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.
Easter Cookies
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 Italian Cookies are popular during the Easter Season, a not too sweet cookie, that is covered in a simple powdered sugar glaze.
What does Uncinetti mean?
Uncinetti in Italian means crochet. Which in this sense means the crochet knot, it is actually what the cookie is suppose to resemble.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
- 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour (236 grams)
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/2 lemon zest
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (I use corn oil)
- 5 tablespoons milk*
*You may need to add more milk if the dough is too dry, add 1 tablespoon at a time.
LEMON GLAZE
- 1 1/2 -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, oil and the milk. Mix with a fork or pulse until mixture is combined (if dough is too dry add more milk 1 tablespoon at a time), move to a flat surface and knead until smooth. (with a food processor you won’t have to knead for much time).
- Remove pieces of dough to form 4 inch (10 cm) ropes. Leaving the tip of one end of the rope a little raised then roll up the remainder (see photo). Place on prepared cookie sheet and bake for approximately 15-20 minutes or until lightly golden. Let cool then cover with lemon glaze. Enjoy.
**I used a food processor and it was much easier, I didn’t need to add any extra milk.
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).
Corinne M Spina says
Sure wish I knew what I did wrong – twice. I made them yesterday and again today because the first time they ended up with the consistency of a roll ( very bread-y, if you will). My Dad, who’s been making bread from scratch, for decades now, thought I must have kneeded the dough too much. So I tried again tonight. Hardly kneeded the dough, at all. Yet again, the cookie is very doughy. I’m so disappointed that I ended up with very pretty, but very poor tasting cookies. Is it possible my two failed attempts, to make these cookies, was caused by doubling the recipe?
Rosemary says
Hi Corinne, sorry to hear that you are having problems, that has never happened to me, although I haven’t doubled the recipe, maybe that’s it.
Rita says
Hi Rosemary! I just made these cookies. They were fairly easy to make and you can certainly add your creativity for the different shapes you desire to make. Wondering about the consistency of the cooking once it’s baked. Is it expected to be soft and chewy or hard and crumbly.
Rosemary says
Hi Rita, thanks, I would say they are on the harder side and crunchy. A really good dunking cookie. I hope you enjoy them. Happy Easter.
Dznielle says
Can I substitute melted butter in place of the oil?
Rosemary says
Hi Dznielle yes you can although you should add 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon of melted butter. Let me know how you like them.
Donna says
Looking to make these cookies for a big group of people. Is it ok to double even triple the recipe?
Thanks
Rosemary says
Hi Donna, sure that should be no problem. I hope enjoy them.
Joyce Wright says
Rosemary
Love the recipe for breakfast with coffee. Just wondering how thick and how long is each cookie rolled before you swirl it up. I made 15 but some seemed thicker than others.
Thanks
Joyce
Rosemary says
Hi Joyce I recommended the ropes to be about 4 inches long, you can make them longer or shorter if you want. Hope that helps. Glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Anne Fiorenza says
I am so excited to try these cookies. They look exactly like my mother in law’s anisette cookies- always made at Christmas. Her parents were from Calabria too, the city of Nicastro. You describe the texture perfectly- not sweet, a bit dry and just wonderful with coffee or even a bit of wine. Thank you.
Rosemary says
Hi Anne, thanks and yes I love a couple with my tea. Have a great weekend.
Debbie says
Hi Rosemary,
I made these today, they were good, but not what I was expecting. I guess here in the US we’re so used to everything being so sweet, these were not. They are good, a little dense to me, but I’m certainly glad I tried them.
Cant want to make the next treat you post
Thanks,
Debbie
Rosemary says
Hi Debbie, yes Italian sweets aren’t very sweet, but once you get used to it it’s hard going back. I used to love Peanut Butter cups but now I can’t even think about eating one. 🙂 Italian love these cookies dipped in their coffee or cappuccino.
Carleen says
1 tbsp sugar and 1 tbsp oil are correct? I have not made these yet, but other recipes call for considerably more sugar and butter or oil. Just want to be sure. Thanks
Rosemary says
Hi Carleen, yes the ingredients are correct, they aren’t an overly sweet cookie (most Italian sweet recipes aren’t). Let me know how it goes.
Angela Sciurca says
I am making these for a diabetic son. What does { -2g sugar } mean? Am I to assume that these are almost sugar free? Thank you. These sound like my grandmother’s cookies.
Rosemary says
Hi Angela, sorry I think that was a mistake in the recipe nutrition card (it’s calculated when I add in the recipe) but since there is only 1 tablespoon of sugar, they aren’t very sweet at all. You could probably substitute with a sugar replacement. I hope you like them. Let me know.
Mary Cassandra says
My husband said that he remembered those cookies