On a soft, warm Christmas Eve I came to rest in a village in the Haitian hills, where the night air was gentle and the sky was thick with stars. Music drifted from an open doorway, and candlelight glowed in the windows of a small house where a family had gathered close, talking and laughing late into the evening. They saw me lingering at the threshold and waved me in at once, pressing one of their freshly made bonbon amidon into my hand.
These are Haiti’s beloved starch cookies, and in Haitian Creole they are called bonbon lanmidon. They look brittle, yet they melt the instant they touch your tongue, all butter and vanilla with a whisper of lime. The word bonbon can fool you: in French it means candy, but in Haitian Creole bonbon means cookie, so here the name is exactly right. Families bake them for Christmas and other celebrations, coaxing something delicate and lovely out of the simplest handful of ingredients, which is a kind of magic I understand very well.
Bonbon Amidon (Haitian Starch Cookies)
Ingredients
- 2 cups cassava starch
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Water
- Colorful sprinkles or grated coconut for decorating optional
Instructions
Mix the dry ingredients
- Preheat your oven to 350 °F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cassava starch and granulated sugar. Mix well to ensure even distribution.
Add in the wet ingredients
- Gradually add the melted butter to the dry ingredients while stirring. Continue mixing until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Form a dough and roll cookie balls
- Add the vanilla extract and salt to the mixture. Mix until the dough starts to come together.
- Knead the dough gently until it forms a smooth ball. If the dough is too dry, you can add a teaspoon of water at a time until it reaches the right consistency. We used up to 2 TBS in our recipe but you might need more.
- Take small portions of the dough and shape them into balls or other desired shapes. Place the shaped cookies on the prepared baking sheet, leaving some space between them.
- If using, press colorful sprinkles or grated coconut onto the cookies to decorate them.
Bake the Haitian Amidon starch cookies
- Bake the cookies in the oven for 10-12 minutes or until they are set and the edges are slightly golden.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes. They will be fragile when hot, so handle them carefully.
- Once the cookies have cooled slightly and firmed up, carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
• Granulated sugar: You can use brown or coconut sugar instead of granulated sugar. The color and taste of the cookies may change.
• Unsalted butter: Replace the butter with an equal amount of margarine or a plant-based butter alternative to make the Haitian Christmas cookies dairy-free.
• Vanilla extract: Substitute the vanilla with different extracts like almond, coconut, or lemon to add unique flavors to the cookies.
• Food coloring: If you prefer natural coloring, you can use fruit or vegetable juices (beet, spinach, etc.) to tint the dough. Keep in mind that natural colors might be more subtle.
Variations
- Coconut bonbon amidon: Sprinkle shredded coconut to the dough for a tropical twist!
- Chocolate-dipped bonbon Amidon: Melt some chocolate (dark, milk, or white) and dip the cooled cookies halfway into the chocolate. Allow the chocolate to set before serving.
- Citrus burst: Incorporate the lemon zest, or limes to infuse the cookies.
- Spiced bonbon Amidon: Add a pinch of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, or cardamom to the dough for a warm and cozy flavor.
- Nutty crunch: Mix in finely chopped nuts (such as almonds, pecans, or walnuts).
- Floral essence: Add a few drops of rosewater, lavender extract, or orange blossom water.
- Mini shapes: Use tiny cookie cutters to create bite-sized cookies. These can be great for serving at parties or as cute little treats.
- Tea or coffee flavor
Storage and Shelf-life
Place the Haitian bonbon amidon cookies in an airtight container, separating layers with parchment paper to prevent them from breaking against one another. This will help keep them wonderfully crisp and fresh.Store the container in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and humidity.
You want to avoid storing these cookies in the fridge. Refrigeration can introduce moisture, causing them to lose their delicate texture. It’s best to store them at room temperature.
The shelf-life of Bonbon Amidon can vary based on factors like ingredients, humidity, and storage conditions. However, here are some general guidelines:
Bonbon Amidon can remain fresh and enjoyable for about 1 to 2 weeks when stored properly.
The cookies are at their crispiest and most delicate texture within the first few days of baking. Over time, they may become slightly softer.
Tips for Haitian Amidon Cookies
- When taking cookies out of storage, let them come to room temperature before serving to fully enjoy their flavor and texture.
- To revive the crispiness of slightly softened cookies, you can briefly warm them in a preheated oven at a low temperature (around 250°F or 120°C) for a few minutes. Keep a close eye on them to prevent over-baking.
- Bonbon amidon are delicate cookies with a melt-in-your-mouth texture. Handle them gently to avoid breaking.
- The food coloring is optional but can add a festive touch to the cookies.
- Traditional bonbon amidon are white in color, but you can get creative with different colors and decorations.
- These cookies are commonly enjoyed during celebrations and holidays in Haitian culture.
Substitutions & Variations
Substitutions
Variations
Storage
Place the Haitian bonbon amidon cookies in an airtight container, separating layers with parchment paper to prevent them from breaking against one another. This will help keep them wonderfully crisp and fresh. Store the container in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and humidity. You want to avoid storing these cookies in the fridge. Refrigeration can introduce moisture, causing them to lose their delicate texture. It’s best to store them at room temperature. The shelf-life of Bonbon Amidon can vary based on factors like ingredients, humidity, and storage conditions. However, here are some general guidelines: Bonbon Amidon can remain fresh and enjoyable for about 1 to 2 weeks when stored properly. The cookies are at their crispiest and most delicate texture within the first few days of baking. Over time, they may become slightly softer.Tips
Nutrition
How To Make These Haitian Cookies (step-by-step)
Mix the dry ingredients
1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cassava starch and granulated sugar. Mix well to ensure even distribution.
Add in the wet ingredients
3. Gradually add the melted butter to the dry ingredients while stirring. Continue mixing until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Form a dough and roll cookie balls
4. Add the vanilla extract and salt to the mixture. Mix until the dough starts to come together.
5. Knead the dough gently until it forms a smooth ball. If the dough is too dry, you can add a teaspoon of water at a time until it reaches the right consistency. We used up to 2 TBS in our recipe but you might need more.
6. Take small portions of the dough and shape them into balls or other desired shapes. Place the shaped cookies on the prepared baking sheet, leaving some space between them.
7. If using, press colorful sprinkles or grated coconut onto the cookies to decorate them.
Bake the Haitian Amidon starch cookies
8. Bake the cookies in the oven for 10-12 minutes or until they are set and the edges are slightly golden.
9. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes. They will be fragile when hot, so handle them carefully.
10. Once the cookies have cooled slightly and firmed up, carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Why are these cookies called Haitian Bonbon Amidon?
The “amidon” in bonbon amidon simply means starch, and the starch is what gives these cookies their tender, melt-in-the-mouth crumb in place of wheat flour. Traditionally that starch is cassava, also called manioc, the same root that has fed Caribbean kitchens for generations. These days many bakers reach for cornstarch as an easy substitute, and either one will serve you well. Keep this treat separate in your mind from bonbon siwo, a different Haitian sweet made with sugarcane syrup. They are cousins, not the same cookie.
