by This Italian Mostaccioli Cookie Recipe is sure to bring a nostalgic feel to your family gathering.
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.
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
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.
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!
If you make this recipe remember to tag @marisasitaliankitchen on Instagram so I can see your creation!
Italian Mostaccioli Cookie Recipe
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
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line 4 cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl whisk together the flour, finely ground almonds, cocoa powder, cloves, cinnamon, baking powder and salt then set aside.
- Using a stand mixer or hand held mixer, beat the eggs together.
- Mix in the sugar and honey, beating until very well combined.
- Stir in the orange and lemon zest, the vanilla extract and limoncello.
- Slowly mix in the flour mixture until combined.
- Stir in the grated chocolate.
- The dough will be very soft and pliable.
- Working with small portions of the dough at a time (about 1 heaping cupful) transfer to a well floured surface.
- With a floured rolling pin, roll out the dough to about 1/3 of an inch thick.
- 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.)
- Re-rolled the scraps to shape and cut just 1 more time.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes. The cookies should still be slightly soft to the touch when ready.
- While one batch is baking in the oven continue rolling and cutting with the remaining dough.
- Make sure the cookies cool completely before dipping in chocolate.
- CHOCOLATE COATING:
- 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.
- Thin the chocolate with a little bit of vegetable oil to loosen the consistency somewhat for easy dipping.
- Dip half a batch of the cookies into the melted semi-sweet chocolate and place on a cooling rack till the chocolate sets.
- Repeat by melting the white chocolate and coating the remaining cookies.
- 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.
- Allow for the chocolate to set completely before storing.
Looks absolutely divine!!! 🙂 Thank you for sharing 🙂
Thanks so much, they were a joy to make!
Your welcome 🙂 I am sure they were 🙂
is there a gluteen free receipe
Ardea, unfortunately, I don’t have a gluten-free version of this recipe.
Such memories of eating mostaccioli with my family! Mostly bought at country fairs, some werevgreat, some hard as a rock, but all, with that unmistakable clove, cinnamon, and cocoa flavor! These are so pretty, and I’m sure they taste fantastic!!
My childhood memories too were of the rock hard variety and when testing out this recipe my husband and I both agreed on two things….they had to be soft and with not too much cloves in them and then simply to switch them up a little I decided to coat half the batch with the white chocolate and create the dark chocolate swirls! We both agreed those were the best, but then again we’ve always had similar tastes…thank goodness! Thanks so much for dropping by!
Those are absolutely gorgeous cookies, Marisa! And so perfect for the holidays!
Thanks Kathryn, cut out cookies are always fun for the holidays!
Oh my goodness those are beautiful! Too pretty to eat! (Not really)
Lol…thanks Mimi! I thoroughly enjoyed making them and eating them of course?
I have so many wonderful memories of my Mom making mostaccioli… it would not be Christmas without these cookies. This looks like a wonderful variation Marisa… with my freshly made batch of limoncello, I can’t wait to try your recipe. Thanks for sharing ♥
I’ve only ever made Limoncello once! Maybe it’s time to make more because I’ve just about used up most of mine testing out these cookies and not all of it went in the cookies? Thanks Maria!
Yum! These look so pretty! Putting them on my baking list! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Hi Christy, glad to hear you like them….they’re quite fun to make! Thanks for dropping by!
Wow- what a cool and interesting history this cookie has! And it looks delicious.! I think I just found a new addition to my baking tray:)
Although this cookie goes way back it’s still very much enjoyed by both the older generation as well as the young and extremely popular during Christmas! Glad you like them and thanks so much!
Wow, these cookies look so gorgeous, fancy and absolutely delicious!
Thank-you, it’s a fun afternoon project with sweet rewards?
Hi Marisa, my mom made this cookie every xmas, always intimidated to try, your recipe looks easy to make, I was wondering how many cups come out of the ground almonds an can we use almond meal/powder instead
Thank you
Hi Anna, it really is not any more difficult then doing any type of cut out cookie. Give yourself some unhurried time with a little bit of background music and enjoy 🙂 I haven’t ever tried them with almond meal so I can’t really say. However, I did grind my almonds very finely and I would say 1 cup of whole almonds yielded roughly 1 1/4 cup ground. If you do try them with almond meal feel free to come back and let me know how it goes! Thanks so much.
