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.”
Eving Santiago says
My grandson loves it. He does not need to go to the Phils. Even my husband loves to make it.Thank you for the recipe.
Herchel A Scruggs says
Yay! I finally got the polvoron molder I ordered. One of my kids is allergic to milk. Have you tried any powdered milk substitutes? Will something like cashew milk powder work?
Trina says
Hi Lalaine! Thank you for sharing your recipe. I only found powdered skimmed milk (not whole milk) in the grocery. Is this ok and can you suggest how to adjust the recipe to make up for the less milky flavor of the skimmed milk? Thank you!
thea says
Hello po. Paano naman po yung Ube flavor? meron po kasi akong Ube powder sa pantry ko. Pwede ko po bang ihalo sa mixture ang powder ng ganoon na lang? Salamat po 🙂
Ami says
Aside from full cream powdered milk, can I use skim milk? Thanks!
Mariel says
Hello po any recommended brand ng powdered milk here sa PH? Like alin po ba maganda alaska, bear brand , nido or etc? thanks po!
Chris says
Hi! Just want to clarify. Your ingredients says full cream milk while your instruction says powdered milk? So which is which? Pls. advise. Thanks!
Carrie says
Made this recipe plain for the first time. LOVED it! I left a comment asking if it could be done with non-fat powder instead of full fat because it's all we could find. Couldn't wait for an answer and just took the risk.
Soooooo good and sooooo easy!
So the answer is, non-fat powdered milk works just fine.
I think I have my new potluck dish for awhile.
Thank you!
Carrie Dickson says
Thank you for this. So excited to try it. What if I only have non-fat milk?
Arlene villon says
In the recipe it says there full crram milk instead of powdered milk right?
Carmela L. Dagoy says
Hi.ms.Làlainè..can I use buttermilk or skimmed milk for polvoron? Thanks a lot.
rosebell solimon says
hello po hinde po ba mgmoist f babalutin sa water cellophane un polvoron kc pang negosyo ko posalamat
Liza says
Thank you for the recipe! It looks delicious. What is the shelf life of the Polvoron? How far in advance can I make them?
Tammy says
Just returned from SEA and loved these treats so much that I wanted to make them here in USA. I used Nestle Nido drink mix to get full fat powered milk, I used silicon ice cube trays, and I added 1/2 cup toasted rice cereal. I also increased the butter to accommodate for the added dry ingredients. Perfect! Thanks for the recipe. Now I can share a taste of the Philippines with friends and family.
Lalaine Manalo says
Glad it worked out for you! 🙂
Hashique says
Really very tasty
My friends used to bring for me.i want order 5 packets of polvoron .iam from India.with postal charge.it will take how many days.my address
Hashique pin 670012
Kannur
Ivy Jean says
Hi po ..i made homemade polvoron .i just wondering po kung gaano kaya katagal ang itatal ng polvoron at room temperature ? Ingredients ko po Powder milk, apf, sugar , cream-O, and margarine po ..
Imelda h morado says
Hi p wede po b makahingi po mga recepe
Lalaine Manalo says
Ano pong recipe ang gusto? Lahat po nang mga recipes dito available for you 🙂