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!
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.
Fabulous morning (oranytime) cookies! Perfect with coffee or tea. I laughed out loud at your description of your Italian’s dunking habits, I feel the same way as you do in regard to dipping cookies or in your case, cake , bread, etc. into morning coffee. As always your reciupes are wonderfully delicious as are your stories. Bravo.Joanna
Hi Joanna, thanks so much, so glad you like the cookies and the stories! After all these years, I’m still not used to it lol. Take care and Happy New Year!
Love, love, love these cookies!
Hi Lucrezia, thanks so much, so glad you like the cookies. Take care and Happy New Year!
Hi. These cookies are so spot on. Very good and very easy. I have looked up cookies made with farina multiple times and this recipe keeps coming up, but there is no farina in this. Do you have another recipe OR can I add farina to this and omit something else?
Hi Dawn, I was a bit confused because in Italian flour is farina. I looked it up and it is something totally different, which I have never used, so I really don’t know how to use it, but I don’t think that you can substitute it with all purpose flour in this recipe. Sorry. Glad you liked the cookies though. Take care.
I grew up in an Italian household and these were always my favourite cookie. I searched online for a recipe and came across this recipe not thinking much of it and wow, pleasantly surprised. They’re chewy and amazingly tasty. Adding this one to my recipe book. Easy to make and a crowd pleaser. Thank you!
Hi Diana, thanks so much, so glad you liked them. Take care!
Thank you Rosemary for the recipe! They came out terrific and yummy. I had to change recipe a little to make it gluten and dairy free for myself and my husband. I used Gluten free Plain flour and Almond Milk. Also needed to cook them longer. They came out great! Thanks again
Hi Antonietta, thanks so much so glad you both enjoyed them, and thank you for letting me know that they worked for gluten free. Take care!
Fantastico!!! Soooo easy to make. I am vegan so I replaced egg with 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce. Thank you so much.
Hi Debbie, thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed it. Take care.
Update…
I make these All the time. I switch them up and use anice extract and seeds, lemon or orange extract and some of the peel. Today I made them with my homemade espresso extract. I use 1/2 cup sugar instead of 3/4 cup. Perfecto!! I freeze them and take 1 out about 1/2 hour before I want to eat it. So fast and easy to make. My friend wanted these for her birthday rather than a birthday cake..
I love your recipes and most of them are so easy to veganize. Thank you again.
Debbie (Nonna)
Hi Debbie, thanks so much, so glad you enjoy the recipes and they work for you. Take care!
This cookies are the best in the world . If you like a sweet cookie try this recipe
Hi Winter, thanks so much, so glad you liked them. Take care and have a wonderful weekend.
I made approx 21 cookies but they were quite big. Is the I side supposed to be dense? Your picture has them with lots of holes so I’m thinking they’re light. The taste is good but the cookies were heavy in weight. Is that how they should be?
Hi Cathy, they are on the denser rather than lighter. They are meant to be dipped in milk. Maybe try making them smaller and they will come out a little lighter. Hope that helps. Take care.
I used this recipe instead of the “lady fingers” recipe because I am a lazy cook! They worked perfect and tasted delicious. Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
Hi Jenni, thanks so much, that’s a great idea using them as lady fingers. I would say you aren’t a lazy cook. Take care, have a great weekend.
Am wondering if you might be able to help. I been looking for a cookie recipe that I uses to make for my kids when they were younger. My neighbor gave me the receipe it was so easy that I never wrote it down. All I remember is that it was a lot of flour and eggs flavoring butter,and I did everything right on the table, I would put the flour first than make a well and mix and knead right on the table.shape long or round. Have you ever heard of this kind of cookie. I would appreciate assistance you can give in finding this recipe again
Thank you very much
Joann
Hi Joann, that sounds like an Italian butter cookie to me, I use a mixer only because it is easier but you certainly can make them the way you described. Let me know. https://anitalianinmykitchen.com/italian-butter-cookies/
I made these for my wife she works night shift so when she gets home in the morning she has a couple with her tea before going to bed she loves them. Going to make them today with lemon zest and juice. Wondering if you could us anise in them?
Hi John, thanks so much, and yes you could add some anise if you like. Let me know how it goes.
My dough turned out very dry! So strange as the recipe notes that the dough will be sticky. But tasted good in the end. It’s 2 and 1/4 cup flour – right???
Hi Lin, yes the cup measurement is correct. If it is really dry then add a bit more milk. 🙂
These cookies are so simple to make. I kept checking to see if I left something out. I made one slight change. I added the zest of one lemon and a teaspoon of lemon juice in place of the vanilla. I’m thinking that the vanilla would also be good. I’ll try that next time.
Hi Carole, thanks so much and yes Italians like to add lemon also, great idea. Have a great weekend.
These delicious cookies are reminiscent of cookies my husband, from Egypt, use to eat. I’ve been looking for a recipe for many years. The directions were easy to follow. I goofed and made 10 cookies instead of 21, so they baked longer. I will make them again.
Hi Candy, thanks so much, glad you enjoyed them. Have a great Sunday.
I made these today for the second time. The dough was very sticky and hard to handle. Also they spread out a lot. Very frustrating! they are delicious but not very pretty looking. What should I do if I try for a third time.
Hi Donna, if your dough wasn’t like the dough in the video than you need more flour, make sure you are using a higher protein flour (over 11% closer to 12% or even try with a bread flour) this will help with the spreading. Let me know how it goes.
I have made these before I have learned to roll them in plastic wrap.MAke one long roll and c up t them into 21pieces makes it easier and they are even chiil them so they don’t stick I use c powdered sugar and it doesn’t affect it just makes it nonestick.
Hi Kim, that’s a great idea. Thanks.