Panellets – Catalan Cookies

Originated in Catalonia, Spain, catalan cookies or Panellets are traditionally served on All Saints Day every November 1st. This recipe is intriguing in that it uses mashed cooked sweet potatoes. Whether the sweet potato is a substitute for flour or whether it is for flavor, you will soon find out.:-)

Ingredients for catalan cookies

Mashed cooked sweet potatoes 1 cup
Granulated sugar ½ cup
Ground blanched almonds 1 2/3 cups
Egg yolk 1 large
Vanilla extract ½ tsp
Grated lemon zest 1 tsp
Slivered almonds or pine nuts
(optional)
¼ cup

  • Mix all ingredients, except for the slivered almonds, together. Allow the mixture to rest in refrigeration for at least 30 minutes.

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line baking sheets with parchment paper.


    Getting catalan cookies ready for baking

  • Roll dough into 1-inch balls or flatten them into disks if preferred. Arrange Panellets about ½-inch apart on prepared cookie sheet. Press a slivered almond onto the top of each ball for decoration.


    Homemade Panellets or Catalan Cookies

  • Bake for about 15 minutes. They almost do not change appearance. Transfer catalan cookies to a platter using a metal spatula.

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    This recipe is originated in “150 Wheatless and Dairy-Free Desserts – Fabulous and Flourless” by Mary Wachtel Mauksch. Published by Simon and Schuster Macmillan Company. New York, N.Y. 1997.