Description
Festive pizzicati cookies dance with Italian charm, bringing sweet nostalgia to holiday gatherings. Delicate pinched edges and powdered sugar coating invite warm memories of family celebrations, promising pure delightful indulgence.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 ¼ cups (280g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter
- 2 large egg yolks
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
Flavor Enhancers:
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Liquid and Filling:
- 23 tablespoons (30-45ml) milk
- ½ cup (120g) fruit jam or preserves
Instructions
- Cream butter and sugar until fluffy and pale, then incorporate egg yolks and vanilla extract, mixing thoroughly until smooth and uniform.
- Gradually fold flour and salt into the butter mixture, creating a crumbly texture that slowly transforms into a cohesive dough.
- If the dough seems dry, introduce milk incrementally, kneading until the consistency becomes soft and malleable.
- Form the dough into a compact disk, encase completely in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for half an hour to firm up and enhance flavor development.
- Heat the oven to 350F (175C) and prepare baking sheets with parchment paper for even heat distribution.
- On a lightly dusted surface, roll the chilled dough to a delicate 1/8-inch thickness, ensuring uniform thinness for consistent baking.
- Cut precise circles using a 2.5-inch round cutter, creating uniform cookie bases for the traditional Italian treatment.
- Center a small dollop of jam in each circular dough piece, positioning the filling to allow proper sealing.
- Gently pinch two opposite sides of each circle, creating the distinctive pizzicati profile that encapsulates the fruity center.
- Arrange cookies on prepared sheets, leaving adequate space between each to prevent merging during baking.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, watching for delicate golden edges that signal perfect doneness.
- Allow cookies to rest on the baking sheet for several minutes to stabilize, then transfer to a wire rack for complete cooling and texture setting.
Notes
- Use room temperature butter to ensure smooth, even mixing and prevent lumpy dough texture.
- Experiment with different jam flavors like apricot, raspberry, or fig for unique taste variations.
- Avoid overworking the dough to keep cookies tender and prevent toughness from developing gluten.
- Chill dough for maximum 1 hour to maintain ideal consistency and prevent spreading during baking.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 109
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 35mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 37mg