Painting by James Lewicki, from “The Golden Book of Christmas Tales” 1956
Hi Everyone,
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Today is the Feast of the Epiphany or La Befana.
In Italy, January 6th is a national holiday and is a big part of the Christmas celebrations. It commemorates the 12th day of Christmas when the three Wise Men arrived at the manger bringing gifts to Baby Jesus.
In Italy, this day is especially significant for Italian children who wait for the arrival of La Befana, the old witch. La Befana (formerly called Stria – hag or witch) is the name of an old peasant lady. She had lost her husband, she had never had a child, and she lived in a tiny house alone in the hills of Italy spending her days cleaning and cooking.
One night she noticed a bright light in the sky but she ignored the light and went back to sweeping her home.
According to the Italian legend, La Befana was approached by the three Wise Men (Magi), Melchior, Balthazar, and Gaspar, who asked her how to get to the road to Bethlehem and they asked her to join them on their journey to bring gifts to the Christ child.
She initially refused to join them because she was too busy doing her housework,
When she started to regret her decision a few hours later, she then filled a bag of cookies and dried fruits and went to look for them. But she never found the Magi, despite her relentless search. This is why Befana is always seen with worn-out shoes from her search.
After failing to find baby Jesus, she decided to offer the presents she had planned for him to all the other children she met. Italian children leave out their shoes or put up stockings for La Befana to fill on Epiphany Eve or January 5th.
The legend states that every Epiphany Eve, the old witch covered in soot and tattered clothes flies around the world on a broomstick and comes down chimneys to deliver candy and presents to children that have been good all year.
For those that haven’t been good, La Befana leaves coal. (some shops in Italy sell black rock candy to represent the coal so even the naughty children can still have a sweet treat.
I have included a recipe for coal cookies if you are interested at the end of this post.
The arrival of La Befana is celebrated with traditional Italian foods such as panettone and marks the end of the holiday season in Italy. In honor of the Three Wise Men, Italians go to church and enjoy spending the day with family.
In my home, it was also the day to take down the tree and all the holiday decorations.
Panettone is an Italian cake that is recognized by its tall domed shape. It is a sweet dough with raisins and candied fruit and today there are many varieties on the market and you can buy chocolate, pear, and chestnut to name a few.
Growing up, we would have panettone for breakfast on the morning of January 6th, which was a great sweet treat for us to have cake for breakfast.
My grandmother would make special cookies on January 5th to leave for La Befana called Befanini– they are traditional shortbread cookies in honor of La Befana. The original recipe included rum but I don’t have my family’s original recipe. Italian housewives would prepare these cookies for La Befana to nibble on between her deliveries.
When I was a child, we followed tradition and left a plate of Befanini cookies and a glass of wine for La Befana (this is similar to leaving milk and cookies for Santa). The cookies were always in the shape of a star to signify the Star of Bethlehem that La Befana saw through her window.
These are my cookies this year.
I have posted the recipe for La Befana cookies below that I have been using for years and I don’t remember where I copied it from so I am sorry to the author of the recipe that I can’t mention your name for full credit but it is not my recipe or my grandmother’s recipe- it is a typed copy from an article but very good.
This recipe doesn’t use rum but vanilla and anisette with orange zest- delicious!
La Befana Star Cookies
Ingredients
3 ½ cups unbleached flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 ½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons anisette
Freshly grated zest of 1 orange
1 large egg yolk
2 tablespoons heavy cream
Multicolored sprinkles
Instructions
In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together and set aside.
In an electric mixer (the paddle attachment), cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed until creamy and light.
Beat in the egg and egg yolks, one at a time, scraping down the sides after each addition, followed by the vanilla extract, anisette, and orange zest. Beat in the dry ingredients at low speed to form a stiff dough. Remove the dough from the bowl, flatten it into a disk, wrap it in plastic, and chill until it is firm enough to roll for about 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray or line them with parchment paper.
Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces; work with 1 piece at a time, keeping the remaining pieces refrigerated. On a floured surface, roll the dough to a thickness of 1/8 inch. Using a floured 2-inch star-shaped cookie cutter, cut the dough into stars. Place the cookies ½ inch apart on the baking sheets.
Gather the scraps together and repeat rolling and cutting until you have used all the scraps; it may be necessary to refrigerate the scraps until they are firm enough to roll again.
To make the glaze: In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolk with the cream. Using a small pastry brush, lightly brush the surface of the cookies with a bit of glaze and decorate them with sprinkles ( I use confetti sprinkles).
Bake the cookies until they are lightly golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through the baking time.
Allow the cookies to cool slightly on the baking sheets, then gently remove them with a spatula to a wire rack to cool completely.
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If you are interested in reading the story of “La Befana” to your children or just want to have the book as a keepsake, the classic story is told by author Tomie dePaola and is sold on Amazon.
Bob and I will enjoy these cookies tonight with some espresso with a touch of anisette and lemon rind.
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Lump of Coal Cookies – Courtesy of PassionforSavings.com
Ingredients
16 oz. of Oreo Cookies
4 Cups of Miniature Marshmallows
1/4 Cup of Butter
Plastic Bag
Instructions
Place Oreo Cookies in a Large Gallon Size Ziploc Bag.
Using a rolling pin or measuring cup crush the Oreo Cookies into small pieces.
Place Butter and Marshmallows in a bowl and heat in the microwave on high for 1 minute.
Stir marshmallows and butter until smooth.
Add in Crushed Oreos and stir well.
Roll into Small Cookies and flatten to create a “Coal” Shape.
Allow them to cool completely before storing.
Store in an airtight container.
Until my next post, make every day a celebration!
Stay well,
Diane
Happy La Befana and I hope it brings a peaceful and joyous end to your holiday season.
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The Christmas cookie-baking marathon has come to an end for 2022, and here is part C. Have a wonderful holiday and Happy Baking…..
This year I have included some of the traditional favorites along with adding some new cookies to the roster.
The majority of my Christmas Cookie recipes are in the files, so I will provide the link to the old cookies and supply the recipe for the new cookies for 2022.
So far I prepared the following…..
Lemon Ricotta Cookies- Without Eggs or Butter
This recipe caught my eye because it doesn’t have eggs or butter which intrigued me. Plus, I had some ricotta in the refrigerator that needed to be used so I gave it a try. The lemon glaze was outstanding and it’s a new addition to the cookie tray.
