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    Home » Christmas » Mostaccioli di Mamma

    Mostaccioli di Mamma

    December 9, 2017 , Updated June 18, 2020 Maria 81 Comments

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    A tray of Mostaccioli di Mamma

    Would you like an almond-based, dense, nutty, honey-flavored, lightly spiced, dark chocolate coated cookie? If you said yes, these traditional Italian Mostaccioli di Mamma cookies are a must for your Christmas holiday cookie platter.

    A tray of Mostaccioli di Mamma.

    This recipe was originally published on December 21, 2014 and republished on December 9, 2017 with updated content, photos and a video.

    Mostaccioli

    Mostaccioli are Christmas cookies which are extremely popular in southern Italy, particularly among Neapolitans. As is usually the case with regional Italian cooking, you will find endless variations. Today, I would like to share my version which I have called Mostaccioli di Mamma.

    The coarse texture of the almonds required for the Mostaccioli di Mamma.

    The whole process of making these cookies begins by grinding about one pound of almonds, skin on and not roasted. The texture we are looking for is coarsely ground. This will provide a cookie where fragments of almonds are visible.

    The dry ingredients for Mostaccioli di Mamma

    We then need to incorporate these ground almonds with the dry ingredients which have been sifted together.

    As far as the liquid ingredients are concerned, it is simply a question of slowly whipping up the ingredients together,  one by one in your stand mixer. The addition of a pound of honey confirms that these are definitely a chocolaty honey cookie.

    Here comes the fun part!

    The rhombus shaped mostaccioli

    With the help of a large serving wooden spoon, transfer some dough on a well floured wooden board and roll out the dough to about ¼-1/2 inch thickness. This is a soft dough to work with but once you get the hang of it, it gets easier. If you are having a hard time, you can refrigerate the dough for 10-15 minutes. The dough will then be easier to roll as it gets a lot firmer.

    These Mostaccioli di Mamma are definitively not your typical cookie. To begin with, they have a very distinct rhombus shape, so we are going to use a cookie cutter to guide us in order for the cookies to have the same shape.

    A close up of the Mostaccioli di Mamma before it is baked.

    Once they have baked and cooled, it is time for the icing.

    Part of what makes these mostaccioli so irresistible is the combination of the dark chocolate coating, the spices and the honey. Make sure to use a high-quality chocolate as this will make a big difference in the overall quality of the cookie.

    A tray of Mostaccioli di Mamma.

    ORIGINS OF THE RECIPE FOR Mostaccioli:

    I was extremely privileged to be raised in a family where Italian traditions, especially food traditions, were extremely important. As such, there was such a frenzy surrounding any holiday period… with Easter it was all about the fiadone and rice ricotta cakes; on Saint Joseph Day we had this special pasta and of course these Zeppole di San Giuseppe; and then, there was Christmas 🙂 (just click on the the word Christmas and you will be directed to the recipe index of Christmas recipes on this site).

    Both my parents originated from the South of Italy.  My mom’s birthplace was Molinare (Benevento) and my dad was from Ripabottoni (Campobasso) and so, you can well imagine all the wonderful food I grew up with. Naturally I had my favorites, which I will continue to document and share with all of you.

    This recipe for Mostaccioli di Mamma would always be made by my mom at Christmas time. I have seen (and tried)  many variations of Mostaccioli. To this day, this is still one of my favorite cookies.

    Over the years, I have made a few really minor changes to the recipe. I increased both the amount of flour and orange juice which resulted in a softer textured cookie.

    As far as the icing is concerned, my mom preferred a very simple chocolate glaze. I have taken to liberty to coat the entire mostaccioli cookie with dark chocolate.

    I am quite confident that you would enjoy this traditional Italian Mostaccioli di Mamma cookies with a nice cup of coffee… or espresso, or tea, or milk, or just about any beverage!!!

    I truly hope you enjoy making and eating this wonderful Southern Italian cookie.

    Gotta go, the coffee is ready!

    THANKS SO MUCH for following and being part of the She Loves Biscotti community where you will find Simple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist.

    Ciao for now,

    Maria 

    ★★★★★ If you have made this Mostaccioli recipe, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!

    Recipe

    A tray of Mostaccioli di Mamma.

    Mostaccioli di Mamma

    These traditional Italian Mostaccioli di Mamma cookies are a must for your Christmas holiday cookie platter. They are an almond based, soft,chocolaty, spicy, honey-flavored cookie.
    4.95 from 19 votes
    Print Save RecipeSaved! Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: Italian
    Prep Time: 1 hour hour
    Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes
    Servings: 60
    Calories: 129kcal
    Author: Maria Vannelli RD
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    Ingredients

    • 5½ cups all purpose flour 780 grams
    • 4 teaspoons baking powder
    • 1 teaspoon cloves
    • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
    • 2 oz unsweetened cocoa powder ⅔ cup
    • 1 pound coarsely ground almond 3 ½ cups
    • 6 eggs extra large, room temperature
    • 1 pound honey 1 ⅓ cups, slight warmed
    • 1 cup granulated sugar
    • zest of 2 oranges
    • juice of 1 orange
    • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    • Good quality chocolate for glazing. I prefer a bittersweet chocolate...at least 70%

