight-forward, written in a narrative, conversational style with minimal detail compared to modern standards. Quantities are metric but sometimes imprecise ('una poca' de leche—just a little, as needed). Leavening is referred to as 'royal,' the classic Mexican term for commercial baking powder. Spelling and grammar follow informal conventions, reflecting oral transmission and domestic familiarity rather than professional recipe writing. The technique assumes a certain base knowledge: there are no oven temperatures and minimal timing cues, as home cooks were expected to judge doneness by appearance and smell.
Title
Cuaderno de Recetas de Cocinas de Teresa, Toluca (1937)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Teresa Vélez Orozco
Era
1937
Publisher
Unknown
Background
A delightful handwritten manuscript from Toluca, this charming cookbook serves up a taste of Mexican tradition through recipes for soups and desserts lovingly gathered from the author’s aunt and mother. Featuring an index and nearly 200 pages of culinary heritage, it’s a delectable journey through the kitchens of yesteryear.
Kindly made available by
University of Texas at San Antonio
This recipe for Galletitas de Coco comes from the 1927 'Cuaderno de Recetas de Cocinas. 3a Serie,' a handwritten manuscript by Teresa Vélez Orozco in Toluca, Mexico. The cookbook captures everyday family cooking, mostly drawing from her aunt and mother. These coconut cookies show the adaptation of imported ingredients like dried coconut in a Mexican kitchen at a time when baking powder ('royal') and refined sugar were becoming more commonly available in home kitchens. The recipes reflect the blend of traditional local tastes and new trends of early twentieth-century Mexican domestic life. It's both a testament to culinary heritage and the spread of new ingredients and products—like commercial baking powder—into Mexican households during this era. The handwritten recipes show a deeply personal and familial transmission of culinary knowledge.
In 1927, this recipe would have been made by hand, using a sturdy bowl and a wooden spoon or a wire whisk for creaming butter and sugar. Sifting would be done with a fine wire sieve. Eggs were likely beaten with a fork or a simple rotary beater. Baking would occur in a wood- or coal-fired oven, regulated by the baker's skill rather than precise temperature control. Trays or charolas would be metal or enameled, greased with fat or butter. Measuring tools were basic—cups and spoons of varying styles, or done by sight and experience.
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
12 mins
Servings
24
We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!
Ingredients
- 7 ounces unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 ounces desiccated coconut (shredded coconut)
Instructions
- Start by creaming 7 ounces of unsalted butter until smooth and light.
- Gradually add 1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar, beating well to incorperate.
- Add 2 beaten eggs and mix until fully combined.
- Sift together 4 cups of all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons of baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
- Mix the sifted dry ingredients into the butter mixture, adding a splash (about 2 tablespoons) of milk to bring the dough together.
- Fold in 4 ounces of desiccated (shredded) coconut.
- Drop spoonfuls of dough onto a greased baking tray, leaving space between as they will spreed.
- Bake in a preheated moderate oven (around 340°F) for 10 to 15 minutes, until lightly golden.
- Let cool before enjoying.
Estimated Calories
150 per serving
Cooking Estimates
It usually takes about 20 minutes to prepare the dough and 12 minutes to bake each batch. Each cookie has about 150 calories, and this recipe makes around 24 cookies.
As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.
We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.
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