Marisa's Italian Kitchen

The Secret Ingredient Is Always Love

Cookies

Butterball Cookies

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Cute as a button and with only 3 ingredients in the dough, these Butterball Cookies are simply irresistible! They’re sandwiched together with seedless raspberry jam and rolled in aromatic vanilla sugar for a sparkly appeal.

Butterball Cookies

This post was originally published in December of 2015 and republished December 4, 2018 with updated photos and content.

My exquisitely fragrant Vanilla Sugar is ready and waiting to coat these cute little one bite Butterball Cookies!

I am filling mine with raspberry jam as it seems to be everyone’s favourite. But also because the redness of the jam really adds a festive colour this time of the year. This is especially wonderful when you serve a platter full of Christmas cookies. They stand out like little jewels ready to be plucked off the tray!

Alternately the butterball cookies can be filled with Nutella or even chocolate ganache. However you choose to fill them they will garner many smiles from both kids and adults alike.

Butterball Cookies

Its not an overly complicated recipe or with any fancy techniques. We are taking a few simple ingredients, which you probably already have on hand. And, we are turning them into these irresistible buttery morsels.

So get comfortable, play your favourite holiday music and lets roll some butterballs!

Butterball Cookies

How To Make Perfect Butterball Cookies

You will need 3 cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.

Make sure your dough has been chilled at least 4 hours before rolling the cookies. You can also make the dough up to 5 days in advance and refrigerate till ready to use.

Measure out 1/4 teaspoon of cookie dough and roll in the palm of your hands, no bigger than the size of a hazelnut in it’s shell.

Continue with the remaining dough and chill the butterballs in your freezer for 30 minutes before baking.

When ready to bake space them out on the cookie sheet about 2 inches apart as these will spread. Bake one cookie tray at a time while keeping the remaining cookies chilling in the freezer.

Once the cookies are baked and cooled, place a small dollop of jam on the flat surface of one half of the cooled cookies and top with another half to sandwich them together. Roll the cookies in the vanilla sugar.

They’re simply beautiful served in an elegant footed glass bowl and also make a wonderful addition to any holiday cookie platter.

Which ever way you serve them, they’re sure to impress your guests!

Butterball Cookies

If you make this recipe remember to tag @marisasitaliankitchen on Instagram so I can see your creation!

Butterball Cookies
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Butterball Cookies

Irresistible Butterball Cookies! They're sandwiched together with seedless raspberry jam and rolled in aromatic vanilla sugar for a sparkly appeal.

Course Cookie
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 8 minutes
Author Marisa

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam
  • 1 cup vanilla sugar for rolling

Instructions

  1. Using a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the butter on medium speed for about 3 to 5 minutes until the butter is light and fluffy. Mix in the sugar until well blended then add in the flour and continue mixing until the dough is formed. Wrap the dough with saran wrap and chill the dough for about 3 hours. Chilling the dough will prevent the cookies from spreading out too much when baked.
  2. Preheat the oven to 375*F.
  3. Use a small spoon to tear out small pieces of dough and use the palm of your hands to roll them out into small balls about the size of a hazelnut. Place them on a cookie sheet and chill them in the freezer for 30 minutes.
  4. Line 3 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Place the cookies 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets (cookies will spread). Bake one sheet at a time for 8 to 10 minutes or just until the cookies are firm and pale golden in color. Keep the remaining cookie sheets chilled till ready to bake the next batch.
  5. Spread the flat side of half the cookies with the jam and then top with remaining cookies to form a sandwich. Once you have paired them and formed little sandwich cookies, roll them in vanilla sugar to coat all over.

Recipe Notes

This recipe is adapted from a wonderful cookbook: Chocolate and Vanilla by Gale Gand

 

Italian Biscotti Regina Recipe

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An Italian Biscotti Regina Recipe fit for a queen or even a princess. They’re an extremely popular Sicilian cookie with a distinctive sesame seed crust. Made with olive oil, perfumed with both orange blossom water and the zest of an orange. These cookies are not overly sweet and truly irresistible.

Italian Biscotti Regina Recipe

Biscotti Regina easily translates to Queen’s cookies and is a classic Sicilian cookie.

There is some speculation that these Biscotti Regina were named after Queen Margherita di Savoia. She was the much beloved queen of Italy and wife to King Umberto I. Another more popular and well known food named after Italy’s favorite queen is pizza Margherita favoring the colors of the Italian Flag. Red, white and green representing tomatoes, mozzarella and basil.

Really though, you don’t have to be a queen to enjoy these yummy cookies!

Italian Biscotti Regina Recipe

More on these irresistible cookies!

