Light Traditional Italian Breakfast Cookies are a fast and easy way to have your cookie and eat it at Breakfast. Crunchy on the outside and soft inside. These Cookies are perfect anytime.
When my husband and I first got married, I could not watch my husband eat breakfast. I would place the large mug of caffè latte on the kitchen table and get the heck out of there.
I could never understand why he couldn’t eat breakfast like a normal person. You know, a cup of coffee, Tim Horton style, a Toasted Bagel or hey even a Muffin would work.
I know there are a lot of people who like to dunk a cookie or a piece of toast in their morning beverage. Not me, I tried it once and I got so upset when it got too soggy and fell in my coffee. Just not for me!
So how he could possibly throw anything and everything from cereal, to a Homemade Cake, Cookies to Yup even left over Tiramisu into that large mug was beyond me.
He would even tell me if the cake was too dry or not dry enough! How could he tell from all that soggy mess whether the cake was dry or not? But he swears he can tell!
Traditional Italian Breakfast Cookies
So I decided to make him Traditional Italian Breakfast cookies, like his mother used to make. Something that most Italians do dunk in their cafe latte in the morning.
He was very happy about these Breakfast Cookies. They brought back memories and yes the perfect dunking Cookie.
But he couldn’t stop at these Tasty Italian Breakfast Cookies! Oh no. In goes 2 cookies and he doesn’t stop at that, a good bit of corn flakes are needed and eh why not a piece of that just made Yogurt Cake. Give it a few swirls and there you have breakfast for the Italian.
Whether you are a dunker or not, these Italian Breakfast Cookies are a delicious way to start your day or even eat as a snack. Enjoy!
A fast & easy cookie recipe, crunchy on outside and soft inside. Perfect for breakfast or snack.
- 1 egg room temperature
- 3/4 cup sugar + extra for rolling (80 grams)
- 1/4 cup milk (remove from fridge 30 minutes before) (60 grams)
- 1/4 cup oil (50 grams)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla (2.10 grams)
- 2 1/4 cups + 1 tablespoon flour (289 grams)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (1.4 grams)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder (9.2 grams)
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Pre-heat oven to 350° (180° celsius). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Whisk together flour, salt and baking powder.
In a medium bowl beat together egg and sugar until light and frothy. Add milk, oil and vanilla, beat well.
Add flour mixture a little at a time and mix with a wooden spoon (do not beat).
Remove to a lightly floured flat surface and knead gently until combined. Dough will be slightly sticky so don't over flour.
Remove pieces of dough to form into oblong shapes (approximately 2-2 1/2" x 3/4" - 6 1/2 x 2 centimeters) roll in granulated sugar and place on parchment paper lined baking sheets.
Bake for approximately 10 minutes. Enjoy!
These are called savoiardi in Italian or lady finger cookies in English.
Hi Mary, actually Savoiardi or Lady Fingers are made with more eggs. These are lighter and served with warm milk in the morning. 🙂
I’m hoping these are the cookies I discovered and loved while traveling through Italy. Is it possible to use butter and maybe almond flavor?
Hi Diana, I hope they are too. You probably could substitute but they might not be as crunchy. And almond flavour would be fine. 🙂
This brought back memories of my late father who would pour some of his coffee into his breakfast cereal, whether it was cheerios or corn flakes, and he dunked toast and donuts into his coffee cup as well. He liked to dunk cookies or cake into his evening coffee as well.
Hi Ann Marie, thanks and memories of our fathers are the best and this is exactly how my husband eats in the morning. 🙂 Have a great weekend.
Hi. This recipe sounds delicious and I would love to try. Can you please confirm the amount of flour? One tablespoon doesn’t seem to be enough for all those wet ingredients. Thanks very much!
Hi Lisa, it’s actually 2 1/4 cups + 1 tablespoon (the 2 1/4 cups is above the 1 tablespoon, I just updated it to show on one line) thanks hope you enjoy them. Have a great week.
Can these be made the night prior? Or can I make the dough at least and refrigerate until I bake them in the morning? I’m making them for an “Italian” based work carry-in. Thank you!
Hi Chassidy, sure making them the night before is fine. Just keep them in an airtight container. Hope you enjoy them.
I made it, they are really delicious and easy to make!
So glad you enjoy them. Have a great week.
Thank you for this recipe! I adore biscuit type breakfast cookies and I found your website with these cookies. I added the vanilla plus 1/4 tsp lemon extract and the taste is to die for. I bet these work well with some chocolate chips, or drizzled icing if you want a sweeter twist. Five stars I highly recommend them.
Hi Mary Ann so glad you enjoyed them and I think chocolate chips would be a great idea. 🙂
Just to confirm Rosemary, do you use white sugar for this recipe & plain flour?
Hi Rhiannon yes just regular sugar and plain flour. Let me know how you like them.
Just Laughing! Would it be better if he put milk in a bowl, and poured crispy crunchy things in and ate it with a spoon? I remember the italian breakfast cookies as being almost a cracker with very little sweetness and lots of crunch. They were fabulous with Nutella on them! I think a only slightly sweet breakfast cookie beats Lucky Charms every time in healthy…but I don’t do sugar in the morning. I will try these with a little less sugar since there was one brand that I loved, with less sugar.
Hi Annie, that would be too easy! I hope you enjoy them, let me know.
Oops, sorry. I forgot you named the cookies “biscotti” earlier in the post. Please forget my earlier note.
Rosemary, I’ve followed your recipe twice and both times the dough needed a short stay in the fridge. No biggie. I weighed the flour. I added a generous 1/4 teaspoon of anise extract – next time will add a little bit more or try a lemon version. It’s such a quick and easy recipe to assemble and not overly sweet. Do you know of another name for the cookies? Thanks so much.
Hi Diane, yeah it is quite sticky, good idea putting it in the fridge. The lemon version is quite nice actually. Your welcome.
These look very good! What part of Italy is this traditional breakfast treat from? I have not eaten these in the Liguria fegion. Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Linda, I live in the Lazio (Rome) region and they are very popular here, they are actually called “biscottini”. Have a great Sunday.
I have everything necessary to make these which I take to be a sign from the gods. I taught for many years and would grab a handful of cookies to have with coffee once I got to school. My students would comment on my breakfast choice since as a teacher I should have a healthier choice. I always told them that “cookies” were my breakfast of champions! (and I am a grown-up) I love Italian cookies so thanks for this recipe.
Hi Lisa, haha exactly. Why not cookies for breakfast! Hope you enjoy these, let me know. Have a great Sunday. 🙂
Well since I grew up with a papà who dunked everything I got used to it. No matter what it was in it went. Eventuall,y they adapted more to the American type breakfast but the dunking stayed 🙂 Frankly, I think the breakfast cookies look a lot better than some of the oatmeal I’ve seen. Have a great weekend.
i think your husband is just awesome! and you, too, for putting up with his revolting breakfasts with such good humour! 😀
Hi Hellie, haha thanks so much. It is quite revolting ;). Have a great weekend.