Italian Holiday Baking: 4 Biscotti Recipes to Celebrate!

The word Biscotti means "twice-cooked," and refers to a type of cookie for which the dough is cooked twice: usually first in a log, which is then sliced; the slices are cooked again until dry and crisp. It is also the generic term for “cookie”in the Italian language. Here are four of my favorites, perfect for celebrating National Cookie Day. If you are interested in learning the history of cookies, check out last year's post here.

Pizzelle were first made in the south-central area of Abruzzo the 8th century. These days, pizzelle can be found at almost any celebration in the Abruzzo region and across Italy. It is a rare Italian wedding that does not serve pizzelle at the sweets table. These cookies are closely associated with family; in fact, pizzelle irons have been fashioned with the pattern of a family's crest. My grandmother gave me a pizelle maker when I lived in Rome. Although it didn’t contain our family crest, it is still an important part of the holidays for me.  Pizzelle are also popular in countries with large Italian populations, such as Canada, the U.S.A., and Australia.

Makes 2 1/2 dozen

Ingredients:

3 large eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon anise extract

1/2 cup unsalted butter – 1 stick

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

Powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

                           

Preparation:

Beat eggs in a large bowl.

Gradually add butter, sugar, and extracts, beating until the mixture is smooth.

Add flour and baking powder to the batter and mix until smooth.

Preheat pizzelle maker.

Drop a tablespoon of dough onto each place, seal and bake for 90 seconds, or until golden- check every 30 seconds.

Dried Cherry, White Chocolate, and Pistachio Biscotti

It’s easy to change this versatile recipe to coordinate with the seasons. 

I like cranberries and pistachios in winter because of their taste and colors. 

Walnuts and raisins, almonds and apricots, and blueberries and pecans could also be used. 

These cookies will stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature 

for up to a week or frozen for up to a month.

Makes about 3 dozen

Ingredients:

3 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

6 large eggs

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 teaspoons almond extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup raw unsalted pistachios, shelled

1 cup dried cherries

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Preparation:

                              

Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.  Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silpats.

Whisk flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl until combined.

Beat together sugar, eggs, oil, almond, and vanilla extract in a large bowl until blended.

Add flour and beat until smooth. Stir in pistachios, cherries, and chocolate.

Drop heaping teaspoonfuls of dough in two (12x3-inch) logs which are at least 

3 -inches apart on cookie sheets.

Use wet finger tips to press down and make sure that dough is divided evenly.

Bake cookies for 30 minutes, remove from oven, and let cool for about 30 minutes more.

Reduce oven temp to 325F degrees.

Transfer logs to a cutting board. 

With a serrated knife, cut each log into 1/2-inch thick slices.

Stand biscotti upright in 3 rows on a baking sheet and return to the oven.

Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.

Piemontese “Ugly But Good” Cookies
(Brutti ma buoni)

Serves: 10 | Serving Size: 2 cookies
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cooking Time: Approximately 25 minutes

This recipe is from The Italian Diabetes Cookbook by Amy Riolo. While these cookies originally come from the northern Italian province of Piedmont, they are popular in other Italian provinces as well. Antico Forno Molinari, a traditional bakery in Frascati, outside of Rome, has been making them since the 19th century. In Piedmont, bakers have their own variations on these cookies; they often use the same ingredients but change the amount of nuts that is chopped. For example, some people like to use half chopped hazelnuts and half whole hazelnuts.

1 1/2 cups whole hazelnuts plus 10 halved nuts, divided

3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

1/8 teaspoon unrefined sea salt

1 large egg white, lightly beaten

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon pure honey

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Spread the hazelnuts on a large-rimmed baking sheet and toast for about 12 minutes, until the nuts are fragrant and the skins blister. Transfer the hazelnuts to a kitchen towel and let cool, then rub them together to remove their skins.

3. In a food processor, pulse the hazelnuts with the confectioners’ sugar and salt until finely chopped. Scrape the hazelnut mixture into a medium bowl. Stir in the egg white, vanilla, and honey.

4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll teaspoon-size mounds of the hazelnut dough into rough circles (they needn’t be perfectly round). Place onto the prepared baking sheet 1 inch apart and place a halved hazelnut into the center. Press down slightly.

5. Bake the cookies in the center of the oven for about 14 minutes, or until browned in a few spots. (You can change the cooking time to about 13 minutes for chewy cookies or 15 minutes for slightly crisp cookies.)

6. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet before serving.

•Italian Living Tradition•

These cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Traditionally, this type of cookie would have been made during the hazelnut harvest. But any kind of nut can be used. Walnuts, almonds, or pistachios can be swapped for the hazelnuts in these scrumptious, gluten-free treats.

Choices/Exchanges 1 Carbohydrate, 3 Fat

Calories 190 | Calories from Fat 140

Total Fat 15g | Saturated Fat 1.1g | Trans Fat 0.0g

Cholesterol 0mg

Sodium 35mg

Potassium 165mg

Total Carbohydrate 14g | Dietary Fiber 3g | Sugars 10g

Protein 4g

Phosphorus 75mg

Sicilian Chocolate and Clove Cookies

These cookies are known as tetu in dialect and are also served when remembering deceased loved ones on the Day of the Dead. The base recipe has been adapted from a version by Domenica Interlicchia, who was my mother’s best friend growing up. In my Calabrian family we made a similar version and frosted them with a white glaze. These cookies freeze well.

Makes: Approximately 3 dozen

Ingredients:

Cookies:

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature

3/4 cups sugar

2 eggs

½ cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 ½ cups flour

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon cloves

1 teaspoon nutmeg

½ cup cocoa

½  cup walnuts, chopped

½ cup raisins

½ cup chocolate chips

Frosting:

1 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar

3 tablespoons cocoa

¼ teaspoon melted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 tablespoons strong coffee or espresso

¼ cup chopped walnuts, or sprinkles, for garnish

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Mix all cookie ingredients together.

Roll cookies into equal-sized 1-inch balls and place ¼-inch apart on cookie sheet.

Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Mix all frosting ingredients together.

Using a butter knife, spread frosting on the tops of cooled cookies.

Sprinkle tops of cookies with walnuts or sprinkles. Allow to cool.