Italian S Cookies

These Italian-style breakfast cookies are Italian S cookies. They’re tender with a lovely gritty texture from the addition of fine yellow cornmeal. They carry an unmistakable lemon scent and are deliciously simple to make!

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.

I cherish the fond memories of watching my children dip their hands into their favourite cookie jar brimming with store-bought S-shaped cookies.

But really, I must say that we adults enjoyed them as much as they, if not more!

What are Italian “S” Cookies?

Italian “S” cookies also known as biscotti esse are just that! Bits of soft and pliable cookie dough, shaped to form the letter S. Italians are known to enjoy these types of cookies for breakfast alongside their customary morning espresso.

You can make the cookie dough with either butter or shortening. But I much prefer the buttery taste in mine!

They can be topped with coarse granular sugar or finished with a lemon glaze. You can also leave them plain, which is equally yummy!

But if you’re looking for a little more sweetness and a twist on the more traditional plain S cookies, look no further, as these cookies are as sweet and comforting as your nonna’s warm embrace. And irresistible!

Let’s get started!

Ingredients For Italian S Cookies

• Flour – I used all-purpose flour.
• Cornmeal – yellow, fine-ground cornmeal.
• Sugar – granulated
• Unsalted butter – melted.
• Eggs – two whole eggs and four egg yolks for a rich-tasting cookie while reserving the whites to brush over the unbaked cookies.
• Lemons – both zest and juice for a tangy taste.
• Baking Powder – acts as a rising agent.
• Turbinado Sugar – for sprinkling over the cookies before baking.
• Vanilla extract – a must ingredient in baking for some warmth and sweetness.
• Salt – balances the sweetness of a recipe and enhances the flavours of other ingredients.
• Pistachios – finely chopped, optional but recommended.
• White chocolate – melted for drizzling. Optional but recommended.

• 1 – Place the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt in a medium size bowl.
• 2 – Whisk the dry ingredients together until well combined.

• 3 – Place the sugar and lemon zest in the bowl of a food processor.
• 4 – Pulse together to infuse the sugar with the scent of lemons.

• 5 – Place the lemon sugar, the whole eggs and egg yolks in a large bowl.
• 6 – Mix together on high speed for about 5 minutes, until thickened and then mix in the melted butter, lemon juice and vanilla until combined.
• 7 – Stir in the flour mixture until well incorporated.
• 8 – The dough will be soft but still manageable to work with.

• 9 – Use a small cookie scoop of 1-and-a-quarter-inch round to scoop out round balls of dough, then roll out into approximately 3 3/4 to 4-inch rope with lightly floured hands. Shape the rolled-out dough into an “S” and transfer it to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough.
• 10 – Lightly beat the reserved egg whites with a fork. Gently brush over the cookies, and sprinkle the tops with granular sugar before the egg white dries up.
• 11 – Bake in preheated oven for approximately 13 to 15 minutes. When ready, the cookies should be lightly golden in colour.

Although delicious all on their own topped with Turbinado sugar, these lemon cookies can be enhanced with a drizzle of lemon glaze such as one used when making both Tarallucci al Limone and Ciambelle Cookies.

Or, as seen here today, you can make them more indulgent by drizzling some melted white chocolate over the cooled cookies with a sprinkle of crushed pistachios for a pop of colour.

I confess the latter is my favourite way of enjoying them. However, as a compromise for those who prefer a plainer cookie, you can do half the batch with the chocolate and pistachios and the others without.

To serve these lemon S cookies, place them alternately on a serving platter with both variations of plain cookies and ones with melted chocolate and pistachios.

Enjoy them dipped in a tall glass of milk or a steaming cup of coffee or tea for a casual afternoon snack. Or serve them as a fancy dessert alongside gelato for a dinner party.

Greedy fingers will quickly devour these simple Italian cookies!

So grab your apron and get baking!

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