Some of the best recipes come from the days when people baked with whatever they had on hand. No mixers, no fancy tools—just a bowl, a spoon, and a few ingredients that lived in the pantry.
That’s exactly where starchies come in.
Also called Sequilhos or Biscoitos de Maizena, these cookies have been around for over a century, proving you don’t need much to make something special.
Baking in the Early 1900s Meant Working with Less
Back around 1910, baking looked a lot different. No aisles full of specialty flours or fancy flavorings—just the basics. People relied on shelf-stable ingredients, especially in places where fresh dairy was hard to come by.
Sweetened condensed milk became a go-to, and recipes like this one started showing up in home kitchens across South America and beyond.
Starchies fit right into that era—no eggs, no wheat flour, just three things you probably already had if you kept a stocked cupboard.
Cornstarch Does the Heavy Lifting
Cornstarch isn’t just a thickener here—it’s what gives starchies their signature texture. Instead of forming gluten like wheat flour would, cornstarch stays soft and fine, which means the cookies sort of melt as you bite into them.
That sandy-soft consistency was (and still is) a prized texture in a lot of old cookies and biscuits.
It’s the kind of thing that seems fragile when they come out of the oven, but firms up just enough once they cool. You get this delicate, barely-there crunch on the outside, and then they just fall apart in the best way.
Why They’re Still Around
These cookies are easy to love. They’re naturally gluten-free, which means they work for a lot of diets without even trying. They don’t need eggs or rising agents, and they bake quickly at a low temp.
You don’t make them because they’re showy. You make them because they’re simple, satisfying, and quietly perfect with a cup of coffee or tea.
Which is probably why they’re still being baked over 100 years later.
Easy to Make, Easy to Tweak
Old recipes like this were never meant to be rigid. You can keep them classic or dress them up a little without messing with their spirit. A few popular tweaks:
- Add citrus zest (lemon, lime, or orange all work)
- Stir in a splash of vanilla extract for more depth
- Dip or drizzle with chocolate once they’ve cooled
- Use shaped cookie presses or fork marks for that vintage look
No matter what you do, just don’t overwork the dough—it should stay soft and smooth, not stiff.
A Few Tips for Nailing It
- Don’t skip the cooling time. These cookies are delicate and need time to set.
- Avoid high heat. Keep the oven low—browning ruins the pale, clean look.
- Stick with accurate cornstarch measurements. Too much and they dry out; too little and the dough won’t come together.
- Mix gently. You’re not whipping up air here—just combining until smooth.
A Bite of the Past That Still Tastes Right
Starchies aren’t trendy. They’re not packed with layers or fillings or a dozen kinds of sugar. But they’ve lasted this long for a reason.
They remind us that baking doesn’t have to be complicated to be good—and that some of the best recipes are the ones that came from necessity, not luxury.
Bake a batch, and you’ll see why they stuck around. No frills. No fuss. Just a quiet, simple cookie with a soft crumb and a long history.
Old-Fashioned Starchies (1910s Recipe)
Ingredients
- ½ cup sweetened condensed milk
- ½ cup softened butter
- 2 cups cornstarch
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the sweetened condensed milk and softened butter. Use a whisk or electric mixer to blend until smooth and creamy.
- Gradually add the cornstarch, two tablespoons at a time, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon. Keep mixing until a soft dough forms.
- Scoop out small portions of dough using a teaspoon or cookie scoop. Roll each portion between your hands to form smooth balls, about 2 inches in diameter. Arrange them on the prepared baking sheet, leaving a little space between each.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, ensuring they stay pale and do not brown. Allow the cookies to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Nancy has been a plant person from an early age. That interest blossomed into a bachelor’s in biology from Elmira College and a master’s degree in horticulture and communications from the University of Kentucky. Nancy worked in plant taxonomy at the University of Florida and the L. H. Bailey Hortorium at Cornell University, and wrote and edited gardening books at Rodale Press in Emmaus, PA. Her interests are plant identification, gardening, hiking, and reading.