ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – If you’re from New Mexico, there’s a popular sweet treat that will be on the dessert table this holiday season, biscochitos.

While you can buy them year-round, the holidays are especially busy for bakeries who specialize in making them.

For Celina’s Biscochitos that means making double if not three times more biscochitos to make sure locals and people nationwide have a sweet taste of New Mexico tradition.

“We probably do on average about anywhere from about, this year, probably about maybe 400 to 600 dozen a day,” said Celina Grife, co-owner of Celina’s Biscochitos. 

It’s no easy job making biscochitos.

For the past 14 years, Celina’s Biscochitos has been making her grandma’s recipe. This year, just like the rest, there is a high demand for our state’s official cookie, especially during the holidays.

“We’re just trying to keep up with the demand. So everyday by the end of the day, we’re just trying to scramble to make sure that we have enough cookies on the shelf for our customers, so that way they can pick them up at the end of the day,” said Grife. 

They’re making anywhere from 4,000 to over 7,000 cookies a day. That’s two to three times more than what they usually make outside of the holiday season.

Over the years, Grife has added more than just their traditional cookie.

“Our very first flavor was the red chile biscochito. And then one thing lead to another, we just started playing with it,” Grife said. 

Now they offer red and green chile, lemon, blue corn pinion and chocolate chip. This isn’t just the unique, different flavors they offer, it’s the tradition they carry on.

“We are one of the few commercial companies that are still making them the traditional way. So we still use lard, and by lard, I mean the old-fashioned blue and white container that everybody uses at home,” said Grife. “We still use brandy in our product as well. We still use the old fashion anise.”

One thing Grife has learned over the years is that for some people, a biscochito is much more than just a cookie.

“This is very personal to people, and I had no idea how personal it was to people. I could be working at an event, and I’ll have people say, ‘No, I can’t have yours because my mom or my aunt or my uncle.’ Whatever! Somebody makes them in the family,” said Grife. “Or we get somebody who doesn’t have that family member with them anymore, and they try ours, and they’re kind of like, ‘This brings back so many memories.’”

Grife says their goal is to keep that traditional biscochito flavor and texture, in every cookie they make.

Utah continues to strengthen its receiving corps with the addition of Ryan Davis, a talented wide receiver from New Mexico. Davis announced his commitment to the Utes, marking a significant boost to their offensive depth.

Davis was a standout performer for the Lobos last season, finishing as the team’s second-leading receiver. He totaled 54 receptions for 747 yards and three touchdowns, demonstrating his ability to make plays in crucial moments. His production extended to games against Power 4 competition, with Davis recording 12 catches for 181 yards in matchups against Arizona, Auburn, and Washington State. This ability to perform against high-level opponents highlights his potential impact at Utah.

At 5-foot-11 and 180 pounds, Davis is a versatile slot receiver with the capability to stretch the field and contribute at all levels of the passing game. His sure hands and reliable route-running were evident as he recorded at least one catch in each of New Mexico’s final 11 games. Davis also has a track record of academic success, earning Mountain West All-Academic and Scholar-Athlete honors.

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Davis is the third player to transfer from New Mexico to Utah, joining a pipeline established by Utah offensive coordinator Jason Beck and wide receivers coach Micah Simon. His familiarity with their system should ease his transition to the Utes’ offense.

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Before his time at New Mexico, Davis played at UAB, where he contributed for three seasons. His experience across multiple programs adds valuable depth and leadership to Utah’s wide receiver room.

With one year of eligibility remaining, Davis brings experience, consistency, and a competitive edge to a Utah team that continues to bolster its offensive firepower heading into the upcoming season.