Traditional Italian Breakfast Cookies
These Breakfast Cookies are a traditional cookie served in Italy, a fast and easy way to have your cookie and eat it at breakfast. Crunchy on the outside and soft inside. These Italian 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.
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!
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. They were a success and yes the perfect dunking Cookie!
Recipe Ingredients
- Flour – all purpose flour (at least 11% protein)
- Salt
- Baking powder – make sure it hasn’t expired
- Egg – room temperature large egg
- Sugar – granulated sugar
- Milk – 2% or whole milk
- Vegetable oil – I use sunflower or corn oil
- Vanilla – vanilla extract
How to make Breakfast Cookies
In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder.
In a large bowl or stand mixer with the flat beaters, beat together the egg and sugar until light and frothy approximately 2-3 minutes. Add the milk, oil and vanilla, beat well.
Add dry ingredients a little at a time and mix with a wooden spoon or spatula (do not beat).
Transfer the cookie dough 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 then roll them in granulated sugar and place on the prepared large baking sheets.
Bake for approximately 10-15 minutes.
I love cookies and If you are like me you might want to try a couple of my favorites such as these Occhio di Bue or also known as sandwich cookies, or how about a hug in cookie form with these Italian Abbracci Cookes? And of course, if you are anything like the Italian you are going to love these Italian Beer Cookies or Easy Pistacchio Cookies or why not try these chocolate dipped breakfast cookies, these are quite amazing also Sicilian dunking cookies!
How to store Italian breakfast cookies
The cookies should be stored in an airtight container, they will keep at room temperature for up to 5-6 days.
How to freeze the cookies
Place the completely cooled cookies in a freezer bag or container, they will keep for up to three months in the freezer. They can be thawed on the counter.
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!
Traditional Italian Breakfast Cookies
Ingredients
- 2¼ cups + 1 tablespoon all purpose flour (290 grams total)
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup milk whole or 2% (room temperature)
- ¼ cup vegetable oil (I usually use sunflower or corn oil)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
EXTRAS
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (more or less) for rolling
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350F (180C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer with the flat beaters, beat together the egg and sugar until light and frothy approximately 2-3 minutes. Add the milk, oil and vanilla, beat well.
- Add dry ingredients a little at a time and mix with a wooden spoon or spatula (do not beat).
- Transfer the dough 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 2-2½" x ¾" – 6½ x 2 cm) roll them in granulated sugar and place on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for approximately 10-15 minutes. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Republished from October 21, 2016.
How long can you store these cookies in an airtight container?
Hi Helen, in an airtight container they should keep up to a week. Hope that helps. 🙂
Can’t wait to try these. Is there a Pin It feature so that I can put it on Pinterest?
Hi Stephanie, thanks so much hope you enjoy them. And yes there is a Pin feature on the left that floats (in black) as you scroll. 🙂 . Well it was there, seems to have disappeared. Thanks for letting me know. Update they are back.
You had me at “cookies for breakfast” 😉 But seriously, these are so yummy!
Thanks Liz, so glad you enjoy them!
Are these at all similar to the cookies you see at weddings? The cookie cake? Cookies with frosting or dipped in chocolate? I have been searching for YEARS to find a recipe to make these myself. No luck and the Italian bakery in NY are not willing to share lol. Any suggestions?
Hi Shari, I am pretty sure they are a type of butter cookie, are they? (which I happen to have an amazing recipe in my new cookbook :), so therefore unfortunately I can’t share it now ) . Although interesting to know, that this is an American tradition because Italians in Italy never serve cookies at a wedding.
Hi rosemary just want to know is it plain flour you use can i use gluten free flour will they b the same also thankyou for sharing recipe
Hi Anna, thanks so much and thanks for sharing that. Have a great Sunday.
Haha, I am with you on not watching if so many items are ending up in liquid. I do not do soggy food, unless it’s a cookie designed for dipping either. Now these cookies I would happily dunk in tea, warm milk or hot chocolate any morning of the week… and then maybe at suppertime in some Vin Santo, just for good measure.
Hi Jane, haha so glad you get it too! And yes these are the perfect dunking cookies. 🙂
Hi and thank you for your recipes. My question relates to this recipe for Italian cookies. My family would like some savoiards that are not so mushy in the tiramisu. May I use this recipe and use them in Tiramisu?
