Delicious Puerto Rican Polvorones: A Tropical Twist on a Classic

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two cookie sheets.

2. Beat shortening and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Add sugar and beat until fluffy. Mix in egg, egg yolk, vanilla, and almond extract.

3. Add flour, 1 cup at a time, until completely mixed; the dough should be stiff and able to hold its shape when formed into a ball. If this consistency is not achieved, add a little more flour.

4. Make 1-inch balls of dough and place 1 inch apart onto the prepared cookie sheets. Use your finger to make small indentations in the middle of each cookie; fill each with a cube of guava paste.

5. Bake in batches in the preheated oven until light golden on the bottom, about 15 minutes, switching racks halfway through; do not overcook. Cool on the baking sheet briefly before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Tips

You can fill the cookies with candy sprinkles instead of guava paste if preferred.