These cookies came about after a dear reader inquired about them.

Although they can be made with butter, shortening or olive oil, I settled on the latter after testing them with butter.

I love the depth of flavor olive oil lends to these cookies and its truly a wonderful alternative to butter.

Also I added orange zest and some orange blossom water for extra flavor but do go easy on blossom water. Otherwise, they will turn out tasting like a floral bouquet!

Italian Biscotti Regina Recipe

They’re simple to make and if you have little ones who love to help in the kitchen then they’ll get a kick out of rolling the cookies in the sesame seeds.

There are a couple of ways to shape these cookies.  One is to keep them in a log shape after rolling and cutting the pieces. But if like me and you prefer a more oval or rounder shape then simply roll the cut pieces into balls.

Then dip into the beaten egg whites and finally roll in the sesame seeds. Just before they’re ready for the oven I press them down a little then I cup the 2 sides together with the palm of my hands. This presses them back up a little while forming an oval shape.

Alternately, you can dip them in milk and then roll in the sesame seeds if you wish. But I find that the sesame seeds adhere better to the egg whites and render crispier outer layers.

It’s all a matter of preference I guess!

Italian Biscotti Regina Recipe

They bake up into these pretty shapes with a lovely crackle top lending a little peek into its textured outer layers.

They’re a crumbly cookie and slightly drier in texture with a tender bite. Perfectly dunkable in a steaming cup of coffee or tea!

These cookies keep extremely well in an airtight container for at least a week if not a bit longer. I wasn’t able to test their freshness beyond that because they disappeared quickly at my house.

But you’ll be happy to know that they also freeze well too. Perfect for make ahead desserts!

Italian Biscotti Regina Recipe

Add some love in your kitchen with these yummy morsels and feel like a queen for the day!

If you make this recipe remember to tag @marisasitaliankitchen on Instagram so I can see your creation!

Italian Biscotti Regina Recipe
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Italian Biscotti Regina Recipe

A very popular Sicilian cookie with a distinctive sesame seed crust. Made with olive oil, scented with both orange blossom water and orange zest. These cookies are truly irresistible.

Course Dessert
Cuisine Italian
Keyword Biscotti Regina
Servings 40
Author Marisa

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon orange blossom water
  • 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 1/2 cups raw sesame seeds
  • 2 eggwhites from 2 large eggs

Instructions

  1. In a large mixing bowl stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

  2. Add in the olive oil and mix with an electric mixer just until a fine sandy texture is achieved.

  3. Mix in the eggs, vanilla extract, orange blossom water, orange zest and honey until well incorporated.

  4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

  5. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

  6. In a small bowl beat the egg whites with 2 tablespoons of water using a fork and set aside till ready to dip the cookies.

  7. Divide the dough into 8 equal portions and place on a lightly floured work surface.

  8. Working with one portion of dough at a time, on a lightly floured surface, roll into a log of 1 inch wide in diameter and 10 inches long.

  9. Cut the rolled dough into 5 equal pieces and roll each piece into a ball. It will be approximately the size of a walnut in its shell. Set aside and repeat with the remaining logs.

  10. When all your balls are shaped, use a fork to dip one cookie at a time first into the beaten egg white mixture and then roll in the sesame seeds while turning to coat all over.

  11. Transfer each cookie to the prepared sheet pans. Press down slightly on each cookie and the tuck the edges back up using the palm of your hands to form oval shapes. 

  12. I was able to fit 20 cookies on each baking pan. They don't spread much but will puff up.

  13. Bake for about 18 to 20 minutes or till golden brown.

  14. Allow to cool on a wire rack and enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea.

  15. These cookies keep extremely well in an air tight container for at least a week. I haven't tested them past that one week because they're simply too yummy to have lasted any longer.

Lemon Cornmeal S Cookies

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These Lemon Cornmeal S cookies are really quite tender with a lovely gritty texture from the addition of yellow corn meal and carry an unmistakable lemon scent. They’re deliciously simple to make and with staple ingredients you most likely already have on hand.

Lemon Cornmeal S Cookies

My love for any type of cookie is well documented in previous recipe posts. So much so that I rarely ever have store bought cookies around unless they’re Italian S shaped cookies which I usually buy from Italian specialty shops.

Both my children have fond memories of dipping their hands into their favorite cookie jar brimming with store bought S shaped cookies, but I must say that we adults enjoyed them as much as they if not more!

Recently, my daughter suggested I try making some homemade S cookies from scratch and this had me wondering why I hadn’t thought of it before. I knew at that moment that I needed a homemade version in my life, ASAP!

