Polvoron is a Filipino-style shortbread made with toasted rice flour, powdered milk, sugar, and butter. They’re perfect for gift-giving with different delicious flavors for variety!
One of the things I always stock up on every trip to the Philippines are molds (this is an affiliate link) and cellophane wrappers (this is an affiliate link). I love making different flavor varieties of polvoron especially during holiday months when I give them out as gifts.
Polvoron is a Filipino-style shortbread made with toasted flour, powdered milk, sugar, and butter. The sweet, buttery mixture is shaped into individual portions and then colorfully wrapped to maintain freshness.
I am providing the basic polvoron recipe along with different flavor varieties you can easily make with simple add-ins. To add another layer of yum, you can also dip and coat the polvoron in melted white or dark chocolate. Enjoy!
Polvoron is a Filipino-style shortbread made with toasted rice flour, powdered milk, sugar, and butter. They're perfect for gift-giving with different delicious flavors for variety!
- 2 cups flour
- 1 cup powdered milk
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 1/2 cup pinipig
- 1/2 cup unsalted cashew or peanut
- 6 Oreo cookies
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted melted
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In a skillet over medium heat, add flour. Toast, stirring regularly, until lightly browned and aromatic. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
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In a bowl, whisk together toasted flour, powdered milk, and sugar until well-combined. Add butter and continue to stir until well-combined.
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Transfer mixture into a flat baking dish and using a polvoron mold, shape into solid cookies. Make sure mold is as compact as possible.
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Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until firm for about 30 minutes.
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Wrap individually in cellophane or Japanese paper wrappers.
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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.
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In a food processor, process until coarsely ground.
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Add to polvoron mixture and whisk together until well-combined.
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In a skillet over medium heat, add cashews or peanuts. Toast, stirring regularly, until aromatic. Remove from pan and allow to cool.
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In a food processor, process until coarsely ground.
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Add to polvoron mixture and whisk together until well-combined.
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Scrape off cream filling from cookies.
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In a food processor, process until coarsely ground.
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Add to polvoron mixture plus additional 1 tablespoon butter and whisk together until well-combined.
Hi po.
Hello 🙂
Hi po, I’m your kababayang pinoy from Philippines. I just wonder if pwede bang maging alternative na ingredient ang Avocado na kapalit para sa Margarin o Butter? and what is your full name po, I just need it for my research. Kahit last name lang po. Thank you.
Hello Joshua,
I’ve never tried making polvoron with Avocado although I’ve seen it used as an alternative for butter/oil in baking. My name is Lalaine 🙂
Thank you for the recipe! I especially appreciate the tip to freeze before wrapping – that makes such a difference! Thank you!
You’re welcome, Faye. I am glad you enjoyed the recipe and found the tips helpful. 🙂
How many polvoron (minimum/maximum) can you make from this ingredients?
Quick reply would be highly appreciated, thanks!
The recipe makes about 40 pieces.
Hello po madam lalaine
Hello 🙂
Hi Lalaine. My husband is gluten-intolerant. What can I substitute for flour? Can I use rice flour instead?
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.
Where do you get powdered milk here in the US?
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 🙂
For those of you who operate a store or restaurant, we carry Nido here at Philippine Food Corporation in Chicago, IL
hello Ms Lalaine, just a quick question? – flour- it needs to be rice flour?? or could i use all purpose flour?? thanks heaps🙏🇦🇺
Hello Irene
The flour is actually all-purpose so you’re good to go 🙂
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?,
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.
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.
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.
itS a water cellophane po,
Would rice crispies be a suitable substitute for pinipig? My area doesn’t have a decent Asian store, so needs must.
Yes, Rice Krispies will be fine. I use this cereal as well when I don’t have pinipig at home. 🙂
I was going to ask the same thing, as i wouldn’t know where to put pinipig here in Australia
It’s hard to find pinipig here in the U.S. too so I substitute rice krispies. 🙂
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!
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?
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!
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.
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.
Hi Mia
Polvoron molds are available at Amazon. I’ve seen them for about $3 to $4 each.
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!
I love polvoron. I want to make it, but I do not have mold.