Polvoron is a Filipino-style shortbread made of toasted flour, powdered milk, sugar, and butter. Sweet, buttery, and easy to customize with different flavors, it's a delicious snack or dessert and great for gift-giving, too!
Every time I visit the Philippines, I bring at least a dozen polvoron molds back with me to the U.S. I love making different flavors of this Filipino shortbread throughout the year but I always seem to misplace my molds and can't find any when I need them.
Of course, when I DON'T need them, I find them everywhere.
What are Polvorones
Polvoron is a shortbread popular in Spain and its former colonies in Latin America and the Philippines. As its name, which comes from the Spanish word polvo ("powder" or "dust") suggests, it's a soft, crumbly confection made of flour, milk, sugar, fat, and nuts.
The traditional Filipino version uses powdered full cream milk such as Nido brand, toasted flour, sugar, and butter or margarine but other ingredients such as ube (purple yam), strawberry, pinipig (crispy rice), cashew, and cookies are also commonly added as flavor variants.
The mixture is shaped into small portions using tin molds and then wrapped individually in colorful cellophane or Japanese paper for presentation.
Helpful tips
- I find the ratio of 2 cups toasted flour, 1 cup powdered milk, 1 cup sugar, and 1 cup melted butter yields a buttery and crumbly but sturdy texture. Combine the mixture until slightly moistened like a wet sand; if it feels a bit dry, add additional melted butter in 1 tablespoon increments.
- Pack the molds as compactly as possible to keep from falling apart. You can also freeze them before wrapping for about 3 to 5 minutes or until firm to help them hold shape.
Make them extra special
Besides adding nuts, crushed cookies, cereals, and other flavorings, you can give these buttery cookies another layer of yum with a chocolate coating. Freeze the polvoron and then dip them in melted white or dark chocolate!
How to serve and store
- The buttery cookies make a great snack or dessert and are best enjoyed at room temperature.
- Store in an airtight container to maintain freshness. Refrigerate for up to one week or freeze for up to 3 months.
More sweet treats
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 1 cup powdered full cream milk (Nido)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup butter, melted
For the Pinipig Flavor
- ½ cup pinipig
For the Cashew or Peanut Flavor
- ½ cup unsalted cashew or peanut
For the Cookies and Cream Flavor
- 6 Oreo cookies
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
Equipment
- 1 Polvoron mold
Instructions
- In a skillet over medium heat, add flour. Toast, stirring regularly, until lightly browned and aromatic. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- In a bowl, whisk together toasted flour, powdered milk, and sugar until well combined. Add butter and continue to stir until well combined.
- Transfer mixture into a flat baking dish and using a polvoron mold, shape into solid cookies. Make sure mold is as compact as possible.
- Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until firm for about 30 minutes.
- Wrap individually in cellophane or Japanese paper wrappers.
For the Pinipig Flavor
- In a skillet over medium heat, add pinipig. Toast, stirring regularly, until lightly browned and begins to pop. Remove from pan and allow to cool.
- In a food processor, process until coarsely ground.
- Add to polvoron mixture and whisk together until well combined.
For the Cashew or Peanut Flavor
- In a skillet over medium heat, add cashews or peanuts. Toast, stirring regularly, until aromatic. Remove from pan and allow to cool.
- In a food processor, process until coarsely ground.
- Add to polvoron mixture and whisk together until well combined.
For the Cookies and Cream Flavor
- Scrape off cream filling from cookies.
- In a food processor, process until coarsely ground.
- Add to polvoron mixture plus additional 1 tablespoon butter and whisk together until well combined.
Video
Nutrition Information
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”
Lily says
How many polvoron (minimum/maximum) can you make from this ingredients?
Quick reply would be highly appreciated, thanks!
Lalaine says
The recipe makes about 40 pieces.
Emabel baclig says
Hello po madam lalaine
Lalaine says
Hello 🙂
Gina agustin says
Mam thank you po sa recipe mo na polvoron kaao 18pcs lang na try ko now at 2 by 2 polvoron molder but its ok 😋
Joy rain park says
Hi guys please help me to make polvoron... I ask a help from you 'cause i like scratch that i love your polvoron.
Lalaine Manalo says
Hi Joy! The recipe is above.
giovanni says
hi gud pm po!miss lalaine baka nakukulitan na kau sa akin,kasi gumagawa po aq nito sau po aq kumukuha ng mga recipe,kaya lng po hndi ko po ma post yung mga commnt q po.
