Carrilhos are one of those recipes that take me right back to my childhood kitchen. This Carrilhos recipe has been passed down through generations in my family, and I love thinking of all the grandmothers and aunts who sat down with a hot cup of tea after making these same cookies — following the same steps I follow today. They are a traditional Azorean corn spike cookie, crispy, golden, and completely irresistible.
What is a Carrilhos Recipe?
Carrilhos are a traditional Azorean cookie made with a combination of white corn flour and all-purpose flour. The name comes from their distinctive shape — long spikes pressed through a cookie press or churro maker, then cut and baked until golden. You will find them at family gatherings, festas, and on the table alongside a cup of tea in just about every Azorean home. They are simple, humble, and absolutely delicious.
How to Make This Carrilhos Recipe
The dough for this recipe comes together easily — you mix the dry ingredients, create a well, then work in the eggs, butter, lard, and milk until you reach a firm, workable consistency. The key is getting the dough just right: not too wet, not too dry. You press it through a cookie press or churro maker with a star tip to get those signature spikes, then cut them to length and bake until golden. If you like them extra crunchy, leave them in a low oven for an additional 15–20 minutes with the temperature reduced to 100°F.
Tips for the Best Results
- Use a churro maker instead of a cookie press — it works perfectly and is easier to find
- The dough should hold its shape when pressed; if it crumbles, add a small splash of warm milk
- If it spreads or sags, add a little more flour
- White corn flour is not the same as cornmeal — make sure you have the finely ground version
- Cut your spikes to a consistent 5 to 6 inches so they bake evenly
- Line your trays with parchment paper for easy cleanup
- These keep well in a tin for several days — if they last that long
Serving and Storing this Carrilhos Recipe
Serve Carrilhos at room temperature alongside a strong cup of tea or coffee. They are a wonderful addition to a cookie tray at Christmas or any family celebration. Store them in an airtight tin or container at room temperature for up to one week. They actually get a little crispier on day two, which most people prefer.
To make Carrilhos, you’ll need a cookie press or a star-tipped attachment. I’ve found that a churro maker works even better than a traditional cookie press and is much easier to use — use a Churro maker like this one from Amazon. For baking, you’ll want a good sturdy tray. I’ve been using Wilton baking trays for years and they’re worth every penny — I like these by Wilton.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Print
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
- Category: Baked Goods
Ingredients
1 3/4cups of warm milk
2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
4 cups of white corn flour
2 large eggs
9 tablespoons of butter at room temperature
Zest of 1 lemon
1 1/2 cups of sugar
1 teaspoon of baking powder
7 tablespoons of lard at room temperature
Note: to get the star shape you’ll need a cooking press with a star tip
Instructions
Preheat oven at 350 F
Grease baking trays, or line with parchment paper, and set aside.
1. In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients, such as the two types of flours, along with sugar and baking powder, and then create a well at the bottom of the bowl by pushing the flour mixture up the sides of the bowl.
2. Add the eggs, butter, lard, lemon zest and half the milk. Start mixing everything together until a firm consistency. You don’t want the mix to be too wet of too dry… so as you are mixing and kneading the dough, you can alternate adding more milk if the dough is too dry, or adding more flour if too wet. You want the dough to be able to hold its shape when it’s pressed through the cookie press.
3. Use a cookie press with a star tip to make the long spike design.
4. Once you place the spikes on the prepared baking tray, cut the corn spikes into 5 to 6 inch length and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden.
If you like your cookies extra crunchy, you can keep them in the oven with the temperature lowered to 100 degrees for an extra 15-20 minutes.
Notes
This recipe should make a few dozen cookies, depending on how big you make them!
Love Azorean baked goods? Try my Bolos Levedos or Malassada Bread Pudding next.
featured in MPT S1E5
