Italian Easter Cookies / Uncinetti
These traditional cookies are made with a quick and easy dough. A simple lemon glaze tops these Italian Easter Cookies. Perfect with a coffee or tea.
We are now heading into the beginning of March which means that it’s time for the Easter treats to hit the grocery stores and Bakeries. Even though I am still seeing and loving Castagnole and Frappe.
These Southern simple Italian cookies are popular during the Easter Season, a not too sweet cookie, that is covered in a simple powdered sugar glaze. Another famous Southern cookie from Sardinia are these Piricchittus.
Recipe Ingredients
- All purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Lemon – zest of a lemon
- Egg
- Butter – salted or unsalted, if you use unsalted then add a bit more salt
- Milk – 2% or whole milk
How to make Traditional Italian Cookies
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and lemon zest. Make a well in the middle and add the egg, butter and the milk. With a fork combine until mixture is almost combined, move it to a flat surface and gently knead to form a smooth dough.
Remove pieces of dough ropes, make sure the ropes are quite thin then form to make a knot, if making smaller ropes you can join them together to form circles if you prefer. Place on the prepared cookie sheet and bake in the preheated oven until lightly golden. Let cool then cover with lemon glaze or dust with powdered sugar if desired.
What does Uncinetti mean?
Uncinetti in Italian means crochet. Which in this sense means crochet knots, it is actually what the cookie is suppose to resemble.
What is the Origin of Unicinetti Easter Cookies?
These cookies are from the Province of Vibo Valentia, in the Region of Calabria, they are usually prepared for Palm Sunday. Of course they are made throughout Italy where every region will make their own.
What do Italian Knot cookies taste like?
These Easter Cookies, are a typical Italian cookie, meaning they are not very sweet, nor are they a soft moist cookie. Some say they are very similar to a Sweet Taralli.
The perfect Breakfast cookie, to eat with a cup of coffee or tea. Personally they are one of my favourites. I think the lemon glaze gives them the perfect amount of extra sweetness.
The Icing and Decorations
One of the most recognizable features of Italian Easter cookies is their sweet, icing, food coloring is rarely used, instead a lemon or even almond extracts can be added. A simple glaze made from powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract is drizzled over the cooled cookies. To make them even more festive, they are often topped with pastel sprinkles, symbolizing the joy and vibrancy of the Easter season.
How to make the cookie dough
The dough can actually be made by hand, as shown in this recipe or you can use a food processor or mixer if you prefer.
How to Store Uncinetti
Keep the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature, they should keep for up to one week. The dough can also be frozen in an airtight plastic bag or container, for up to three months.
More Italian Easter Recipes
- Colomba- Easter Dove Bread – A Sweet Yeast Cake that is originally from Lombardia
- Chocolate Eggs – In Christianity it represents the resurrection of Jesus. Although the tradition of the Chocolate Easter Egg is quite recent.
- Pastiera Napoletana – A traditional Neapolitan Easter Dessert. Filled with a Ricotta and candied fruit filling.
- Sweet Veneto Focaccia – Similar to a Colomba but with a round shape and without candied fruit.
If you do make these unique Italian Easter Cookies be sure to let me know how you like them. Enjoy!
Italian Easter Cookies / Uncinetti
Ingredients
ITALIAN EASTER COOKIES
- 1½ cups + 2 tablespoons all purpose flour (200 grams total, if you double or triple he recipe double or triple this amount)
- 3¼ tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 pinch salt*
- zest of one lemon
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup butter (melted and cooled)
- 4 tablespoons milk (I use 2%)
*If you use unsalted butter then add 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
LEMON GLAZE
- 1½ -2 cups powdered / icing sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (approximately)
- 1 tablespoon milk (approximately)
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 300F (150C). Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
ITALIAN EASTER COOKIE
- In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and lemon zest. Make a well in the middle and add the egg, butter and the milk. With a fork combine until mixture is almost combined, move it to a flat surface and gently knead to form a smooth dough.