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350° F. Position rack in the center.
    • Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
    • In a large mixing bowl, sift together dry ingredients. (flour, baking powder, cloves, cinnamon, and cocoa).
    • Add ground almonds and incorporate with the dry ingredients. Set aside.
    • In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs for 2-3 minutes.
    • Add honey. Continue to whisk until well thickened.
    • Add sugar. Beat well.
    • Add orange zest, juice and extract.
    • Switch to paddle attachment. Add flour mixture until just combined. (Dough will be soft and sticky).
    • Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. This will make it easier to roll out. You can also leave it to rest overnight for convenience.
    • Working with dough in small batches, place on well-floured wooden board and roll out to ¼ - ½" thick. 
    • With a rhombus-shaped cutter or with a knife cut dough (I use a 2-inch cutter). 
    • Place on cookie sheets.
    • Continue until all the dough has been shaped. Leftover dough trimmings  can be re-rolled. 
    • Bake at 350° F for about 15-18 minutes or until firm to touch.
    • Let cool completely before glazing with chocolate.
    Enhance Your Cooking Experience!SCROLL UP for essential step-by-step photos embedded in the article above. When available, videos can be found in the next section. These visuals are designed to help you achieve perfect results every time. Happy cooking!

    Video

    Notes

    If you find the dough too soft to handle, you can add a little bit more flour. Also, you can try refrigerating the dough-the honey will make the dough firm up a little bit. 
    As every oven is different, I recommend baking one cookie in order to get the right baking time. Remember, when the cookies are firm to the touch, that is to say, leave no imprint when gently touched, they are done. The longer they stay in the oven, the harder and crispier they get.
    For the chocolate glaze, melt the chocolate in a double boiler. With a pastry brush, coat the mostaccioli with chocolate.
    Can be stored in an airtight container, in a cool place for weeks.
    Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is just a rough estimate and variations can occur depending on the specific ingredients used. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1g | Calories: 129kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 7mg | Potassium: 63mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 25IU | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 1.1mg
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    Filed Under: Christmas, Cookies, Desserts, Italian Cookies

    About Maria

    Maria Vannelli is a retired dietitian who lives in a suburb just outside Montreal, Canada. She's the founder of the food blog She Loves Biscotti. Maria hopes to inspire you and bring you and your loved ones closer together at meal times enabling you to create some memorable moments.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Teresa

      May 07, 2025 at 10:32 pm

      Hello Maria
      I make a mostaccioli cookie that is similar to yours but I don’t grind the almonds I bake them until they’re a little crisp and let them cool before I add to the recipe. I add cinnamon no cloves honey no chocolate and make small loaves. After they’re cooked and cooled I slice them like biscotti, they are not twice baked my family loves them.
      Because the dough is sticky I wet my hands with cold water and that works so much better….. I’m from Calabria

      Reply
      • Maria

        May 08, 2025 at 10:03 am

        Thank you for sharing Teresa!

        Reply
    2. Veronica DellaVilla

      December 05, 2024 at 4:46 pm

      5 stars
      Hello Maria:
      I am exhausted but I made your cookies for our cookie exchange for Christmas. They look great and taste even better. Thanks for sharing the recipe. My family is from naples too..
      I made 300 cookies. I doubled the recipe.

      Reply
      • Maria

        December 05, 2024 at 6:52 pm

        WOW!!! Making 300 cookies is such an incredible effort—no wonder you’re exhausted! How special that you are sharing them with family and friends. How wonderful that your family is from Naples too—it’s amazing how food connects us to our roots. Wishing you a joyful and delicious holiday season! Buon Natale ♥

        Reply
    3. Ellen Tocco

      October 03, 2024 at 3:18 pm

      5 stars
      I made these cookies for the feast of St. Francis on October 4th.. These were his favorite cookies, my husband is Italian, he absolutely loves them. Thank you for sharing.

      Reply
      • Maria

        October 04, 2024 at 3:19 pm

        Thank you so much for sharing Ellen! It makes me so happy to hear that these cookies were part of your celebration.

        Reply
    4. Reet

      June 19, 2023 at 3:47 am

      Greetings Maria,

      I’m an Australian with an Italian background. (My parents emigrated to Australia from a small town in the Appenines of Abruzzo). Thank you for this recipe, my mum lost her recipe book that had many recipes from Italy so I’m going to give this one to her & hopefully she’ll make these wonderful biscuits again. I remember my sister & I helping my mum & aunts make them for Easter & Christmas, & getting to eat the ones that were “not quite the right shape” 😉.
      Grazie mille.

      Kindest regards
      Reet

      Reply
      • Maria

        June 25, 2023 at 4:30 pm

        Thanks so much for reaching out Reet! It wouldn’t be Christmas without these. Enjoy!

        Reply
    5. Miska Knezevic

      May 03, 2023 at 4:10 pm

      5 stars
      I can only say WOW! Thank you!

      Reply
      • Maria

        May 03, 2023 at 9:17 pm

        My pleasure Miska! Thanks so much!

        Reply
    6. Anna

      January 04, 2023 at 8:33 pm

      Ciao Maria
      Thank you for your mostaccioli recipe they are are Christmas must a tavola da noi ♥️

      Reply
      • Maria

        January 06, 2023 at 6:34 pm

        I agree Anna! Thanks for stopping by!

        Reply
    7. Teresa

      December 22, 2022 at 3:52 pm

      5 stars
      I baked these for Christmas and they are excellent. Everyone loves them! Thank you for sharing the recipe. This recipe is a keeper. Thank you and Happy Holidays!

      Reply
      • Maria

        December 23, 2022 at 6:16 am

        Thanks so much, Teresa! Happy Holidays to you as well ♥

        Reply
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    Maria from She loves biscotti

    Hi, I'm Maria! a dietitian (retired) and full-time content creator. Join me as I share traditional Italian recipes from my youth to modern twists on classics using fresh and seasonal ingredients.

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