Recipe courtesy of Maria Vannelli RD
Ingredients:
2/3 cup granulated sugar
Zest one whole lemon
1 ¼ cups of AP flour
1 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 cup and 2 tbsp of ricotta
1 tbsp of lemon juice freshly squeezed
1/3 cup sanding sugar
Glaze:
2 cups of powdered sugar
Juice of one lemon
1-2 teaspoons of milk
Directions:
Use your fingertips to rub the sugar and the lemon zest together for a couple of minutes
In a medium bowl, whisk together the lemon sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt
Add the ricotta and the lemon juice. Begin combining the ingredients together with a rubber spatula, then use your hands to gently knead together for 1-2 minutes
Cover and refrigerate for 60 minutes
Preheat oven to 325 toward the end of the chill time and position the rack in the middle oven
Line baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats
Use a medium scoop (about 1 ½ inches) and divide the dough into 20 equal pieces (25 grams ea.) or portion out 1 tablespoon of cookie dough
Place them on the parchment about 2 inches apart.
Roll out each scoop of cookie dough between the palms of your hands and roll the tops in the sanding sugar
Place on the parchment paper with the sprinkles facing upward
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned
Allow cooling slightly then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely
Add the glaze and allow to set on a cooling rack
Italian Pistachio Cookies
This recipe brought back memories of a cookie my grandmother used to make and I had to give it a try. Very nice dense taste of pistachios and Bob loved this cookie.
Here is the recipe: Courtesy of mangiabenepasta.com
Ingredients:
1-1/4 cups ( about 5 ounces ) finely ground pistachios, plus more for coating 1 cup confectioners’ sugar ( about 4.5 ounces ) 1 egg white 1/2 cup almond flour ( 2 ounces ) Finely grated zest of 1 lemon 1/2 teaspoon almond extract 1/2 teaspoon Fiori di Sicilia
Directions:
In a bowl, combine all of the ingredients. Knead into a dough ( it will be very sticky). Cover and refrigerate the dough for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350⁰ F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place about 2 tablespoons of confectioners’ sugar on a plate. Form the dough into 2 rolls, about 1 inch in diameter and 10 inches long. Cut into pieces about 1-1/2inches long or 9 pieces per roll. Roll each piece between the palms of your hands to smooth each cookie into a log and round the edges. Roll each piece in the confectioners’ sugar to coat. Place on the prepared baking sheets. Press down on each cookie to flatten it slightly. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool.
Russian Tea Cakesaka Snowball Cookies
This recipe has been on and off my cookie tray for years and years. I haven’t included it in a few years so this year it is back on. Usually made with pecan halves, this year I had an abundance of walnuts and substituted them for the pecans- still very tasty. And a very easy cookie to make.
Here is the recipe: Courtesy of Sweet & Savory
Ingredients:
▢½ cup (60g) pecan halves Note 1
▢1 stick (115g) unsalted butter at room temperature
▢¼ cup (30g) powdered sugar
▢1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
▢1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour
▢¼ teaspoon salt
▢1 cup powdered sugar for coating
Note: I test all my recipes with both measurements for the most precise and accurate result!
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
In a large skillet, toast the pecans over medium heat for 5 minutes, or until nutty, stirring constantly. Coarsely chop them.
In a large mixing bowl with the paddle attachment, whip the butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla until fluffy. (Start on low speed gradually increasing to medium-high.)
Add flour and salt. Mix until combined.
Then stir in the chopped pecans.
Using a small cookie scoop, form 1-inch dough balls and arrange them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until the cookies are light golden brown around the edges and on the bottom.
Place ½ cup of powdered sugar in a large bowl. Add the warm cookies and roll to coat. Transfer onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Roll the cooled cookies again in the remaining powdered sugar and enjoy.
Colored “Stained Glass” Pizzelles
This recipe is on many Christmas trays every year and is one of my favorite cookies to bake. This year I decided to try a new recipe from Ciao Italia with colored sprinkles to give the pizzelle a stained glass look. I love the way they turned out and add a little sparkle to the cookie tray.
12 tablespoons(1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cupssugar
5 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoonvanilla extract
3 cupsmulticolored sugar sprinkles
Directions:
In a medium bowl sift the flour, baking powder, and salt.
In another bowl, beat the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer. Beat in the eggs one at a time until well blended. Add the vanilla extract. On low speed, blend in the flour mixture a little at a time until well blended. The dough will be soft.
Cover the bowl and chill the dough for at least 2 hours.
(Note: You can make the dough in a food processor, combining the butter and sugar first, then eggs and vanilla, and last the flour mixture.)
Heat a pizzelle maker according to the manufacturer’s directions. If it is nonstick, spray it with a baking spray or lightly brush with vegetable oil.
Pour the sugar sprinkles into a shallow dish. Using 2 teaspoons scoop up a spoonful of the dough, and using the spoon as a guide, roll the dough in the sugar sprinkles, coating it well. Place the dough in the center of the form; if you have a 2-form maker, or 4-form maker, roll the balls first before putting them on the form.
Close the lid and latch it for a count to 30. Lift the lid and remove the pizzelle with the edge of a fork and place them on cooling racks in single layers to cool completely. For darker-colored pizzelle hold for a longer count. Continue making pizzelle until all the dough is used.
The pizzelle should be thin and have a crisp texture. When completely cool, wrap them in groups of 6 in plastic wrap and place them in airtight containers. Pizzelle can be made ahead and frozen for up to 3 months.
Variation: When just removed from the pizzelle form, the waffles can be rolled around cannoli forms, or pressed between two small custard cups to form shapes that can be filled with cream, custard, or fruit. Scoop softened ice cream between two pizzelle to make delicious ice-cream sandwiches.
This is my all-time favorite Christmas cookie. I had a little trouble this year with a different brand of jam and it was too runny; the taste is still the same but other than that it was a success. I usually use the brand “Bonne Maman” for the jam, and I am going back to that next year…
These layers of almond cake are stacked with apricot and raspberry jam and colored to represent the Italian Flag.
