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Top Ten Italian Christmas Cookie Recipes

Cara Kretz

Thank you for subscribing to my blog! This ebook has ten of my favorite Italian cookie recipes for the Christmas Holidays. My mom, grandmothers, sisters and cousins are all great Italian cooks, it runs in the family, and each have special cookie recipes. Picking my “Top Ten” was not easy. My list is based on family recipes, childhood memories, sentimental reasons - my Dad loved Sesame cookies - years of trial and error, and feedback from family gatherings has brought me to where I am today. I’m still trying to reverse engineer a specific Lemon Taralli cookie my husband had at my cousin’s house in Aragona, Sicily. Once I figure it out, I will certainly post it on the blog! Every Italian family has their own favorites cookies and unique recipes. In our extended family, we have differences of opinion on whether the crescents should be made with walnuts versus pecans, or if the cannoli shells should be made with crispy pizzelles or traditional fried shells. Anise or lemon? Sprinkles or powdered sugar? In the end, once a platter of Italian cookies is put out for the holidays and coffee is served, the important thing is that family is together and delicious food is involved. I hope you try at least one of these recipes and make it your own. Next year I might try dipping the pizzelles in dark chocolate spiced with cardamon. As my Mom use to say “Let the festivities begin!”

These are my Top Ten Italian cookies for Christmas!

Recipes Pizzelles.......................................4 Armaretti.....................................6 Biscotti.........................................8 Lemon Ricotta Cookies............10 Cocoa Spice Balls......................12 Walnut Crescents......................14 Cucidati.......................................16 Spritz Cookies............................18 Cannoli with Crispy Shells.......20 Sesame Cookies .........................22

Merry Christmas, Cara Cipolla Kretz

www.homemadeitaliancooking.com Follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram ©2015 Homemade Italian Cooking with Cara

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Pizzelles Makes 24 cookies / 30 minutes to prepare / 30 seconds to cook

The classic pizzelle cookie is crispy and flavored with either vanilla or anise. Dip them in white chocolate and sprinkle with peppermint candies for a wonderful Christmas cookie. It is easiest to make them using an electric pizzelle iron. 3 large eggs 3/4 cup sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 3/4 cups All-Purpose Flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 cup melted butter

1. Beat the eggs, sugar, salt, and vanilla until well combined. 2. Stir in the flour and baking powder, mixing until smooth. 3. Add the melted butter, again mixing until smooth; the batter will be thick and soft. 4. Heat your pizzelle iron. As it heats, the batter will stiffen. 5. Cook the pizzelle according to the instructions that came with your iron. In general, they’ll take between 20 seconds and 45 seconds to

Pizzelles

brown. My iron takes 20 seconds, no more! Use a teaspoon scoop centered on each circle for uniform circles. This takes some practice. 6. Remove the pizzelle from the iron, and cool on a rack. If desired, use a pair of scissors to trim any ragged edges. 7. Dust cooled pizzelle with confectioners’ sugar, or dip one end in white chocolate and sprinkles.

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Armaretti Cookies Makes 24 cookies / 15 minutes to prepare / 11 minutes to bake

These almond Armaretti cookies are light and delicious! They melt in your mouth. The key to making them is to use whole blanched almonds and grind them yourself. Bake until just brown on the bottom and garnish with a whole almond. 2 cups raw, blanched almonds (can also use almond meal, but not almond flour) 1 ¼ cup sugar

1. In a food processor, grind the almonds to make a coarse-ground almond meal. 2. Mix almond meal, sugar, and salt together in a small bowl.

2 tsp almond extract

3. Using a stand mixer, beat the egg whites to semi-

¼ tsp. of fine salt

stiff peaks. Add the almond mixture and mix well.

3 eggs whites from large eggs

4. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop out dough and

at room temperature ¾ cup powdered sugar

lightly form a ball the size of a walnut. 5. Roll ball in the powdered sugar and place on the baking sheet lined with parchment.

Armaretti

6. Repeat with the remaining dough. Leave space between the cookies as they will expand slightly during cooking. Use your palm to gently squash the cookie balls. 7. Lightly press one whole blanched almond in the center of each cookie for garnish. 8. Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 1115 minutes or until just starting to brown on the bottom. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving

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Biscotti Makes 24 cookies / 30 minutes to prepare / 40 minutes to bake

Homemade Biscotti is so much better than store-bought. This recipe uses whole almonds and pecans, plus adds a touch of cornmeal for a delightful crunch. You can also dip the ends in chocolate for a special treat. 1 stick butter, softened

1. In a medium bowl, sift flour, salt and baking

1 cup sugar

powder together. Add cornmeal and mix. Set

1 tablespoon baking powder

aside.

