Mostaccioli di Mamma

Looking for a soft, nutty, honey-spiced Italian cookie coated in dark chocolate? These Mostaccioli di Mamma are a Christmas classic.

Mostaccioli (sometimes spelled Mustaccioli) are Italian spiced Christmas cookies that are extremely popular in southern Italy, particularly among Neapolitans.

As is usually the case with regional Italian recipes, you will find endless variations.

Today, I would like to share my family version, which I have called Mostaccioli di Mamma, dedicated to my mom. For us, it simply wouldn't be Christmas without these cookies.

I first shared this recipe with all of you back in 2014. I have updated it recently with step-by-step photos to make the whole process easier to visualize. For those who prefer a video, you can find it in the recipe card. 

When I make these Italian Christmas cookies, I will usually freeze the batch and then glaze them when I am ready to include them in my holiday cookie platter. The recipe yields about five dozen cookies, but it can easily be halved. 

Jump to:

• Quick Overview
• Ingredients
• How to Make Mostaccioli 
• Tips
• FAQ
• Southern Italian Cookies to Try
• Recipe Origins
• Recipe

Quick Overview

• Prep Time: 60 minutes
• Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
• Total Time: 90 minutes
• Yield: About 5 dozen cookies
• Serving Suggestions: These soft, lightly spiced, chocolate-coated cookies are perfect with an espresso, tea, or a glass of milk. Add them to your Italian Christmas cookie platter or package them up for thoughtful homemade gifts.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour: Provides structure and helps create that soft but sturdy cookie texture mostaccioli are known for.
• Baking powder: Gives the cookies just a little lift so they don't feel dense.
• Ground cloves: A warm, traditional spice that adds depth.
• Cinnamon: Enhances the overall aroma without overpowering the honey and citrus.
• Unsweetened cocoa powder: Adds color and a subtle chocolate note typical of many Southern Italian versions.
• Coarsely ground almonds: Key to the texture - they add moisture, richness, and that rustic bite.
• Eggs: Bind the dough and contribute to the soft interior.
• Honey: The classic sweetener for mostaccioli; it adds moisture and helps keep the cookies tender.
• Granulated sugar: Balances the bitterness of cocoa and complements the honey.
• Orange zest: Brightens the dough and pairs beautifully with the spices.
• Orange juice: Adds moisture and enhances the citrus flavor (some traditional recipes use water, but orange juice gives a more aromatic result).
• Vanilla extract: Adds another layer of flavor without competing with the spices.
• Bittersweet chocolate (for glazing): Gives these cookies their signature finish; a high-quality baking chocolate with at least 70% cocoa works best.

How to Make Mostaccioli 

Preparing the Dough

• The whole process of making these cookies begins by grinding 1 pound (455 g) of raw almonds, skin-on and unroasted. The texture we are looking for is coarsely ground. This will provide a cookie where fragments of almonds are visible.
• We then need to incorporate the ground almonds with the dry ingredients, which have been sifted (or whisked) together. In a large bowl, sift together: 5½ cups (780 g) all-purpose flour, 4 teaspoons (16 g) baking powder, 1 teaspoon (2 g) ground cloves, ½ teaspoon (1 g) cinnamon, and 2 ounces (⅔ cup / 57 g) unsweetened cocoa powder.
• Stir in the coarsely ground almonds. 

• 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. Begin by whisking  together 6 extra-large eggs, at room temperature, for a couple of minutes.
• Then, slowly pour in 1 pound (1⅓ cups / 454 g) of warm honey followed by 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, the juice of 1 orange (about 3 tablespoons (45 mL), 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract and the zest of 2 oranges.
• Switch to the paddle attachment. With the liquid ingredients already in your stand mixer bowl, gradually add the dry ingredients (flour, spices, cocoa, and ground almonds).
• At low speed, begin incorporating the mixture. Mix just until a soft, sticky dough forms - you don't want to overmix. The dough should be thick but workable. If it feels too sticky to handle, chill it for 10-15 minutes; this will make it firmer and easier to roll.