You will need three- 9 X 13 pans
Here is the recipe:
Recipe from Mary Carpino and Nicole Carpino Frasco… adapted by Margaux Laskey
Ingredients:
Nonstick cooking spray or neutral oil, for greasing the pans
2 cups/255 grams all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon fine salt
1(8-ounce/227-gram) package pure almond paste (not pastry filling)
1½cups/340 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup/201 grams granulated sugar
4 large eggs, yolks and whites separated
1teaspoon almond extract
Red and green food coloring, preferably gel
1(12-ounce/340-gram) jar apricot or raspberry preserves (not seedless) Cooks Note: I use a layer of apricot and a layer of raspberry).
8 ounces/227 grams semisweet or bittersweet bar chocolate
Sprinkles, for finishing (optional)
Directions:
Arrange 2 racks in the center of the oven and heat to 350 degrees. Make room in your refrigerator for 1 half-sheet pan. Grease 3 (13-by-9-inch) baking pans or quarter-sheet pans with cooking spray or a little oil, then line with parchment or wax paper. (This helps the paper stay in place.) Spray or oil the parchment.
Combine the flour and salt in a medium bowl. In the bowl of a standing mixer (or with a hand mixer), or in a large bowl if using an electric hand mixer, break up the almond paste using a fork or your fingers. Add butter, sugar, egg yolks and almond extract. Using the paddle attachment, beat on high until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, scraping down the bowl halfway through. Turn off the mixer, add a third of the flour and salt, then beat on medium-low until just combined. Repeat with another third, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, and continue until all the flour is added and incorporated. Transfer batter to a large bowl. Rinse and dry the mixing bowl.
Add egg whites to the mixing bowl and beat on high speed with the whisk attachment until stiff peaks form, 30 to 45 seconds. Fold the egg whites into the batter until just combined.
Remove one-third of the batter to one of the prepared pans. Use an offset spatula to evenly spread the batter in the pan all the way to the edges. (This can get a little tricky, but have patience and take your time. The oil on the pan should help hold the paper in place, but if you’re having trouble, hold the paper in place with one hand while you spread with the other.) Remove another one-third of the batter to a medium bowl and add a couple drops of green food coloring. Stir until blended, and add more to reach your desired shade. Transfer green batter to a prepared pan and spread evenly. Add a couple drops of red food coloring to the remaining batter, stir to combine, add more as needed, then transfer to the last pan and spread evenly. Firmly tap each pan on the countertop to release air bubbles.
Bake for 10 to 11 minutes, rotating pans halfway through until the edges are barely browned, the tops are just set, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Immediately slide cakes from the pans onto racks using parchment paper. Cool completely.
Using the parchment paper, slide the green cake onto a half-sheet pan. In a small saucepan, heat preserves over medium until loose, then strain through a fine mesh sieve. Spread half of the preserves over the green layer, going all the way to the edge. Carefully flip the uncolored layer on top (use a large offset spatula to help), and remove the parchment paper. Spread with the remaining preserves.
Top with the red layer and remove the parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap and place another rimmed baking sheet on top of the cookies. Transfer to the refrigerator, then top with heavy cans so the weight is evenly distributed. Refrigerate overnight.
Melt half of the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave in 30-second bursts. Using an offset spatula, spread the chocolate on the top and to the edges, then refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Melt the remaining chocolate. Place a piece of parchment or wax paper on a cutting board, then place on top of the cake and invert the cake onto the board. Spread the bottom with the remaining chocolate. Let cool for a few minutes, then use the tines of a fork to draw waves in the chocolate and add sprinkles, if desired. Refrigerate until almost firm, but still slightly soft, about 5 to 10 minutes. (If you wait until the chocolate is fully set, the chocolate will crack when you cut.)
Run a sharp knife under hot water, dry, then trim the edges and save for snacking. Cut the cake into 1-inch squares, running the knife under hot water and drying between cuts. Return to the refrigerator to set completely. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container with wax paper between layers. Allow to come to room temperature a bit before serving.
Rosette Christmas Cookies
The rosette is a lightly deep-fried cookie and a Scandinavian tradition. My mom and grandmother did not make these for Christmas but I had an Aunt that did and she made different shapes every year on her cookie trays. The rose and star were my favorites so when I purchased my rosette irons I made sure I purchased those shapes first. Sprinkled with powdered sugar they are quite tasty, almost like a zeppole flavor. You have to be really fast preparing these because they easily burn.
Here is the recipe: Courtesy of Life on Misty Acres
Equipment
Frying Pan
Rosette Iron
Ingredients
Vegetable or Canola Oil is Enough to make a layer on the bottom of the pan- I made it 2 inches.
2 Eggs
1/4 tsp Salt
1 tsp Sugar
1 Cup Milk
1 Cup Flour
Instructions
In a saucepan pour 2 1/2 – 3 inches of oil and heat it up. You will want your oil to be around 350-370 degrees Fahrenheit (170 -190 Celsius). You don’t want the oil to be too hot.
Beat the eggs, sugar, and salt. Add milk and flour. Beat until smooth. Set batter aside.
Once your oil reaches the correct temperature you will then want to start to heat the iron. This is very important. Stick the iron in the oil and let it warm up for a few seconds. If the iron is not hot enough the batter will not stick to it and clumps up.
Dip the iron into the batter (be careful not to let the batter go over the top of the iron or you will have trouble getting the rosette off of the iron). Once the batter is stuck to the iron then you will move it to the frying oil. This step only takes about 3 seconds. You want the rosette to be lightly browned.
We use a butter knife to get the cookie off the iron and push it down with the iron to get it nice and brown. Sometimes we flip the cookie over to make it evenly brown.
Once the rosettes are cool, you will then sprinkle them with powdered sugar.
Time to eat them and share them with friends! These are best eaten on the day they were made. You can store them in a dry, slightly sealed container. My grandmother used to store them in clothing boxes. If you seal them too tight, they will go soggy.
Notes
It may take a few rosettes to get the hang of it. Heat is usually the issue.
A quick tip: It is better for the oil to be a little hotter and then burn a few rosettes rather than have the oil be too cool. Do not bring the oil to a full boil.
Please be safe and enjoy these beautiful cookies!
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I hope you enjoyed these recipes for Christmas 2022!
If you try any of the cookie recipes, please let me know what you think, and have a safe, healthy, and blessed holiday from my family to yours…..
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The Christmas cookie-baking marathon continues and here is part B. This year I have included some of the traditional favorites along with adding some new cookies to the roster.