3 large eggs

2. Place butter in large bowl of an electric mixer,

1 teaspoon almond extract

whisk at medium speed adding 1 cup sugar until

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon Kosher salt 2 ½ cups flour

creamy. 3. Beat in eggs one at a time. 4. Add extracts and mix until fluffy and creamy.

½ cup cornmeal

5. Add whole almonds and pecans to the wet

1 cup whole almonds with

mixture in the electric mixer bowl, and stir until

skin on, toasted ½ cup whole pecans, toasted

Biscotti

combined. 6. Slowly add the flour/cornmeal mixture a little at

9. Place each log on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper or a silicon mat; gently flatten each

a time, and combine until well mixed and starts

log with the palm of your hand, and form even shaped loaves.

to form a ball.

10. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until slightly hardened and golden brown. Remove from

7. Place the dough on a floured board and knead

oven and let cool on baking sheet for 30 minutes. Turn oven down to 325 degrees.

by hand a few times. Dough should be slightly

11. Once cooled, place loaves on cutting board and carefully cut with a serrated bread knife on a

tacky yet firm.

slight diagonal into 3/4 inch slices. Line biscotti, cut side up, on the cooled baking sheet covered with

8. Divide dough in half and shape into 2 logs.

another piece of parchment paper or a silicon mat. 12. Bake at 325 degrees for 7 minutes until light golden brown and they have achieved the level of

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crispiness you desire. Remove biscotti to a wire rack and let cool.

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Lemon Ricotta Cookies Makes 36 cookies / 30 minutes to prepare / 15 minutes to bake

Lemon Ricotta cookies are soft and light with a strong flavor of fresh lemon. They taste like lemonade! I like to let the glaze harden a bit giving a nice contrast to the soft cookie. They are a perfect dessert cookie after a rich meal. 4 cups all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons baking powder

1. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl.

1 teaspoon fine-ground salt

2. Using a stand mixer, beat the sugar and butter until

2 sticks salted butter,

light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs one

softened

at a time until well incorporated. Beat for 2 more

2 cups sugar

minutes. Add ricotta & lemon extract until well

15-ounces ricotta cheese 2 teaspoons lemon extract 2 large eggs

combined. 3. Add dry ingredients and beat at a medium low speed until a soft dough forms.

2 cups of confectioner’s sugar

4. Using a small scoop or tablespoon, drop dough 2

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

inches apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment.

(juice one medium lemon)

5. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 15

1 tablespoon heavy cream

minutes or until bottoms are light golden brown.

1 tablespoon lemon peel,

Cookies should not brown. Set on a rack and let

minced

Lemon Ricotta

completely cool. 6. Mix the powdered sugar, half of the lemon juice, and cream in a small bowl. Add more lemon juice to adjust to a slightly thick glaze. Dip the cooled cookies in the glaze. Let the glaze harden. Garnish

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with minced lemon peel.

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Cocoa Spice Balls Makes 36 cookies / 30 minutes to prepare / 13 minutes to bake

Grandma Ann’s Cocoa Spice Balls are one of our favorite Christmas cookies. The rich milk chocolate is paired with black pepper, cloves and cinnamon for a wonderful spicy flavor. The chocolate glaze adds just the right amount of sweetness for balance. 4 cups all-purpose flour

1. Sift together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder,

¾ cup sugar

soda, and spices in a large bowl. Using a pastry

2 heaping tablespoons Dutch-

cutter, cut in shortening or butter until it breaks

processed cocoa powder

down into small, well-coated pieces. Alternately

1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon ground black

2. Add milk and mix until a dough forms. Add more milk if needed. Knead dough a few times.

pepper

3. Pull off small pieces of dough with your hands,

1 teaspoon ground cloves

and roll into small balls the size of a walnut. Place

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

1 teaspoon salt

4. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 375 degrees for

1/2 cup shortening or butter

9 - 13 minutes or until bottoms are a nice light

1 cup milk

Cocoa Spice Balls

brown. Let completely cool on racks.

Glaze:

5. In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar

1 box powdered sugar

and cocoa powder until well mixed. To make the

2 heaping tablespoons Dutch-

glaze, slowly whisk in the cream and vanilla until

processed cocoa powder

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you can use a food processor.

you get a thickish consistency.