Shaping and Cutting the Cookies

• Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Use a large wooden spoon to transfer half of the dough onto a well-floured board or a piece of parchment paper. Lightly sift a little flour over the top of the dough.
• Gently roll the dough into a large rectangle about ½ inch (1.25 cm) thick. The dough is soft, but it becomes much easier to work with once you get a feel for it.
• These cookies are traditionally shaped into rhombuses. You can use a rhombus-shaped cutter, or simply cut the dough with a knife and a ruler to create 2-inch (5 cm) rhombuses. Here's how: Make long vertical lines down the rectangle, spacing them about 2 inches (5 cm) apart. Next, make diagonal cuts at a 45° angle across the rectangle, spacing them about 2 inches (5 cm) apart, so each diagonal intersects the vertical lines. 
• Carefully transfer each rhombus to a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving a little space between them.
• Bake at 350°F (175°C) until set and slightly firm to the touch, about 15-18 minutes. They will continue to firm up as they cool.

Glazing the Mostaccioli

• Before glazing, I like to take a pastry brush and gently dust off any leftover flour from the cookies. This ensures the chocolate adheres beautifully and gives a smooth, shiny finish.
• Once the cookies are completely cool, it's time for the fun part-the chocolate! I like to use good-quality bittersweet chocolate (at least 70%) for the best flavor.
• Chop the baking chocolate into small pieces and melt it gently. You can use a double boiler or the microwave (in short 30-second bursts, stirring in between) until smooth and glossy.
• Now for the dipping: you can either dip just the top of each cookie, letting any excess chocolate drip off, or fully coat them if you want a richer finish. Either way works beautifully. To create little waves of chocolate, place the chocolate-coated cookie upside down and shake the excess off.
• Place the glazed cookies on a parchment-lined tray and let the chocolate set at room temperature for a couple of hours.

And that's it! The combination of dark chocolate, warm spices, and honey is what makes these rhomboid-shaped cookies so irresistible-classic Mostaccioli di Mamma cookies, ready for your holiday cookie platter.

Tips

• Use coarsely ground almonds, not almond flour. This gives the cookies their classic soft-chewy texture. 
• Warm the honey slightly. Just a few seconds helps it blend more easily without overworking the dough.
• Use room-temperature eggs. They incorporate more smoothly and help the dough come together properly.
• Avoid overmixing once you add the dry ingredients. The dough should be soft and a little sticky-that's exactly how it should be.
• Flour your board generously. This is a soft dough, so a well-floured surface (and a light dusting on top) makes rolling much easier.
• Chill the dough if needed. If it feels too soft to handle, refrigerate it for 10-15 minutes. It will firm up just enough to roll comfortably.
• Use a ruler for clean, even rhombuses. Consistent sizing helps the cookies bake evenly and look picture-perfect.
• Brush off excess flour before glazing. A quick sweep with a pastry brush helps the chocolate coat the cookies smoothly.
• Let the cookies cool completely before glazing. Any warmth will cause the chocolate to slide off or set unevenly.

FAQ

Southern Italian Cookies to Try

Looking for more Italian cookies to bake during the holidays? These traditional Christmas favorites-crispy, honey-coated, fried, or glazed-make a beautiful addition to any holiday dessert table.

Recipe Origins

I feel extremely privileged to have grown up in a family where Italian traditions-especially food traditions-were at the heart of every celebration. Christmas, in particular, was always a whirlwind of baking, cooking, and preparing everyone's favorite treats. You can imagine the excitement in our home as the cookie trays started to fill up with all the classics.

Both my parents were born in southern Italy-my mom in Molinare (Benevento) and my dad in Ripabottoni (Campobasso). With roots like that, I was surrounded by wonderful, comforting dishes that I still cherish today. Naturally, I had my favorites, and this cookie recipe is one of them.

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 the liberty to coat the entire mostaccioli cookie with dark chocolate.

I hope you enjoy making (and eating!) these traditional Italian Mostaccioli cookies. They're wonderful with a cup of coffee, espresso, tea-really anything you enjoy during the holiday season.

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★★★★★ 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

This recipe was originally published on December 21, 2014 and republished on December 9, 2017 and again on December 3, 2025 with updated content and photos.