italian fig cookies
In our family, Christmas cookies are kind of a big deal. The famous ones are my grandparents Gigi struffoli (I have no clue where Gigi came from but its what we call them) and my mom's seven layers. These are a bit time consuming but they turn out delicious and beautiful. The cookie is bite-size, soft & tender and the filling slightly sweet. Finished off with a little glaze & non-pareil sprinkles! (NOTE: The dough is sticky, you may need to add a little flour as you work it on your counter.)
Blue Ribbon Recipe
These Italian cookies will look adorable on your holiday cookie tray. This traditional cookie is also known as Cuccidati. They take a little time to prepare but so does everything made with love. The cookie part is similar to a slightly sweet sugar cookie. The fig filling is sweet and nutty with a slight citrus flavor. For us, the filling is what makes the cookie special. If you have extra, you can just eat it with a spoon. It sort of tastes like those famous fig cookies from the grocery store. A sweet glaze on top is the perfect final touch. We love that they're bite-size. We didn't feel guilty when we ate a few... or ten. A great cookie recipe for a cookie swap too.
Ingredients For italian fig cookies
- FOR COOKIES
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2 3/4 call-purpose flour
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1 Tbspbaking powder
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1 1/2 cpowdered sugar
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1/4 tspsalt
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6 Tbspbutter, cold & cubed
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2eggs
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2 tspvanilla
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1 Tbspcold water
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12 ozdried figs
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1/4 calmonds
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3 Tbspapricot preserves
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2 Tbsporange juice
- FOR GLAZE
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1 cpowdered sugar
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2 Tbspmilk or water
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1/2 tspvanilla
How To Make italian fig cookies
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1To a food processor, add flour, baking powder, powdered sugar, and salt. Pulse until well combined. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides to be sure everything is worked in.
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2Add the butter in.
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3Mix until the butter resembles a small crumble in the dry ingredients.
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4In a small bowl whisk together the eggs, water, and vanilla.
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5Add to the food processor and mix until just mostly combined.
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6Lightly flour your counter and turn the dough out. Work the dough together by hand until everything is combined. This is where you may need to sprinkle a little extra flour as you go. Form the dough into a ball and allow to rest for a few minutes.
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7While the dough is resting you can go ahead and make the filling. Into a clean food processor, add the almonds and figs.
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8Pulse until roughly chopped.
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9Add in the apricot preserves and orange juice and mix until finely chopped.
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10It will resemble a thick fig jam.
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11Back to the dough. Cut the ball of dough into 6-8 pieces.
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12Roll each piece into a smaller ball then lightly press down one small ball at a time on a floured surface.
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13Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a strip about 1- 1 1/2 inches wide and a 1/4 inch thick.
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14Line the center with a bit of the filling. Fold each side of the dough overtop the filling and gently press the dough together to seal it.
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15Gently roll into a smooth log.
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16Cut into bite-size cookies. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
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17Repeat with all the dough. Place the cookies onto a parchment lined baking sheet. They don't grow so you can put them pretty close together.
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18Bake for 14 mins or until just lightly golden. Cool completely.
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19To make the glaze mix together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract in a small bowl.
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20Once the cookies are cooled, go ahead and put them all onto a large cookie sheet so the cookies are touching. Working in small sections because the glaze dries quickly, drizzle the glaze over each cookie.
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21Sprinkle with those fun nonpareils. Pop into a fridge for 10 minutes to harden completely.
- Last Step: Don't forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!