Italian Roccocò Recipe: Spicy Neapolitan Cookies

Italian Roccocò Recipe: Spicy Neapolitan Cookies

This Italian Roccocò recipe is a taralli-shaped crispy, spicy cookie originating in the Campania region of Italy. This Neapolitan Christmas treat gets its unique flavor from the combination of spices used to make them. These crunchy cookies are the perfect addition to your cookie tray of Italian Christmas cookies during the festive holiday season!

Course cookies

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 30

Servings servings

Calories 115kcal

Author Maria Vannelli (retired RD)

Ingredients

1¾ cups flour all-purpose, 250 grams
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon cinnamon ground
⅛ teaspoon nutmeg ground
⅛ teaspoon cloves ground
pinch star anise ground
pinch coriander ground
pinch salt
pinch white pepper
1¼ cups granulated sugar 250 grams
1 zest orange organic
2 tablespoons candied orange peel 50 grams
½ cup water warm
1 cup almonds toasted
extra flour for dusting wooden board

Egg wash

1 egg slightly beaten

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Position the oven rack in the center. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a large bowl, sift or whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, star anise, coriander, salt, and white pepper).
Add the sugar, orange zest and candied orange peel and combine thoroughly.
Gradually add the warm water in three separate additions and combine.
Finally, add the nuts to combine.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface, then knead it a few times until there are no visible flour streaks.
Form into a large log.
Portion into 35-gram portions (or the equivalence of about 2 tablespoons). Refer to the video in this post to see how this is done.
Roll into a 5-inch strand about ½ inch in diameter.
Combine the two ends to form a ring.
Place on parchment-lined baking sheets. Continue this process with the rest of the dough.
Brush cookies with egg wash.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned. The longer they stay in the oven, the harder they get.
Allow to cool on baking sheet for at least 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Video

Notes

Why did my cookies come out hard?

Often referred to as a jawbreaker cookie, this is supposed to be a hard cookie. To create a cookie with a softer texture, reduce the baking time. These cookies may be soft when you remove them from the oven, but they’ll harden as they cool.

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