- Remove pieces of dough to form 5-6 inches (13-16 cm) ropes, make sure the ropes are quite thin then form to make a knot, if making smaller ropes you can join them together to form circles if you prefer. (see photo). Place on prepared cookie sheet and bake for approximately 15-18 minutes or until lightly golden. Let cool then cover with lemon glaze or dust with powdered sugar if desired. Enjoy.
LEMON GLAZE
- In a small bowl add the sifted powdered sugar, lemon juice and milk, combine to your desired thickness. (less or more milk as needed).
Notes
Nutrition
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I made these and they are delicious. They are not only a great Easter cookie but also a great summer cookout cookie.
Thanks
Hi Bob, thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed them. Take care!
Awesome! Doable with really little children. It is tasty and easy!
Hi Berkana, thanks so much, so glad to hear it. Take care!
Italian Easter Cookies – can I use Gluten free flour and substitute granulated sugar with coconut sugar?
Hi Yvonne, you can try although I have never made them with those substitutions. Let me know how it goes. Take care!
I made them with GF Cup 4 Cup flour yesterday and they turned out great.
Been making these for over 40 years as my mom always did. as well as her mom did. Yes we are 100 percent italian. Super delicious and not too sweet.thanks
Hi Joy, thanks so much, nothing like traditional Italian recipes. Take care!
Just baked them, the texture is that of a biscuit more than a cookie. Are they supposed to?
Hi Stephanie, I really don’t know what you mean by that, these are Italian type cookies, so maybe. 🙂
I made them on a Tuesday and by Saturday they were wet and soggy…I put them in an airtight container too. Should I wait to ice them until the night before serving?
Hi Sharon, I don’t understand why they would be wet and soggy. Yes frost them before you serve them. Take care.
So your video for theses cookies is very unhelpful, because it ends at you needing the dough. No directions for cookie measurements, length and width of ropes. So kind of disappointing
Hi Bob, the video does show the whole recipe, half way through you have to click stay and the video continues. The recipe card with all the instructions and ingredients is at the bottom of the post or just above the comment section. Hope that helps. Take care!
Was really looking forward to making these as my Grandma made similar looking ones when I was a child. Of course her recipe was in her head & I never asked her to tell me. These are ok but not as I remember. She was from Ancona, not southern Italy so maybe the difference.
Still, I make a lot of your recipes & enjoy them! Thank you for taking me back to my childhood days!!
Hi Anita, I love your recipes and how you give us clear explanations. I was happy to see you can use oil.
Two members of my family don’t like butter so I am forever searching for recipes that use oil rather than butter.
Thank you for responding to questions asked.
Take care
Hi Linda, thanks so much, Italians seem to use oil more than butter when baking. Take care and have a wonderful weekend!
If using anise how much would you recommend without it being too strong of a flavor?
Hi Deb, if you use flavoring then I would use about 1 teaspoon or seed I would use 1/2 teaspoon of seeds. You may want to increase it depending on how strong you like it. I hope that helps. Let me know how it goes. Take care!
Hi when I use sprinkles the colors tend to bleed. Why does this happen? I use powder sugar n milk. I let them air dry n store in tins instead of plastic n still bled!!!?
Hi Deborah, I think it’s the brand of sprinkles, moisture also makes them bleed. Apparently one called “fancy sprinkles” don’t bleed. I hope that helps. Take care!
I made these and they turned out very well, although I cheated when making my “knots”. One tip: of you’re going to put sprinkles on them… Do it as you go. Every five or six, put the sprinkles on. I waited until I had finished glazing all the cookies and the sprinkles wouldn’t stick to the ones done first. 😬
Can I use anise in cookie and glaze? This sounds like the cookie that I am craving.
Hi Carol, sure that would be a great idea! Take care.
Hi
Do you find after you store them the sprinkles bleed. They are still delicious but could look prettier wo the sprinkles bleed.
I make sure I dry them completely before storing
Any thoughts.
Deb
Hi Deborah, I think it depends on the sprinkles to tell the truth, I find the ones I get in Italy don’t bleed. 🙂
We called these Mazzarini Cookies for a neighbor who gave my mother the recipe. These brought me back to my childhood when everything was homemade and delicious!
Hi Donna, thanks so much and I love hearing the different names for cookies. Take care!