Hi Marisa I will be attempting to make these, just to confirm is it the 2 cups of almonds ground yield 1 1/4 cup ground? U mention 1 cup just want to make sure. Thank you
I’ve never had these! … but then again, I’m not of Italian heritage. They look absolutely gorgeous with a blend of all the best flavours.
They’re mostly popular around Christmas time and most families have their own unique way of making them! For some it just would not be Christmas without mostaccioli cookies! Thanks Annika!
They look great! I’ve never seen them before. Do you know which region in Italy they are from? Apart from the chocolate and shape the recipe reminds me of certosino di bologna.
Thanks Stefan! Them seem to have originated from Southern Italy in Calabria and some historians believe they are of Arab influence. I’ve never heard of certosino di bologna before….I love hearing about and discovering new foods!
Hello Can you tell me why my cookies seem to be leaving little spots on the chocolate?
Hi Maria, I think you have what is referred to as a “sugar bloom” which is basically moisture retained by the chocolate. Sometimes this occurs from the manufacturer during the Chocolate making process but this can also happen during storage if our chocolates are kept in damp humid rooms. As a safe bet always keep Chocolate in a cool dry place. Also when I work with chocolate as a coating I always buy well packaged ones and I never use the ones that have been opened in my pantry. Having said that though it’s not something we can always avoid and it doesn’t mean your Chocolate went bad! Hope this helps.
Wow these look delicious(and beautiful!). Do they freeze ok if I make a batch ahead of time?
Hi Markus, I actually stashed some away in the freezer unglazed. I prefer to glaze them the day of serving so that they are at their prettiest then but they keep well for a few days in a cool dry place. Thanks for dropping by Markus!
Marisa, these bring back so many memories, especially the reference to those made with moulds. Mostaccioli are typical of Calabrese dolce, especially at holiday time. I have actually never made them, but have collected quite a few recipes. Yours look wonderful and would be a special addition to my cookie trays.
I’m glad to hear they bring back fond memories Paula and hope you get to try them one day. My recollection of these cookies were more the harder and dry variety but my husband and I both agree on these softer ones. Thanks so much?
Marisa they are absolutely beautiful. We have never made mostaccioli in my family but I am now compelled to try out your recipe. I find particularly intriguing the addition of limoncello. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you Nadia! My aunt would make them when we were younger but these are slightly different in texture then hers were…they’re much softer and the black and white combination makes a lovely presentation! Hope you get to try them!
These definitely need to go on the holiday baking list! My father will love them! He loves a cookie with the flavor of clove added! These are gorgeous, my friend!
Thanks so much Annie….cloves are one of those spices you either love or hate! Hope you get to try them and I’m sure your did will love them, they’re so much fun to make!
I have just found your beautiful blog with delicious recipes! These mostaccioli look amazing! I have never made them but i love them. I have never had them with the chocolate glaze, though. I look forward to your recipes.
Thanks so much Marcellina! The chocolate glaze is a must in my opinion, they’re truly fun to make!
Hi, I’m Italian born and raised in the States and now live in Australia. I was given a recipe similar to this by a friend but didn’t know what it was called. Now I know!! I’ve been making them for years without knowing what I was making, just that they were delicious. I’m so glad I tried to find them because I found you. Like you, but for different reasons, I’m trying to recreate the tastes of my childhood and am happiest in my kitchen. I can’t wait to try some of your recipes. Hope you have a wonderful Christmas!
Growing up all cookies were called Biscotti so I love finding the actual traditional names to various sweet treats. Mostaccioli are probably one of the oldest traditional cookies around and I enjoyed switching them up with the white chocolate! Thanks for your lovely comment and have a wonderful Christmas as well!
Thank you for replying. In fact my friend said they were biscotti di natale. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas too! 🙂
Thanks so much Silvia!🤗
hi Marisa, can you suggest a substitute for eggs?
Hi Hetal…Ive never tried an egg alternative in this cookie recipe before, although there seems to be a trendy option in vegan baking and that is a mix of ground flaxseeds and water.