The majority of my Christmas Cookie recipes are in the files, so I will provide the link to the old cookies and supply the recipe for the new cookies for 2022. Stand by for additional posts, I am not done yet.
So far I prepared the following…..
Saltine Chocolate Brittle or Christmas Crack
Always a favorite addition of salty and sweet for a quick bite and is very easy to prepare.
The combination of oranges and cranberries has always been a favorite of mine in muffins, loaf cakes, and scones. When I found this cookie recipe with these flavors, I was thrilled. This is a basic sugar cookie recipe filled with fresh cranberries and orange peel.
Recipe courtesy of “Beyond the Chicken Coop”
Ingredients:
1 cup butter at room temperature
1 ½ cups sugar
½ tsp vanilla
2 whole eggs
1 tablespoon orange peel, fresh and zested
3 cups of AP flour
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp baking powder
Filling:
1 cup fresh cranberries
¼ cup sugar
1 tablespoon orange peel fresh, zested
Directions:
In a mixing bowl, add butter and sugar and mix until fluffy.
Mix in vanilla, eggs, and orange peel
Add flour, salt, and baking powder. Mix
When the dough is mixed well, remove it from the bowl and form it into two rounds
Wrap each round in plastic wrap and refrigerate for ONE HOUR
For the Filling…
In a food processor add cranberries, sugar, and orange peel. Process until finely chopped
Prepare the cranberry filling just before using it. If you make the filling too early, the mixture will become too juicy. If this happens strain off the liquid before adding it to the dough.
Rolling the dough…
Working with one disc of dough at a time, roll out dough on a lightly floured surface into a 10 X 14 rectangle
Add half the filling mixture on top of the dough leaving a ½ inch border
Carefully roll the dough into a log – no need to pinch the seam. The dough will hold its shape once chilled.
Place the log on a piece of plastic wrap and wrap it tightly. Place the log on a baking sheet
Repeat with the remaining dough and filling
Refrigerate for 2 hours
Slicing and Baking
Remove logs from the refrigerator and remove plastic wrap
Slice the dough into ¼ – ½ inch slices and place 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet
Bake at 375 degrees preheated oven for 10-12 minutes
Remove from baking sheet and cook on a baking rack
Nut Butter Cookies
Peanut Butter cookies have always been a favorite of my husband and this year, I decided to try making his favorite cookie with a new ingredient that he has become a fan of – mixed nut butter. The results were fantastic.The nut butter consists of almonds, cashews, pumpkin seeds, chia, and flax seeds.
This recipe was given to me by my dear beloved cousin Jeanette Geyer many years ago and I have adapted it with nut butter this year. Her memory will live on in my house this Christmas.
You can use this recipe for peanut butter cookies.
Ingredients:
1 stick butter (soft)…
1/2 C Peanut butter…
1/2 C sugar…
1/2 C brown sugar…
1 egg…
1 ¼ cup flour
½ tsp baking powder
¾ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
Directions:
Mix these ingredients together…then add…1 1/4 C flour…1/2 tsp. baking powder…3/4 tsp. baking soda…1/4 tsp. salt…mix well & chill dough…roll to the size of walnuts or use an ice cream scoop.
place 3″ apart on a greased cookie sheet…flatten with a potato masher dipped in flour or use a fork crisscross.
bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes. makes about 2 to 3 dozen cookies depending on the size. I usually double the recipe…
ENJOY…it’s like a blast from the past!!!
Pignoli Cookies
Always been a favorite on any Christmas Cookie tray, and this year I am trying a new recipe. My older recipe is still in the files for your review.
Recipe courtesy of DanPelosi.com
Ingredients:
1 ½ lb. almond paste
1 ½ cups sugar
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
4 egg whites
1 lb. pine nuts
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Add 1 ½ lb. of almond paste, 1 ½ cups sugar, 1 cup confectioner’s sugar, and 4 egg whites to the bowl of a stand mixer or just your favorite bowl if you are mixing by hand. Mix until combined
Scoop enough dough to form an approximately 1-inch ball of dough. Add the ball to the bowl of pine nuts and use your hands to crush/push pine nuts into the balls of dough. Be careful not to overwork the dough or the pine nuts won’t stick.
Continue this process until you’ve used up all your dough and each ball is perfectly covered in pignoli!
Place your pignoli-encrusted dough balls on a parchment-lined baking tray and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
Let your cookies cool and enjoy
Cannoli Cookies
This is one of my favorite cookies every year. A combination of ricotta, pistachios, and chocolate. I usually make them bite size but this year I tried a 1 1/2-inch cookie scoop and made it the size of a soft chocolate chip cookie. I’ll see which way my family prefers them.
In a large mixing bowl cream the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Mix in the eggs then ricotta cheese until well combined then mix in the vanilla extract, cinnamon, and fresh orange zest.
Next, mix in the baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined. Mix in the flour. Stir in 1 cup of chocolate chips and the pistachios. Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least one hour.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly grease.
Using a medium cookie scoop or spoon, drop about 1 1/2 tablespoons of cookie dough for each cookie leaving about 2 inches between each cookie.
Bake cookies at 375 degrees F for about 8-11 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. Cool slightly then move to wire racks to cool completely.
Microwave the remaining chocolate chips on high in a small microwave-safe bowl in 20-second intervals, stirring after each interval until melted and smooth. Spoon melted chocolate into a small resealable bag, clip one corner slightly, then drizzle melted chocolate over cookies. Let cool for the chocolate to set.
Raspberry Almond Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies
This is definitely my favorite cookie to bake and the most requested every year. Absolutely delicious.
1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, cold and diced into 1 Tbsp. pieces
2/3 cup (140g) granulated sugar
1/2 tsp almond extract *
1/2 cup raspberry jam, seedless if preferred
I substituted amaretto for the almond extract and it was 2 tbsp. of amaretto for every ½ tsp of extract.
Glaze (optional)
1 cup (124g) powdered sugar
1 tbsp almond extract
2 – 4 tsp water
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl whisk together flour and salt, and set aside.
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, blend together butter and sugar until combined (it will take a minute or two since the butter is cold. If you don’t have a paddle attachment that constantly scrapes the bowl, then occasionally stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl). Mix in almond extract then add in flour and blend until the mixture comes together (it will take a bit of mixing since the butter is cold, so be patient, it will seem really dry at first).