¼ cup cream

6. Dip the cooled cookies in the glaze. The glaze

1 teaspoon vanilla

should slowly drape over the cookie. Let the glaze harden.

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Walnut Crescents Makes 36 cookies / 3 hours to prepare / 15 minutes to bake

Walnut Crescents are always included on our Christmas table. The buttery softness just melts in your mouth. You can make them with ground walnuts or ground pecans. They are also very easy to make, so make a lot! 2 sticks butter, softened

1. In a stand mixer, beat together the butter and ¾

1 3/4 cup powdered sugar

cup of powdered sugar until creamy. Mix in the

1 teaspoon vanilla

vanilla and walnuts. Slowly add the flour until a

1 cup ground walnuts

sticky dough forms. Take dough out of the bowl,

2 cups all-purpose flour

and wrap in cling wrap. 2. Refrigerate for 2 hours. 3. Break off 1 tablespoon sized pieces, roll between your palm and shape into crescents. 4. Place on a baking sheet, and bake in a preheated

Walnut Crescents

325 degree oven for 13-15 minutes or until the cookies are set, and lightly brown on bottom. 5. Cool completely, and then roll into the powdered sugar until well coated.

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Cucidati Makes 24 cookies / 1 hour to prepare / 25 minutes to bake

Cucidati are the King of Sicilian Christmas cookies. The filling is loaded with figs, honey, ginger, orange and cinnamon. The dough is like a flaky pie crust and garnished with glaze and colored sprinkles. They are a labor of love, but oh, so worth it! 4 cups All-Purpose Flour

1. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together

1 tablespoons baking powder

into a large bowl. Add the sugar and stir well.

1/4 teaspoon salt

Cut in the shortening with a pastry cutter and

1/2 cup sugar

work the mixture until it looks like cornmeal. In

1 cup shortening

a medium bowl, beat the egg, vanilla, and milk

1 large egg

together with a hand mixer. Add to the flour

1 tablespoon vanilla

mixture and work the mixture with your hands

1/2 cup milk 2 cups dried figs, soaked

2. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface

1 cup dried dates, pitted

and knead for 5 minutes, or until smooth. The

1 1/2 cups raisins

dough will be soft. Cut the dough into 4 pieces,

1/2 cup honey

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wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for 45 minutes.

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3. To make the filling, grind the figs, dates, and

1 teaspoon ground ginger

raisins in a food processor until coarse. Place

1/2 cup orange marmalade

the mixture in a bowl, add the honey, cinnamon,

1 ½ cups almonds, chopped

ginger, marmalade, and nuts and mix well.

2 cups powdered sugar

The mixture will be thick. Set aside at room

2 tablespoon heavy cream

temperature. Work with one piece of dough at

1 teaspoon lemon extract

a time, keeping the remaining covered with a

Colored sprinkles

Cucidati

into a rough dough.

towel.

4. On a floured surface, roll out each piece of dough to a 12-inch X 6-inch rectangle. Spoon 5 tablespoons of the filling across the center of the rectangle. Carefully roll the long edge over the filling and pinch the seam to close it securely. Leave the ends open. Place the roll seam side down on a baking sheet. With a scissors, cut a slit on the top of the roll at 1 inch intervals. Continue making the rolls with the rest of the dough. 5. Bake for 25 minutes, or until just lightly golden. Do not let them brown. Transfer the rolls to wire racks to cool. 6. To make the glaze, whisk the powdered sugar with the cream and extract in a small bowl. Spoon glaze over each roll and garnish with colored sprinkles. Carefully cut each cookie at the slit mark all the way through.

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Spritz Cookies Makes 9 doxen / 30 minutes to prepare / 12 minutes to bake

Making spritz cookies with the cookie press is a Christmas tradition. The cookie dough is light and delicious to eat. My sister makes them the best. She colors the dough and decorates them in a variety of ways for a beautiful Spritz cookie platter. 1 cup shortening

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. In a stand mixer, beat

3 ounces cream cheese, room

the shortening and cream cheese until well

temperature

blended. Add the sugar, and beat until light and

1 cup granulated sugar

fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the egg yolk, vanilla,

1 large egg yolk

and orange peel and beat again until blended.

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine the flour, salt and cinnamon in a bowl.

1 teaspoon grated orange

Add the flour to the stand bowl, and mix on low

peel

speed until blended. If desired, divide dough in

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour,

separate bowls, and add desired food coloring.

sifted

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Spritz Cookies

Mix until well blended.

