Canestrelli are a wonderfully delicious Italian Cookie, an almost shortbread type cookie but with a crunch, fast and easy. The perfect afternoon tea cookie. A touch of Lemon makes them irresistible.
Canestrelli
CanestrelliI have returned to Italy and of course I am missing all my family and friends, especially my eldest Daughter that unfortunately I didn’t see nearly enough.
She is off on adventures of her own and is now living in Vancouver (this was 2 years ago and now she is back in Toronto!) for the time being. So we only had a few days together.
Although we did have a great time and now we look forward to her visit back home.
Naturally with the return to your home that was mainly kept up by the Italian, well you can imagine what I came home to! To tell the truth it wasn’t as bad as I had imagined.
At least the dog, the cat and the plants were still alive.
Needless to say I have a to do list the length of my arm, starting with grocery shopping. So while I was shopping I of course noticed the difference between Canadian aisles and the Italian store aisles. Yeah big difference.
While checking out the cookie aisle (believe me that aisle kept me staring forever in Canada) I noticed how unstuffed the cookies tend to be here. The lack of cream, chocolate, caramel, marshmallows etc.
The very basic cookie, from breakfast cookies to snack cookies with this delicious Canestrelli front and centre. These cookies are sold year round but are very popular at Christmas.
And yeah I actually like the basic ones better. Because sometimes less is more!
Canestrelli Delicious Italian Cookies
More Italian Cookies you may enjoy!
Wine Cookies – Ciambelle al Vino
Abbracci – Italian Hugs Cookies
Traditional Italian Breakfast Cookies
I decided to make these Canestrelli, which are one of my favourites! This is a simple crunchy but an almost melt in your mouth cookie delight. The dough comes together in minutes especially if you use your Food Processor.
What are the ingredients in Canestrelli?
They are made with butter, powdered sugar and hard-boiled egg yolks. Yes that’s right, egg yolks, strange right? That’s what I thought, but I was told this helps make them crumbly, which is what we want.
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Canestrelli are originally from Monferrato which is in the region of Piedmont in Northern Italy. If you are looking for a tasty, yummy Italian Cookie why not give these a try.
Perfect with a cup of tea or coffee or just when you want a cookie. Enjoy!
Cookies should be kept in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks, or freeze for up to 3 months.
I love my Biscotti handmade bowl from Nelle Design!
Canestrelli Delicious Italian Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour (130 grams)
- 1/2 cup + 1 1/2 tablespoons powdered sugar (75 grams)
- pinch salt
- 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons corn starch (100 grams)
- 2/3 cup cold butter cut into pieces* (150 grams)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 hard boiled egg (use just the yolks)
- zest 1/2 lemon
*I use salted butter if you use unsalted add 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
Instructions
- Place eggs in a pot and cover with cold water, heat until boiling, then remove from heat and let sit 8-10 minutes. Place under cold water. Remove shell when cooled, separate the white from yolk and mash just the yolk part, well with a fork.
- In a food processor whisk together flour, sugar, salt, corn starch and zest, then add cold butter and vanilla, pulse a few times to mix, add egg yolks and pulse until almost combined, move to a lightly floured flat surface and knead gently until combined. Wrap in plastic wrap or parchment paper and refrigerate for at least an hour or two or even overnight.
- Pre-heat oven to 335° (170° celsius). Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Remove dough from fridge, on a lightly floured flat surface, start with rolling out half the dough to 1 centimeter thickness and cut with a small to medium size flower cookie cutter, using a straw or any small round hole cutter**, cut a hole in the middle of the flower. Place cut out flowers on prepared cookie sheets and bake for approximately 12 -14 minutes, cookies should not brown. Let cookies rest 5 minutes then move to wire racks to cool, then dust with powdered sugar. Enjoy!
**I used a small pastry tip.
Nutrition
Updated from September 2, 2016.