Shape dough into 1-inch balls, about 1 Tbsp each, and place 2 inchesapart on ungreased baking sheets. Make a small indentation with your thumb or forefinger in each cookie (large enough to fit 1/4 – 1/2 tsp of jam). Fill each with 1/4 – 1/2 tsp jam. Chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes (or freezer for 10 minutes). Bake in preheated oven for 14 – 18 minutes.
Cool for several minutes on the baking sheet then transfer to a wire rack to cool (at this point you can add a little more jam if you’d like to, it just won’t be set like the other is). Drizzle cookies with glaze when cool. Store cookies in an airtight container.
For the glaze:
Whisk all glaze ingredients together in a small mixing bowl, adding enough water to reach desired consistency. Pour or spoon the mixture into a sandwich-size resealable bag, cut a small tip from one corner, and drizzle over cookies or use a fork in a quick back-and-forth motion to spread the glaze.
* Cooks Note: –Measure flour scoop with a measuring cup and level with a butter knife. Don’t whisk or sift first and don’t spoon into the measuring cup.
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I hope you enjoyed these recipes today and stayed tuned for Part C coming up later in the week for more cookie recipes.
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Well, it’s that time of year again and I started my Christmas cookie-baking marathon. This year I have included some of the traditional favorites along with adding some new cookies to the roster.
The majority of my Christmas Cookie recipes are in the files, so I will provide the link to the old cookies and supply the recipe for the new cookies for 2022.. I will be baking all weekend so stand by for additional posts.
So far I prepared the following….
Pistachio Cookies
This recipe was given to me by my dear friend Michael Gottuso who happens to be one of the best chefs I know and his meals just wow me at every turn.
This is one of the easiest recipes I make and I just love them. They are the perfect size to fill in the little empty spots on a cookie tray. Also, one of the best recipes to take to a cookie swap- they transport well and are a crowd pleaser. Making them a few weeks ahead of Christmas or your event is even better because they marinate and get better and better.
Be warned, they are potent with the rum, so keep the kids away.
Another favorite and always the first cookie I bake. This year I added 1 tbsp of Grand Marnier liquor for a slight hint of orange flavor. If you don’t want to add alcohol, then you substitute orange extract or stick to the original recipe and no added orange essence.
This was my new addition for last year and it was a big hit.
“BRUTTIBONI” which translates to “ugly but good”. Ugly for the irregular shape and good for the taste.
It is a meringue cookie with a crisp exterior with a soft, chewy interior flavored with almonds, hazelnuts, and cinnamon.
Simply delightful. Light and flavorful and this cookie was made every year by my Barese grandmother.Unfortunately, I never had her original recipe and then found this recipe in an article I read last year and it brought back memories of grandma.
Here is the recipe:
Ingredients
4 egg whites
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract pure
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup sugar granulated
1⅓ cup whole almonds toasted
1⅓ cup hazelnuts toasted and skins removes
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C.
Line the baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
Pulse almonds and hazelnuts in a food processor to obtain a coarsely ground texture. Alternatively, chop by hand. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl (of a stand mixture), with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on low-medium speed until they start to foam.
Add a pinch of salt.
Add cinnamon and vanilla extract.
Add the sugar, a tablespoon at a time, and whisk until you obtain stiff glossy peaks.
With a mixing spoon, fold in the nuts. Gently combine.
Transfer this mixture to a heat-proof bowl and place over a pot of hot, barely simmering water. This mixture needs to be stirred for about 15 minutes.
Portion with a medium-sized scooper and place on a baking sheet.
Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until the tops are golden.
Allow cooling on the baking sheet.
Notes
To roast the nuts: Preheat the oven to 325°F. Position the rack in the center.
Spread almonds and hazelnuts on a baking sheet and roast for about 10 minutes to obtain a light roasting. Remove the skins from the hazelnuts.
Let the nuts cool to room temperature before using them in the recipe.
The almonds and the hazelnuts can be roasted in advance and stored at room temperature until needed. This ensures the use of room-temperature ingredients until you are ready to make these nut cookies.
Do not rush the process of adding the sugar while whisking the egg whites. Add the sugar one tablespoon at a time to the egg whites.
The addition of cinnamon is optional.
*recipe adapted from The Gazette
Sesame Cookies or Regina cookies
One of my favorites and they find a home on my cookie tray each year.
Here is the recipe:
Ingredients:
1 lb. Crisco vegetable shortening
1 cup of granulated sugar
4 ½ cups of flour
3 ½ tsp baking powder
2 tbsp of pure vanilla
4 large eggs
Approx. 2 cups of toasted sesame seeds
1 cup of milk
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Cream the Crisco, sugar, eggs, and vanilla
Add the flour and baking powder – a little at a time until it forms a soft dough
Turn the dough onto a floured board and mix well
Break off small amounts (approx. 1 tbsp) and roll them into a log shape
Roll the logs in the milk and then in the sesame seeds
Bake for 12 minutes or until the bottom of the cookies is light brown
Quaresimali
If you have been to a real authentic Italian bakery then you have seen these almond biscotti. They are very hard and crunchy biscotti made for dunking in espresso or hot chocolate. Unless you want a dental visit, don’t take a bite. Some people refer to these as dog biscuit biscotti.
The flavor is fantastic, with almonds, brown sugar, cinnamon, butter, and eggs and I add a touch of ground cloves. This is my husband’s favorite biscotti and it appears on our cookie trays for Easter and Christmas.
Here is the recipe:
Ingredients:
1 lb. natural almonds (approx. 2 cups)
1 cup granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon
½ tsp ground cloves
1 tsp baking powder
3 tbsp unsalted butter OR ¼ cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
Egg wash: 1 egg and 2 tbsp milk
Directions:
Toast almonds in a jelly roll pan in a preheated 375-degree oven for 10 minutes and let them cool
In a blender or food processor grind ¼ of the almonds fine with ¼ cup of the granulated sugar and transfer to a large bowl
Stir in the flour, remaining ¾ cup sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and baking powder. Stir until blended
Add butter and combine with the mixture.
Add the remaining almonds, chopped coarsely, and the eggs and knead the dough until combined
This dough will be VERY STICKY– you may use water on your hands to help with the stickiness.
Form the dough into long rectangles onto a greased and floured cookie sheet (makes about 3 loaves).