I aimed for a cookie with texture and knew cornmeal would work wonderfully and lend a pleasant gritty feel. But I also wanted them to be rich in taste and so I played around with egg ratios till my family members gave them a thumbs up.

Lemon Cornmeal S Cookies

Aside from being pleasantly gritty in texture they’re also extremely airy and make a lovely alternative to a much sweeter cookie and simply beg to be dipped in a steaming cup of coffee or tea.

In fact these not too sweet cookies are perfect after an overindulgent meal and equally great as an anytime snack

Lemon Cornmeal S Cookies

Whisking vs Sifting:

Another area I experimented with was in baking a batch using whisked dry ingredients and another with dry sifted ingredients. I must say there was a remarkable difference in the two methods and both with wonderful results.

In whisking the dry ingredients together I achieved a soft workable dough and I needed a minimal amount of flour on my hands to shape the cookies. They baked to a lovely golden color and retained their S shape. In texture they were both airy and dry but still tender, with similar characteristics of the store bought variety but much tastier in my opinion.

While sifting the dry ingredients in my next batch, this yielded a notable difference. Sifting aerated the dough which necessitated in an extra 1/2 cup of flour to be workable in shaping the S cookies. The other is that the cookies spread out ever so slightly and were much softer, airier and lighter in texture.

Again both equally delicious and something to keep in mind when trying the recipe for yourselves!

Lemon Cornmeal S Cookies

While we enjoyed both variations of these adorable Lemon Cornmeal S Cookies, I love them sprinkled with turbinado sugar. My daughter less so! A great compromise would be to bake half the batch of S cookies without the sprinkle of sugar. It’s a win win in my opinion!

Lemon Cornmeal S Cookies

In lieu of the Easter holiday, I dipped some in a lemon glaze and topped them with sprinkles. If you plan to do the same, simply omit brushing the cookies with the egg wash and also omit the turbinado sugar.

Lemon Cornmeal S Cookies

Hopefully your cookie jar is brimming with your own favorite goodies this long Easter weekend!

Buona Pasqua a tutti…Happy Easter everyone!

Lemon Cornmeal S Cookies

If you make this recipe remember to tag @marisasitaliankitchen on Instagram so I can see your creation!

Lemon Cornmeal S Cookies
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Lemon Cornmeal S Cookies

These Lemon Cornmeal S cookies are really quite tender with a lovely gritty texture from the addition of yellow corn meal and carry a subtle lemon scent, enough to perk up your taste buds.
Course Dessert
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4 dozen
Author Marisa

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cup yellow corn meal fine grind
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • lemon zest from 2 lemons
  • 2 large eggs plus 4 egg yolks reserve the remaining egg whites for brushing over the cookies before baking
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • turbinado sugar to sprinkle over the cookies optional

Instructions

  1. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside while you prepare the cookie dough.
  2. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt then set aside.
  3. Place the sugar and lemon zest in a food processor and pulse together for about 20 seconds to make a quick lemon sugar, then set aside.
  4. In the bowl of a stand mixer or hand held mixer, beat together the 2 whole eggs, 4 egg yolks, and lemon sugar on medium high speed for 5 minutes till thickened.
  5. Mix in the melted butter, lemon juice and vanilla extract until combined.
  6. Stir in the flour mixture until thoroughly combined.
  7. The dough will be soft but manageable to work with.
  8. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F while you start rolling and shaping the S cookies.
  9. Scoop out a large ball of cookie dough using an ice-cream scoop.
  10. Dust hands with a bit of flour and roll out to form a 12 inch long rope about a 1/2 inch in diameter.
  11. Cut the rope into 3 equal pieces of 4 inches each.
  12. Transfer each piece one at a time to the prepared cookie sheet and bend into an S shape while spacing the cookies about 2 inches apart.
  13. Beat the reserved egg whites and brush lightly over the S shaped cookies.
  14. Sprinkle the cookies with the turbinado sugar and bake for about 13 to 15 minutes.
  15. When done the cookies should have a lovely golden color.
  16. Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack.
  17. Allow to cool and enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea.

Recipe Notes

If planning to dip some of the cookies in a lemon glaze, OMIT brushing the S cookies with beaten egg whites and the turbinado sugar, then bake as directed. Once cooled dip them in a lemon glaze to a ratio of 1 cup powdered sugar to 2 tablespoons lemon juice, approximately, depending on how thick you want the lemon glaze. Top with sprinkles of your choice before icing sets.

 

Italian Bocconotti Cookies

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These Italian Bocconotti Cookies are seductive little morsels with their scalloped buttery shells and a lovely fig jam cocooned within. All that’s needed is a light dusting of powdered sugar before serving and then simply relax in your comfy chair with a hot cup of tea while nibbling on these dainty treats.