Marie says
Hi Lalaine. My husband is gluten-intolerant. What can I substitute for flour? Can I use rice flour instead?
Lalaine says
Hello Marie,
Unfortunately, I haven't tried rice flour so I can't guarantee results but I think it might work. You just might have to make adjustments to the rest of the ingredients as rice flour is finer than all-purpose. Let me know how it turns out.
Sheila says
This is interesting. I haven't tried one but it definitely looks good. I can't wait to try it.
Joy says
Where do you get powdered milk here in the US?
Lalaine says
I buy mine at Seafood City (Nido brand) but I think I've seen it at Walmart as well in their baking aisle. If not, you can try Amazon 🙂
Rassel says
For those of you who operate a store or restaurant, we carry Nido here at Philippine Food Corporation in Chicago, IL
Irene says
hello Ms Lalaine, just a quick question? - flour- it needs to be rice flour?? or could i use all purpose flour?? thanks heaps🙏🇦🇺
Lalaine says
Hello Irene
The flour is actually all-purpose so you're good to go 🙂
irese says
hi! ask ko if how many days nag-lalast ang homemade polvoron?
zymrie says
Just wondering po why ung sa sakin it lasted for about 4 days lang tapos prang stale ung lasa, samantalang sa iba nagbebenta na homemade lasts up to 3-4 wks po, ano po kaya ang problema? is it the double wrap na kailngan lagyn ng waxpaper bago iwrap sa cellophane?,
Lalaine says
Hello Zmyrie
Hindi ko kasi masasagot yan dahil hindi ko alam kung ano ingredients nang iba na nagbebenta nang homemade. Parang masyadong matagal ang 3 to 4 weeks shelf like sa polvoron na made of milk. Yes, try mo na lang balutin nang maiigi. Yung mga binibili ko sa Goldilocks naka seal kaya rin tumatagal.
bry says
just wondering , where can I buy the plastic wrap or cellophane cause in my area its really hard to find po, what usually called it was.
Lalaine says
Hello Bry,
I am sorry but I am not sure where to buy the cellophane. My mother sent them to me from the Philippines. You might want to try National Bookstore or order online from Amazon.
giovanni says
itS a water cellophane po,
ckrg says
Would rice crispies be a suitable substitute for pinipig? My area doesn't have a decent Asian store, so needs must.
Lalaine says
Yes, Rice Krispies will be fine. I use this cereal as well when I don't have pinipig at home. 🙂
Irene says
I was going to ask the same thing, as i wouldn't know where to put pinipig here in Australia
Lalaine says
It's hard to find pinipig here in the U.S. too so I substitute rice krispies. 🙂
jane says
pede po ba gamitin ang bear brand na powdered milk?
joyce says
Instruction #2 must be powdered milk, right?
I made this last night, taste good.
Btw, some of my previous comments were cut short. Maybe because of moderation/subscription rules?
Thanks!
Lalaine says
Hi Joyce
Yes, it was powdered milk and not powdered sugar haha. Corrected the recipe. Thanks
I am not sure what you mean by your comments getting cut short. Did you leave comments that did not show on the post?
joyce says
Hi, Ms. Lalaine!
I have previously posted some comments/feedbacks which did not reflect the entire message. I have already encountered it twice, the recent is for the cheese puto. If my memory serves me right, I mentioned there (in the missing part) that I printed almost all of your recipes and made a "clearbook cookbook" because that was the time when I also read in your post that kawalingpinoy will soon have a mobile app and an ebook. My apologies for the inappropriateness of this message in this link as I have no idea on how to make this post private. Thank you for taking time!
Lalaine says
Thank you for letting me know, Joyce. I haven't really seen any cut-off comments from you but I will look into it.
Reading your comment made my day. It's so inspiring to know you find my recipes useful.
Mia S says
Brought back memories of my mom making these when I was growing up 🙂 I wish to make this too if I just have the mold.
Lalaine says
Hi Mia
Polvoron molds are available at Amazon. I've seen them for about $3 to $4 each.
Gina says
Wow, love the flavor variations! I wonder if these are similar to Banh Dau Xanh, a little molded Vietnamese cookie made of toasted mung bean flour.
I can't find a recipe for Banh Dau Xanh, though, I've only found the already-made cookies in stores 🙁 Maybe these will be similar! Thanks for the recipe!
shobelyn says
I love polvoron. I want to make it, but I do not have mold.
Roe says
Thank you so much for the recipe! I no longer need to request Goldiocks polvoron every time some goes back to the Philippines!! It so simple and easy 🤗😁👌