Montecados Recipe

• 2 1/3 cups Shortening (melted)
• 5 cups All-Purpose Flour
• ½ oz Anise Extract
• 1¼ cups White Sugar
• ¼ tsp Cinnamon (ground)
• 72 Almonds (blanched)

• Preheat oven to 250 °F (120 °C).
• Take a large mixing bowl and combine together flour, white sugar, and cinnamon.
• Add shortening and mix well until all the ingredients are well blended.
• Add anise seed and knead for 5 minutes to form soft dough.
• Roll the dough into 1-inch balls.
• Place the balls on an ungreased cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart.
• Place an almond on top of each cookie and slightly push it in.
• Bake the cookies for 30 minutes.
• Allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for another 30 minutes before serving them.