Italian Bocconotti Cookies

There are so many variations of these cute bocconotti cookies, which easily translates to “small bites” and aptly named I might add for these two bite morsels.

They’re more commonly served during Christmas with a chocolate and nut filling, much like the bocconotti abruzzesi or even the bocconotti calabresi from southern Italy.

However in my opinion when a cookie is as seductive in appearance and taste as these jam filled pastries, well any day of the year is a good day to bake them! As I’m sure you’ll all agree when you try them out for yourselves!

Italian Bocconotti Cookies

One question that I get asked often when posting a new recipe is, “but is it easy to make”?

My answer is always “yes”! And yes I see some eyes rolling right now so roll them back!

If you’ve never worked with a pastry dough before, you’ll be happy to know that your food processor will be doing most of the work here.

Then there’s a gentle kneading of the dough by hand so that it all comes together in a cohesive ball.

Italian Bocconotti Cookies

Once the dough has been chilled and your ready to assemble the bocconotti cookies…the fun begins!

With a little background music softly playing and your work station prepped…

Set an hour of your time to shape out and assemble the bocconotti. 

Although I used a fig jam you can just as easily replace it with any flavor you prefer and even Nutella would be a wonderful choice!

Italian Bocconotti Cookies

Once all assembled and ready for the oven, in they go for about 18 to 20 minutes or until a beautiful golden brown!

You’ll have the most enticing aromas wafting thorough your kitchen and beckoning family members in.

Italian Bocconotti Cookies

Then a simple light…or generous dusting of powdered sugar to finish them off and enjoy!

Italian Bocconotti Cookies

Show your family or friends some love this weekend with these easy to make Italian Bocconotti Cookies!

Italian Bocconotti Cookies

If you make this recipe remember to tag @marisasitaliankitchen on Instagram so I can see your creation!

Italian Bocconotti Cookies
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Italian Bocconotti Cookies

These Italian Bocconotti Cookies are seductive little morsels with their scalloped buttery shells and a lovely fig jam cocooned within.
Course Dessert
Cuisine Italian
Servings 24
Author Marisa

Ingredients

  • FOR THE PASTRY
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup of granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • pinch of salt
  • 3/4 cup chilled butter cubed
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
  • Icing sugar powdered sugar for dusting.
  • 24 mini tart tins or mini muffin tins 2 inches in diameter
  • FOR THE FILLING
  • 3/4 cup fig jam approximately

Instructions

  1. Place the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together in a food processor and pulse for a few seconds to combine the ingredients.
  2. Add the chilled cubed butter and pulse the mixture together, just until you achieve coarse crumbs.
  3. Whisk together the egg with the grated orange zest in a small bowl and add this egg mixture to the food processor.
  4. Blend in the food processor until half of the dough mixture has come together then transfer to a work surface and keep kneading gently by hand until the dough has formed a ball.
  5. Wrap the pastry dough in cling wrap and chill for 1 hour.
  6. When ready to assemble the pastries, grease well 24 mini tart molds or use mini muffin pans.
  7. Break off a tablespoon of dough and form into a ball then take the ball of dough and press it into the mini tart mold and up against the edges.
  8. Trim off any excess with your fingers or the dull side of a knife. (I find fingers work best)
  9. Repeat with the remaining molds.
  10. Fill each tartlet with about a teaspoon of jam.
  11. Take another tablespoon of dough, form into a ball and with the palm of your hands press it between two sheets of cling wrap.
  12. Place the flattened disks over the jam filled tartlets and press the dough around the edges of the mini molds to seal and then cut off any excess dough.
  13. The excess dough can be reused to form more tops if needed.
  14. Place the mini tartlets on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for about 18 to 20 minutes or until a lovely golden brown.
  15. Allow the bocconotti to cool before dusting with icing sugar.
  16. Brew a cup of coffee or tea and enjoy!

 

Italian Mostaccioli Cookie Recipe

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For those familiar with Italian Mostaccioli Cookies, they’re sure to bring a nostalgic feel to your family gathering.

Italian Mostaccioli Cookie Recipe

These soft, two bite cookies are chock-full of finely ground almonds and filled with a lovely aromatic essence from both ground cloves and cinnamon.

A touch of limoncello with orange and lemon zests lends a lovely citrus taste to these soft cake-like cookies.

They’re also flavoured with both cocoa and semi-sweet chocolate which are then enveloped in more chocolate goodness.

