Ciambelline al Vino: Italian Wine Cookies

Italian wine cookies with anise on a wooden serving tray.

Ciambelline al Vino: Italian Wine Cookies

Ciambelline al vino are traditional Italian wine cookies made with olive oil, white wine, and anise seeds. Crisp, lightly sweet, and rustic.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Italian

Keyword Ciambelline al Vino Italian Wine Cookies

Prep Time 45

Cook Time 15

Resting time 30

Total Time 1 30

Servings cookies

Calories 66kcal

Ingredients

For the Wine Cookies

1 tablespoon anise seeds
3 fluid ounces white wine
3 fluid ounces extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup granulated sugar
grated lemon zest from 1 lemon
2 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt

Sugar for Coating the Wine Cookies

1/4 cup granulated sugar

Instructions

Place the anise seeds and white wine in a medium-sized bowl and let them soak for 30 minutes.
Add the olive oil, sugar and lemon zest and whisk well until incorporated.
With a wooden spoon, stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
You will have a soft and manageable dough.
Transfer the dough onto a work surface and knead slightly into a cohesive ball.
Cover the dough with cling wrap and allow it to rest for 30 minutes.
When ready to shape the the cookies, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Line 2 cookie trays with parchment paper and set aside.
To shape into a simple ring, pinch off approximately 15 grams of dough, roll it out between the palms of your hand into a 4-inch-long strip and press the ends together to seal. You can also loop the ends together into a half circle.
You can also shape the wine cookies into twisted circular rings. Check the notes below. (If so, note that it will yield 2 dozen cookies)
Place 1/2 cup of granulated sugar in a shallow bowl.
Coat the ring-shaped cookies in granulated sugar. You can coat both sides or only one side if you want less sugar.
Dip the cookies one at a time in the sugar and transfer them to the prepared cookie sheet.
Bake in a preheated oven for about 18 to 20 minutes.
When ready they'll be pale golden in colour and firm to touch.
Cool completely.
Serve as a snack or after-dinner treat for dipping in wine.

Notes

To shape the wine cookies into twisted circular rings, pinch off approximately 25 grams of dough and roll it out to 8 inches long. Then bend the rope, twist it together and shape it into a round ring while pinching the ends together.

Please Note:

Using 25 grams for each cookie yields 24 cookies.

Using 15 grams for each cookie yields 36 cookies. (The nutrition facts are based on 1, 15-gram serving)

Nutrition