½ teaspoon salt

2. Fit a cookie press with a die plate. Scoop up

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

about a quarter of the dough and, using a small

Red & green colored sugars

amount of flour if needed, shape the dough into

3. Bake until the cookies are just golden around the edges, 9 to 12 minutes (it’s best to bake

or other decorations for

a log just narrower than the barrel of the cookie

one sheet at a time). Do not let them brown. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet on a

sprinkling

press. Slide the log into the cookie press and

rack for 5 minutes before transferring them to a rack to cool completely. Be sure the baking

spritz the cookies directly onto ungreased baking

sheet is cool before spritzing more cookies.

sheets about 1 inch apart. Sprinkle with colored

Store at room temperature or freeze in an airtight container, separating the cookie layers with

sugar if using. Repeat with the remaining dough.

waxed paper.

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Cannoli with Crispy Shells Makes 24 cookies / 30 minutes to prepare / 30 seconds to cook

It wouldn’t be Christmas without Cannoli! This recipe uses a special pizzelle recipe with Marsala wine, and cocoa for the shell. The creamy and sweet ricotta is perfectly paired with the crispy shell. They are best filled right before eating! 3 large eggs

1. Place the ricotta cheese in a fine mesh strainer

3/4 cup sugar

lined with cheesecloth over a bowl, and let drain

1 teaspoon salt

in the fridge overnight.

3 tablespoons Marsala Wine

2. To make the shells (pizzelles), beat the eggs,

1 teaspoon espresso powder

sugar, and salt until well combined. Blend in the

1 teaspoon cinnamon ¼ cup cocoa powder

Marsala. 3. Stir in the flour, espresso powder, cinnamon,

1 3/4 cups All-Purpose Flour

cocoa and baking powder, mixing until smooth.

2 teaspoons baking powder

4. Add the melted butter, again mixing till smooth;

1/2 cup melted butter

the batter will be thick and soft.

16 ounces ricotta cheese

5. Heat your pizzelle iron. As it heats, the batter

2 tablespoons heavy cream

will stiffen. Cook the pizzelle according to the

2 cups powdered sugar

instructions that came with your iron. In general,

7. To make the filling, gently combine the drained ricotta, cream, and powdered sugar until well

Mini chocolate chips

they’ll take 30 seconds. Use a teaspoon scoop

blended.

centered on each circle for uniform circles.

8. Place the filling in a large ziplock bag, twist, and cut one end. Carefully pipe the filling in each

Shelled pistachios, chopped

6. Remove the pizzelle from the iron, and quickly while warm, roll the shell on a tube-shaped cannoli form. Press the seam side gently to seal,

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Cannoli

and let cool on a rack.

end of the shell. Dip the ends in mini-chocolate chips or chopped pistachios. The cannoli are best when filled right before eating. These shells are light and crispy and will get soggy if they sit too long filled. Keep a pastry bag with the filling in the fridge and pull out as needed.

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Sesame Cookies Makes 36 cookies / 30 minutes to prepare / 20 minutes to bake

Sesame Cookies with anise flavoring was one of my Dad’s favorite Christmas cookies. They are light and crunchy and not too sweet. Be sure to toast the sesame seeds for that extra touch of flavor. 4 cups flour

1. In a bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt.

2 sticks butter, softened

2. In a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar

1 cup sugar

until creamy. Add the eggs one a time until well

3 eggs

blended. Mix in the anise extract.

1 ½ tablespoons baking

3. Add the flour mixture and mix until a well

powder

blended cookie dough is formed. Refrigerate for

1 teaspoon salt

15 minutes or longer untill dough is workable.

2 teaspoons pure anise

4. Pinch off some dough and roll into balls the size

extract

of a walnut. Roll each ball into a log like cookie,

2 1/2 cups toasted sesame

about 2 ½ inch long. Slightly flatten the log with

seeds ½ cup of milk

Sesame Seed Cookies

the palm of your hand. 5. Pour the milk into a small bowl. Dip each cookie in the milk. Then, roll in the toasted sesame seeds. 6. Place each cookie on a baking sheet, lined with parchment paper, one inch apart. 7. Bake for about 15 - 20 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven, until light golden brown or longer if you prefer them crunchy. Remove from oven and let sit on pan about 5 minutes. Transfer

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to a rack to completely cool.

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Get more recipes and video tutorials! www.homemadeitaliancooking.com Follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram Merry Christmas! Cara Kretz

©2015 Homemade Italian Cooking with Cara