Amy Kennard says
I tasted these cookies at an amazing Italian restaurant. And got excited to make them. But for the life of me, I cannot bring the dough together. It is like dry sand. I feel stupid keeping on trying… I carefully checked each ingredient qty before adding. What have I done wrong? 🙁
Rosemary says
Hi Amy, when baking and making cookie dough, it can depend on the butter or on the flour, as some flours retain moisture different then others, and butters can have different percentages of fat, depending on the brand. So if the dough is too dry either add a little bit of milk (a tablespoon at a time) or some extra butter to bring it together. Just to let you know store brand butter is not the best butter to use for baking now, it’s best to use a good name brand. Quality has definitely gone down in store brands. Hope that helps. Take care!
Lutzy Lu says
Hi !! this is the first time I would try to make it but I dont have a food process, can I use a stand mixer?
It would came out?
Hope u can help me ! I really want to make this cute cookies !!
Rosemary says
Hi Lutzy, yes it would work with a stand mixer, use the flat beaters and it should be fine. Let me know how it goes. Take care!
Pettia says
How long will they keep in tins?
Thank you
Rosemary says
Hi Pettia, if they are kept in an airtight container they should keep for up to 8 days. 🙂
melissa says
I have a few recipes from my family, but you have wonderful recipes that I have not seen before. Already planning for next year.
Rosemary says
Hi Melissa, thanks so much, let me know what you try. Happy New Year.
Julie says
You think that these cookies will never come together. And then, magically, the crumbles form a dough. I rolled them into little balls, dipped the tops in colored sugar, and flattened them. I might need to add a little more flavor of some form, because they honestly do taste a little eggy to me. I will totally try these again.
Rosemary says
Hi Julie, thanks, maybe some almond flavouring would work. Have a great weekend.
Elizabeth says
Exquisite recipe, thank you.❤
Rosemary says
Hi Elizabeth, thanks so much, glad you liked them. Take care.
Rosalia says
Superbly excellent delicious cookies.
Rosemary says
Hi Rosalia, thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed them. Take care.
Maria Cilea says
I haven’t tried these yet but I certainly will; they are so easy to make. But, I do need to get a flower cookie cutter first…
Thanks, all your recipes are great!!
Rosemary says
Hi Maria, thanks so much, you could always make them with a small round cutter. Have a great week.
Cathy Hennessey says
Made these tonight they are amazing thank you for sharing the recipe.
Rosemary says
Thanks Cathy, so glad you liked them. Have a great week.
Carolyn says
Has anyone tried making these in a cookie press? I just mixed up the dough (Yay for using up the egg yolks leftover from mixing up the pignoli cookies!) and it’s chilling.
Rosemary says
Hi Carolyn, I have never used a cookie press, I find the dough too stiff, but you could try it if you like. Let me know if you do.
Barb says
This recipe, along with the chocolate version, sounds wonderful! Would it be possible to split this cookie dough in half and add the cocoa to one half of the dough to make the chocolate version? If so, how much cocoa would you add to one half of this cookie dough? Thank you for this recipe!
Rosemary says
Hi Barb, I think you would be better off halving each recipe, because of the addition of cocoa, you need to add less corn starch, so I don’t know how that would work out. Let me know.
Stephanie says
I can’t find your chocolate version, and it sounds awesome! Can you link it please
Rosemary says
Hi Stephanie, here it is https://anitalianinmykitchen.com/chocolate-canestrelli/. I hope you enjoy it! Take care.
Cook from Saskatchewan says
Made these yesterday and really enjoyed the recipe. May try them in my cookie press. Interesting texture and I liked the hint of lemon. Also like cookies that let you make the dough one day and bake the next.
Rosemary says
Thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed them.
soha says
I don’t know why they lost their shape a became very thin?
Rosemary says
Hi Soha, it’s probably your flour is too low in protein. A higher protein around 12% keeps cookies from spreading. Hope that helps.
Silvana says
Excellent recipe! They loved them at home. They melt in your mouth literally. Thank you!
Rosemary says
Hi Silvana, thanks so much, so glad everyone enjoyed them. Take care!