Brush each rectangle with the egg wash before baking for 25 minutes
After 25 minutes diagonal slices and then put the slices back in the “turned off” oven for 15 minutes. Store in an airtight container.
Hope all is well and 2022 will be the beginning of a year of many blessings for all of you.
Today is January 6th and otherwise known as The Epiphany (the 12th day after Christmas).
According to tradition, trees and decorations should be removed on either the 5th or 6th of January (a practice my mother made sure was followed in our home).
For the Roman Catholic Church, Epiphany on January 6th celebrates the visit of the Three Kings (Magi), Melchior, Balthazar, and Gaspar, led by a star to meet and bring gifts to the infant Jesus.
On the Feast of the Epiphany in my home, we traditionally celebrate by eating Panettone. This marks the end of the holiday season.
Panettone is an Italian cake that is recognized by its tall domed shape. It is a sweet dough with raisins and candied fruit and today there are many varieties on the market and you can buy chocolate, pear, and chestnut to name a few. The store Eataly sells many different brands and varieties. This year we purchased our favorite, glazed chocolate.
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Along with The Feast of The Epiphany, in Italian households, we celebrate La Befana on January 6th…
According to folklore, La Befana is said to be an old woman and many refer to her as a witch who lived alone in the hills of Italy spending her days cleaning and cooking. One night she noticed a bright light in the sky but she ignored the light and went back to sweeping her home.
On this very night, the Three Wise Men arrived at the home of La Befana and asked her how to get to the road to Bethlehem and they asked her to join them on their journey to bring gifts to the Christ child.
She initially refused because she was too busy doing her housework, but then she tried to follow them.
She was unable to follow them or find Jesus and Italians say that Befana is still searching for that baby and, on her quest, she leaves treats and toys, candy and fruits for well-behaved children and the naughty children get chunks of coal, onions, garlic, and dark candy or even straw from her broom.
She rides on a broom and enters the home through the chimney and is a nice old witch, so La Befana is also said to sweep the floor for you.
When I was a child, we followed tradition and left a plate of cookies and a glass of wine for La Befana (this is similar to leaving milk and cookies for Santa). The cookies were always in the shape of a star to signify the Star of Bethlehem that La Befana saw through her window.
I had the pleasure of making these cookies every January 5th with my grandmother while she told me the story of La Befana. We always received gifts from La Befana in our Christmas stockings but my grandmother told me in Italy some children received their treats from La Befana in their shoes.
I could listen to my grandmother for hours on end and she meant the world to me. Still does...
I have posted a recipe for La Befana cookies below that I have been using for years and I don’t remember where I copied it from so I am sorry to the author of the recipe that I can’t mention your name for full credit but it is not my recipe or my grandmother’s recipe- it is a typed copy from an article but very good.
It is basically a sugar cookie with added anisette, vanilla, and orange zest and I hope you try them. Buona Befana! – Happy Befana!
PHOTO COURTESY OF COOKINGWITHNONNA.COM
La Befana Star Cookies
Ingredients
3 ½ cups unbleached flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 ½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons anisette
Freshly grated zest of 1 orange
1 large egg yolk
2 tablespoons heavy cream
Multicolored sprinkles
Instructions
In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together and set aside.
In an electric mixer (the paddle attachment), cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed until creamy and light.
Beat in the egg and egg yolks, one at a time, scraping down the sides after each addition, followed by the vanilla extract, anisette, and orange zest. Beat in the dry ingredients at low speed to form a stiff dough. Remove the dough from the bowl, flatten it into a disk, wrap it in plastic, and chill until it is firm enough to roll for about 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray or line them with parchment paper.
Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces; work with 1 piece at a time, keeping the remaining pieces refrigerated. On a floured surface, roll the dough to a thickness of 1/8 inch. Using a floured 2-inch star-shaped cookie cutter, cut the dough into stars. Place the cookies ½ inch apart on the baking sheets.
Gather the scraps together and repeat rolling and cutting until you have used all the scraps; it may be necessary to refrigerate the scraps until they are firm enough to roll again.
To make the glaze: In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolk with the cream. Using a small pastry brush, lightly brush the surface of the cookies with a bit of glaze and decorate them with sprinkles ( I use confetti sprinkles).
Bake the cookies until they are lightly golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through the baking time.
Allow the cookies to cool slightly on the baking sheets, then gently remove them with a spatula to a wire rack to cool completely.
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If you are interested in reading the story of “La Befana” to your children or just want to have the book as a keepsake, the classic story is told by author Tomie dePaola and is sold on Amazon.
Have a wonderful feast day, enjoy some cookies and panettone and enjoy every day to the fullest.
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Until my next post, make every day a celebration!
Stay well,
Diane
Please ask your family and friends to “follow”, “like” and “share” DishingwithDiane.com
Once you become a member, you’ll never miss a post…
Also, continue to send me your comments, I love hearing from you.
I hope you are all well and you and your families are safe from the unfortunate Covid surge that is sweeping the nation.
I had every good intention to post my cookies and Christmas Eve seafood menu for the Italian, “Feast of the Seven Fishes “ on Christmas Eve, but time just got away from me with preparations and shopping for the holiday and I had to put the blog on the back burner for a little bit this holiday. My apologies….
Now that things are a little calmer I can get back to the blog. (My prayers go out to anyone that is going through any illness this time of year. We had Covid last year and I never want to go through that again and my heart breaks for anyone ill with this virus).
I did want to share with you some of the dishes I served this year. So this will be a montage of dishes for Christmas Eve- my favorite “food holiday”.
The majority of recipes I am posting today are already listed on the blog and you can find them in the right-hand column under Seafood, Christmas, and Christmas cookies categories, or just use the search box for the name of the dish you are interested in.
I did add one new cookie this year and I will post that recipe at the end of this post, but I wanted to share the pics with you.
I wish you many blessings, good health, and prosperity as we approach the end of 2021……
Christmas Eve Feast of the Seven Fishes.
Here is a little background and definition of the meaning of the Feast of the Seven Fishes courtesy of Wikipedia.
The Feast of the Seven Fishes is part of the Italian-American Christmas Eve celebration, although it is not called that in Italy and is not a “feast” in the sense of “holiday,” but rather a grand meal. …
This celebration commemorates the wait, the Vigilia di Natale, for the midnight birth of the baby Jesus.