1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons of water which is mixed till thickened=1 egg.
Again, I’ve never tried it but if you give it a go do let me know how it turns out!
Mostaccioli actually come from the Campania region in Italy. Different variations are now found all over southern Italy. When I lived there Christmas wasn’t complete without them. This version is delicious and so much easier to eat than the original hard version. Thank you for your recipe ! 🙂
Thanks Antoinette and glad you liked them! I too am a fan of the softer variety and these are simply wonderful! Thanks so much for dropping by and commenting!
Hi I have a vegan recipe for these. This is the recipe my grandmother used, but other family members had variations of the recipe, some very similar to yours! This is a very simple recipe, but surprisingly cake-like and delicious!
2 cups sugar
1 cup water
1 cup cocoa
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 TBSP baking soda
1 TBSP cinnamon
1 TBSP cloves
4 cups flour
Mix all ingredients together. Roll into 1 inch balls, cut into 1/2 in. thick diamonds or make into small loaves. Bake at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes. Glaze after cooling.
Glaze: 1 cup confectioners sugar, 1 cup of cocoa and water to desired consistency. (Go slow with the water).
Dip balls or diamond shaped cookies, let dry thoroughly before placing on plate or tray.
For loaves spoon glaze on loaves and smooth out with spoon or pastry brush. Let dry thoroughly and slice width wise about 1/2 an inch thick slices. (Like biscotti)
Oh my! Thats wonderful! My son is vegan so I definitely need to try your version. Thank you so much for sharing it…it’s so kind of you!
Hi, I made these this Christmas and they turned out so good! The best I’ve ever tasted. Just like my parents used to make.
I’m so happy to hear that Micheline! I find them quite fun to make…especially the dipping in chocolate part! Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting, I so appreciate it!
Hi!
Will you please explain the yield for the cookies? Does it make 6 cookies,
6 1/2 dozen cookies (78 cookies) or
6 batches of 1/2 dozen cookies (36 cookies)
I need a large yield and want to be sure to make according to the correct amount. Can’t wait to try them!
Thank y ou!
Hi Betty, it’s 6 and a half dozen cookies. I’m always for big batch cookies myself…enjoy!
So these freeze well?
Samantha, yes they freeze well.
Hi Marisa,
I have baked your recipe a few times and they are a new favorite cookie for the holidays and weddings (many Pittsburgh weddings have a cookie table. Family members bake a few dozen of their favorite cookies to be included in the celebration.).
My question is can I make the dough the day before and refrigerate it and bake it the next day?
Thank you.
Linda I’m happy to hear you’re enjoying these cookies. Although I’ve never made the dough ahead of time I don’t see why not. I’ll test it out next time I make them and I’ll update this post. Thanks so much!
Hi just wondering if you have a recipe for Italian Napoli biscuits. I love them but just can’t find the recipe anywhere .
Hi Suzan, are you referring to Mostaccioli cookies? If not can you describe the cookies you have in mind? If so here’s the link, https://marisasitaliankitchen.com/italian-mostaccioli-cookie-recipe/
Hi Marisa , my mom and I have been making them for the past 65 years ….our recipe is a little different but the same idea and same name. My children have been calling them Ninni (nonna) cookies. We’re from Abruzzo
And came to Canada 1959. We have always made them for Christmas and special occasions. Also at Easter I make pupi and cavalli and also Easter bunnies with my grandchildren’s name written on them .And on Valentine’s Day I make big hearts . I’ll try to send some pics. Love your blog.
Thanks so much Anna for your comment! I love that “Ninni- Nonna” name for your cookies and that you traditionally make them for those special holidays. I can tell you bake from the heart and am sure your family appreciates this. I’ll have to try those different shapes and glad you’re enjoying the blog!
Hi, I had these (basic recipe) as a kid, very nice.
However having just returned from Italy, I bought some from a bread & cookie baker in the old part of Naples. They appeared to have an additional pink component, which I couldn’t 100% identify. They were also very moist compared to the traditional (basic) drier cookies.
After a lot of pondering, I think the pink ingredient was dried & ground (red flesh) figs.
Does anyone have any leads / confirmation and a recipe for the version I described?
Thanks
Dan