Italian Mostaccioli Cookie Recipe

About Mostaccioli Cookies

The origin of this cookie is said to date back 300 hundred years before the birth of Christ and rooted deep in Italian history. However not all food historians seem to agree on this. The consensus however, is that the mostaccioli cookies have greatly evolved throughout the years.

In the old country these cookies were made with Wine Must. It was used as a sweetening agent because of its high glucose content. Wine Must is basically pressed grapes containing all components of the fruit. This was a time when sugar or even honey were not readily available. A time when people made do with what they had on hand.

They were also made in different shapes and sizes with intricate patterns depicting historical animals. Or items such as baskets or even the palm. Some were made with jewel like decorations. These were sold at auctions in order to raise money for charities.

It wasn’t until centuries later that this clove and cinnamon scented cookie gained in popularity. Most families nowadays have their own unique way of making them. From sculpted cookies to biscotti like shapes. Or the more popular diamond shaped one that you see here today.

While some contain no leavening agent yielding a harder cookie, these are soft and almost cake-like.

Italian Mostaccioli Cookie Recipe

Making Mostaccioli Cookies

You’ll be working with a very soft dough and will need to flour your work surface, rolling pin and hands when shaping and cutting the cookies.

I used a 2 inch diamond shaped cookie cutter to form the diamond shaped cookies. You can also use a knife to cut them into diamond shapes.

Italian Mostaccioli Cookie Recipe

I chose to dip half the batch of cookies in semi-sweet chocolate and the other half in white chocolate. I find this makes a lovely presentation when platted together on a large platter.

Keep in mind to allow sufficient time for the chocolate to set before platting…trust me on this!

Then simply enjoy with your favourite beverage!

Happy baking dear friends!

Italian Mostaccioli Cookie Recipe

Italian Mostaccioli Cookie Recipe

If you make this recipe remember to tag @marisasitaliankitchen on Instagram so I can see your creation!

 

Italian Mostaccioli Cookie Recipe
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Italian Mostaccioli Cookie Recipe

A traditional Italian cookie with ground almonds, sweetened with honey, scented with both orange and lemon zest, cloves, cinnamon and dipped in chocolate.
Course Cookie
Cuisine Italian
Servings 6 1/2 dozen
Author Marisa

Ingredients

  • COOKIE DOUGH
  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 cups almonds very finely ground
  • 1/3 cup baking cocoa powder I used dutch processed
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • pinch of salt
  • 4 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup honey
  • orange zest from 1 large orange
  • lemon zest from 1 medium sized lemon
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons Limoncello or substitute with the juice of one lemon
  • 3 ounces coarsely grated semi-sweet or bitter sweet chocolate
  • FOR THE CHOCOLATE GLAZE
  • 12 ounces semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate
  • 12 ounces white chocolate
  • vegetable oil for thinning the chocolate

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Line 4 cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
  3. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, finely ground almonds, cocoa powder, cloves, cinnamon, baking powder and salt then set aside.
  4. Using a stand mixer or hand held mixer, beat the eggs together.
  5. Mix in the sugar and honey, beating until very well combined.
  6. Stir in the orange and lemon zest, the vanilla extract and limoncello.
  7. Slowly mix in the flour mixture until combined.
  8. Stir in the grated chocolate.
  9. The dough will be very soft and pliable.
  10. Working with small portions of the dough at a time (about 1 heaping cupful) transfer to a well floured surface.
  11. With a floured rolling pin, roll out the dough to about 1/3 of an inch thick.
  12. Use a 2 inch diamond cookie cutter to shape and cut out the cookies and then transfer to the prepared baking sheet while spacing them about 1 inch apart. (dipping the cookie cutter in flour before each use will tremendously help for easy release.)
  13. Re-rolled the scraps to shape and cut just 1 more time.
  14. Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes. The cookies should still be slightly soft to the touch when ready.
  15. While one batch is baking in the oven continue rolling and cutting with the remaining dough.
  16. Make sure the cookies cool completely before dipping in chocolate.
  17. CHOCOLATE COATING:
  18. Melt the semi-sweet chocolate using a double boiler or in the microwave, using a microwave safe bowl on high for about 90 seconds stirring at 30 seconds interval.
  19. Thin the chocolate with a little bit of vegetable oil to loosen the consistency somewhat for easy dipping.
  20. Dip half a batch of the cookies into the melted semi-sweet chocolate and place on a cooling rack till the chocolate sets.
  21. Repeat by melting the white chocolate and coating the remaining cookies.
  22. Before the white chocolate sets, use a piping bag filled with dark melted chocolate to dot the tops then simply run a toothpick through the dots to create a pretty pattern.
  23. Allow for the chocolate to set completely before storing.

 

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