Typical “fishes” include baccalà (salt cod), Frutti di mare (shellfish), capitone (eel), calamari (squid), scungilli (conch meat) and vongole (clams). Fried vegetables are also a popular accompaniment to the fish; expect fried artichokes, pickled vegetables, fried squash blossoms, broccoli rabe, cold broccoli & lemon salad, and other cold seafood salads.
The tradition of eating fish on Christmas Eve comes from the Roman Catholic practice of not eating dairy or meat on the eve of some holidays, including Christmas. And the number seven is a symbol that’s repeated many times throughout the Bible – and in Catholicism, there are seven sacraments and deadly sins.
So let’s start with the first course…… the shrimp cocktail, followed by linguine with seafood sauce and then the additional fish dishes and sides, the fruit and nut course, followed by pastries, cake, Christmas cookies, assorted candies, coffee, and finally after dinner drinks… (It’s a long process).
There are other dishes that my mother used to add to her menu that I have eliminated over the years because it was just too much food for my small family and they included smelts, lobster tails, fried eel, fried shrimp, octopus, cod, salmon, tuna, and well the list goes on and on.
But no matter what, we make sure that we eat at least seven different varieties of fish. I have been known on occasion to add canned tuna to my seafood sauce just to make the official “7th fish”.
Cooks Note: the stuffed shrimp are stuffed with crabmeat, diced bell peppers, breadcrumbs, and a touch of mayonnaise& mustard(similar to a crab cake mixture).
The stuffed calamari is stuffed with breadcrumbs, shallots, eggs, parsley, cheese and I add diced shrimp and some sauteed calamari pieces.
The cold seafood salad consists of calamari, shrimp, scungilli, celery, lemon zest, olives, in a lemon vinaigrette.
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And now for the candy confections (torrone is a soft nougat with flavors of vanilla, lemon, and orange), assorted chocolates, a variety of Christmas cookies, and desserts (Italian pastries and cakes)…with espresso served with a splash of anisette liquor.
I always serve dessert with a jar of Amarena cherries on the table just like my mother did to top some of the desserts.
I am sure you have seen this famous jar in specialty shops or online shopping.
Amarena cherries are small stemless wild sour cherries in a rich syrup grown in Bologna or Modena, Italy. They can be used for gelato, cakes, and cookies and in some savory dishes as well.
We always have them in the house and I used them on the cheesecake in the picture below.They are very, very sweet so a little goes a long way.
And the new cookie this year that is added to my rotation is dead center on the tray and called “BRUTTIBONI” which translates to “ugly but good”. Ugly for the irregular shape and good for the taste.
It is a meringue cookie with a crisp exterior with a soft, chewy interior flavored with almonds, hazelnuts, and cinnamon.
My grandmother used to make this cookie when I was a child and I recently found this recipe in The Gazette.
Bruttiboni
Photo courtesy of The Gazette
Ingredients
4 egg whites
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract pure
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup sugar granulated
1⅓ cup whole almonds toasted
1⅓ cup hazelnuts toasted and skins removes
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C.
Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
Pulse almonds and hazelnuts in a food processor to obtain a coarsely ground texture. Alternatively, chop by hand. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl (of a stand mixture), with whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on low-medium speed until they start to foam.
Add a pinch of salt.
Add cinnamon and vanilla extract.
Add the sugar, a tablespoon at a time, whisk until you obtain stiff glossy peaks.
With a mixing spoon, fold in the nuts. Gently combine.
Transfer this mixture to a heat proof bowl and place over a pot of hot, barely simmering water. This mixture needs to be stirred for about 15 minutes.
Portion with a medium-sized scooper and place on baking sheet.
Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until tops are golden.
Allow to cool on baking sheet.
Notes
To roast the nuts: Preheat the oven to 325°F. Position rack to the center.
Spread almonds and hazelnuts on a baking sheet and roast for about 10 minutes to obtain a light roasting. Remove the skins from the hazelnuts.
Let the nuts cool to room temperature before using them in the recipe.
The almonds and the hazelnuts can be roasted in advance and stored at room temperature until needed. This ensures the use of room temperature ingredients until you are ready to make these nut cookies.
Do not rush the process of adding the sugar while whisking the egg whites. Add the sugar one tablespoon at a time to the egg whites.
The addition of cinnamon is optional.
*recipe adapted from The Gazette
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Until my next post, make every day a celebration!
Stay well,
Diane
Please ask your family and friends to “follow”, “like” and “share” DishingwithDiane.com
Once you become a member, you’ll never miss a post…
Also, continue to send me your comments, I love hearing from you.
1 teaspoon red food coloring (gel or paste preferred)
1 teaspoon green food coloring (gel or paste preferred)
One 15 oz jar smooth (not chunky) apricot jam
One 15 oz jar smooth seedless raspberry jam
1 ½ lbs. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350° and grease three 9-by-13-inch quarter sheet pans with cooking spray and flour, then line each with parchment.
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the sugar, almond paste and 1 stick of the butter.
Mix until smooth and lump free, being sure to break down the almond paste as best you can. Add the remaining 2 sticks of butter and continue to mix until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Gradually add the egg yolks, followed by the milk and almond extract. Mix until combined. Add the flour and slowly mix until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Once the flour is combined, set aside.
In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites until they form stiff, fluffy peaks. Fold the whipped egg whites into the flour mixture to form a smooth batter.
Then divide the batter equally between 3 bowls (approx. 1 ½ cups of batter in each).
Stir the red food coloring into the first bowl of batter until evenly pink colored, then stir the green color into the second bowl of batter until evenly green colored, leaving the third bowl untouched. Keeping the batters separate, evenly spread them into the greased and parchment-lined quarter sheet pans (9 X 13), and bake, rotating halfway through, until set, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven, let the cakes cool completely on wire racks, then remove from the pans.
Once cooled, trim each of the layers to even out the thickness of the cakes. Put the green cake layer, cut side up, into one of the lined pans. Spread 1 jar of raspberry jam over the cake, almost all the way to the edges. Place the undyed layer, making sure the parchment is discarded, directly on top, sandwiching the jam. Repeat this step by spreading the remaining apricot jam on top of the undyed layer and placing the pink layer directly on top of it, discarding the parchment.