Hi Liliana, thanks so much. I think these cookies would actually work out quite well. Let me know how it goes.
Was wondering if you have a recipe for Italian Knot cookies? Everyone I have tried in the past are not like how my grandmother made them. I have been searching for one similar to hers. Would appreciate it so much!!
Hi Diane, I found out that in Italy they are called Ancinetti and sometimes Sweet Taralli so I will see what I can find.
Hi Rosemary ,
I just made the traditional Italian breakfast cookies.
They are so light and delicious !
I would like to try The Ciambelles ,al vino!
Thank you so much for your recipes .
I am originally from Europe ,and have been many times
in Italy. Love love their fine cooking
Eva
Hi Eva, thanks so much, I am so glad you enjoyed them. Let me know what you think of the wine cookies. And I agree, can’t get much better than Italian cooking. Have a wonderful Sunday.
Just chiming in to say I’ve made the wine cookies that you speak of from this site and they are delicious! I use our homemade vinocotto and add the fennel! You should definitely make them. They are one of my fave biscuits and if I bring them to a family party, they disappear in seconds because they are so good!
Thanks Rosemary for this great site and amazing recipes!
Hi Diana, thanks so much, so glad you and everyone enjoy them. Have a great weekend.
Hi Rosemary, I just finished baking these cookies and they are great. My family will enjoy dunking in their coffee tomorrow morning. I love your recipes, very simple yet wonderful. Since I am of Italian background I recognize the authenticity of your recipes. Sweet regards from Toronto!
Hi Lisa, so glad you enjoy the recipes and the cookies. And hi back to Toronto. Have a great week.
Delicious. I added grated orange rind and almond extract. It’s summer here so a spell in the fridge was necessary I used mild olive oil. Thanks for this I was tempted to dip the ends in melted chocolate – maybe next time.
Hi Susan, thanks and great idea with the orange and almond. Have a great weekend.
will definitely be making these. what kind of milk do you use – skim, whole milk? thank you.
Hi Caroline, I always use 2% milk. Rosemary
I have been trying to find a recipe for I think are these cookies that my great aunt used to make but she called them what sounds like sucarines?? I had them when I visited in Sicily
Could it be these cookies? Seemed like hers were made with egg whites??but I’m not sure? They were crispy though?
Hi Charm, I think that may be a dialect word, are you thinking of savoiardi cookies which are made with egg whites. But I don’t have a recipe on my blog although it is a recipe that will be in my book that is coming out in the Fall. 🙂 But these cookies are really good too. Try them and let me know. Rosemary
Baked these cookies last night. I love them! The only difference is that I didn’t roll them in sugar, instead sprinkling some on the top before baking. My husband enjoyed eating the cookies as he sipped on a glass of wine.I can’t wait to dunk them in my morning coffee!
Hi Innes, so glad you enjoyed them and your husband too. My husband loves them dunked. Have a great weekend. Rosemary
Can I substitute butter for the vegetable oil? I only had olive oil and now that’s all we can taste; however I can tell we’d love these otherwise!
Hi Janet, I have never made them with butter but apparently you can, so to substitute the 1/4 cup of oil use 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon melted butter. Hope that helps let me know.
My Mom used to made a morning ( similar to our American hard roll) bun or roll and she chopped the dough on what she called a grommala board which to me looked like a paper cutter.. Does this sound familiar?
Hi Joanne, sorry but I have never seen that, do you maybe mean Pizzelle? Happy New Year.
Not related to this recipe, but since you have been in Italy this long, would you know what the equivalent amount of American baking powder one would use for one packet of the Italian “lievito per dolci” such as the Pane degl’angeli”brand?
Thank you,
Marina
Hi Marina one packet equals I use it one for one so one packet is equal to 5 teaspoons or 1 tablespoon and 2 teaspoons. So if a recipe is 1 teaspoon you would use 1/5 of the packet. Hope that helps.
These cookies were delicious. Used 1 cup of whole wheat flour to replace some of the regular flour. Only 1/2 cup sugar used and added 1/2 cup of crushed walnuts. Thank you. Being Italian, I empathize with your husband and his love for dunking!
Hi Dora, so glad you enjoyed them. And crushed walnuts sounds wonderful. Have a great weekend.