Real Recipes From Real Home Cooks ®

chestnut chocolate italian christmas pillow cookie

(1 rating)
Recipe by
Gina Lee
Charlotte, NC

I am not Italian, but my Italian mother-in-law used to make this every Christmas and it was to die for! I lost the recipe and then, courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis, it is a wonderful recipe found and being enjoyed again! Buon Natale!

(1 rating)
yield 25 to 30 half-moon 'cookies'
prep time 30 Min
cook time 20 Min
method Bake

Ingredients For chestnut chocolate italian christmas pillow cookie

  • 1 Cup jar
    steamed or roasted chestnuts (not water chestnuts!)
  • pinch
    kosher salt
  • 2 Tbsp
    amber rum
  • 2 tsp
    unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/4 tsp
    ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp
    ground cloves
  • 1/8 tsp
    ground ginger (option)
  • 1/4 c
    mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 3-4
    refrigerated pie crusts (room temperature)
  • 1 lg
    beaten egg
  • powdered sugar for dusting
  • 1/3 c
    granulated sugar

How To Make chestnut chocolate italian christmas pillow cookie

  • 1
    Center your oven rack in over and preheat to 425 degrees Line a rimmed large cookie sheet with parchment paper
  • 2
    Place sugar, cocoa and chestnuts in food processor and blend until chestnuts are finely ground. Then add cinnamon, cloves ginger, and rum. Pulse until smooth, scraping down sides of processor as necessary. Add chocolate chips, and pulse until combined.
  • 3
    Unroll room temperature pie crusts on a work surface and, using a 3-inch round cutter, cut out 10 rounds from each crust. Work one pie crust at a time. Brush the pastry rounds with the beaten egg to cover.
  • 4
    Drop 1 generous teaspoon of the filling into the center of each round. Fold half of the dough over the filling and seal to make a half-circle shape. Brush the top of the half-circle closed dough with the beaten egg. Place on the prepared baking sheet and bake until golden brown and crisp, 15 to 17 minutes.
  • 5
    Transfer to a rack and cool to room temperature. Dust with powdered sugar and serve.
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