Cover the cake with plastic wrap and top with another sheet pan. Weigh down the layers with heavy plates or cans, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
Melt chocolate in a double boiler
Remove the weights and plastic wrap, and place on a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Spread half of the melted chocolate over the top and sides of the cake and refrigerate until set, 30 minutes. Once solid, flip the cake onto a cutting board, discarding the bottom layer of parchment, and spread the remaining melted chocolate in an even layer over the surface. Return to the refrigerator and chill until set, 30 minutes.
Once set, trim the cake into a 7½-by-10½-inch rectangle. Using a serrated knife, cut the cake into 1½-inch squares, then serve.
(If while cutting through chocolate. And if it’s too hard. Dip knife in hot water and then cut. Wipe off any water before cutting, this will help knife cut through chocolate enabling you to have nice clean cutting lines)
Cook’s note: add 1 tbsp. of vegetable oil to chocolate to make it more pliable to cut.
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Until my next post, make every day a celebration!
Stay well,
Diane
Thank you for visiting my blog.
Ask your family and friends to share, like, comment, and join DishingwithDiane.com and become part of the family!
Once you become a member, you’ll never miss a post.
Also, continue to send me your comments and emails,
I received this cookie recipe from my dear friend Michael Gottuso, he is an all around fabulous chef & baker.
As soon as my son tasted these cookies he told me that he wants this cookie every year. So this is our new tradition on the cookie tray.
I love pistachio anything so this cookie was made for me and I add some chopped roasted pistachios to the batter.
The flavored glaze takes it over the top. Some years I use white glaze and gold sprinkles or white glaze with red & green sprinkles but this time I went for an all red glaze.
No matter what color glaze, or sprinkles or flavoring you choose, these cookies are simply deliciousand have become very popular (and easy).
(click on photo to enlarge)
PISTACHIO COOKIES
Ingredients: 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 cup oil 1/4 cup water 1 egg 1 large package instant pistachio pudding 1 tsp. vanilla 1/2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. baking powder 2 cups flour
Cooks Note: I add chopped roasted pistachios to the batter.
Directions: Roll the dough in balls. Bake 350 degrees. 13 – 15 minutes.Cool on a wire rack. Drizzle with melted white chocolate and sprinkle with crystals.
Powdered Sugar Glaze:
1 ¼ cups powdered sugar
3 tbsp. milk
½ tsp vanilla extract
Step 1
In a medium bowl, stir milk into sugar. Add vanilla. Drizzle on your favorite dessert.
Step 2
May be thickened with confectioners’ sugar or thinned with milk or other flavored liquids.
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Until my next post, make every day a celebration!
Stay well,
Diane
Thank you for visiting my blog.
Ask your family and friends to share, like, comment, and join DishingwithDiane.com and become part of the family!
Once you become a member, you’ll never miss a post.
Also, continue to send me your comments and emails,
This is my NEW ALL TIME FAVORITE cookie, Cannoli Cookies. OMG! Made with ricotta, pistachios, mini chocolate chips, cinnamon and orange zest.
If you like cannoli pastriesthen you will absolutely love this recipe. I copied it from Pinterest.
(Click on photo to enlarge)
Cannoli Cookies, easy Italian Christmas cookies and fun twist on the Italian pastry! These one bowl cookies are full of flavor with ricotta cheese, chocolate chips, and pistachios and have a soft almost cake like texture!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American, Italian
Prep Time 15 minutes- Cook Time 11 minutes- Total Time 26 minutes
In a large mixing bowl cream the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Mix in the eggs then ricotta cheese until well combined then mix in the vanilla extract, cinnamon, and fresh orange zest.
Next, mix in the baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined. Mix in the flour. Stir in 1 cup of chocolate chips and the pistachios. Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least one hour.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly grease.
Using a medium cookie scoopor spoon, drop about 1 1/2 tablespoons of cookie dough for each cookie leaving about 2 inches between each cookie.
Bake cookies at 375 degrees F for about 8-11 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. Cool slightly then move to wire racks to cool completely.
Microwave remaining chocolate chips on high in a small microwave safe bowl in 20 second intervals, stirring after each interval until melted and smooth. Spoon melted chocolate into a small resealable bag, clip one corner slightly, then drizzle melted chocolate over cookies. Let cool for chocolate to set.
Recipe Notes
SNAPPY TIPS: Some brands of chocolate chips melt better than others for drizzling. A semisweet (or dark) chocolate bar will also work well instead of chips for melting and drizzling. (These cookies do not need to be refrigerated after being baked. Store in an airtight bag or container like other cookies.)
SNAPPY SUBSTITUTIONS: Use your favorite baking chips and nuts instead of the mini chocolate chips and pistachios if you’d like.
MAKING SUBSTITUTIONS OR CHANGES TO THE RECIPE AND/OR INGREDIENTS CAN CHANGE THE RESULTS OF THE COOKIE.
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Until my next post, make every day a celebration!
Stay well,
Diane
Thank you for visiting my blog.
Ask your family and friends to share, like, comment, and join DishingwithDiane.com and become part of the family!
Once you become a member, you’ll never miss a post.
Also, continue to send me your comments and emails,
I received this recipe from my friend, Eleanor Travis years ago and I make them faithfully every Christmas.
This is my go to recipe whenever I have to attend a “Cookie Swap” party for Christmas. It is a nice change from cookies and looks nice on cookie trays. There should be a warning label for children (it is very strong) and it makes your entire house smell like rum as soon as you lift the cover of the air tight container when you are ready to serve.
Rum Balls
Best to make a few weeks in advance to “marinate” .
2 Cups finely chopped walnuts 2 Cups Chocolate chips, melted 1 Cup rum 6 Tbsp. light corn syrup sugar for rolling
Directions:
Finely chop wafers & nuts, add to bowl. In a separate microwave safe bowl, melt the chips (stirring occasionally). You can also use a double boiler.
Add corn syrup & rum. Mix well & add to the dry mix.
Roll into balls & roll in sugar. Let sit on parchment before packing in air tight container. Don’t let them sit out too long or the alcohol will evaporate.
Makes about 6 dozen, depending on size of balls.
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Until my next post, make every day a celebration!
Stay well,
Diane
Thank you for visiting my blog.
Ask your family and friends to share, like, comment, and join DishingwithDiane.com and become part of the family!
Once you become a member, you’ll never miss a post.
Also, continue to send me your comments and emails,
Dishing With Diane 