Discover the joy of making Cuccidati, an authentic Italian fig cookie that's a Christmas tradition! These delicious treats combine dried figs, nuts, raisins, and jam, all wrapped in a tasty shortcrust dough perfect for serving during the holiday season!
Cuccidati (also spelled cucciddati, and alternatively known as bucellati), Italian fig cookies, are a cherished part of Italy's Christmas tradition. Originating from Sicily, where Arab influences helped shape Italian cooking, these cookies reflect centuries of culinary history!
Cuccidati are made with a shortcrust dough, encasing a rich filling of dried figs, nuts like pistachios and almonds, raisins, and a mix of jams and spices, while marsala wine adds a unique twist. They are coated in a sweet cuccidati icing that’s topped with crunchy multicolored sprinkles for a hint of color and crunch. These Italian cookies are enjoyed during Christmas because they embody warmth and festivity, with flavors like cinnamon and chocolate!
Making Italian fig cookies is easy and fun! Just mix and chill the dough, blend figs, raisins, nuts, jam, and Marsala for the filling, and roll it into the dough. After a quick bake until golden, these cookies are finished with a zesty glaze and colorful sprinkles. In no time, you end up with a batch of delicious, festive cookies that are perfect for sharing!
They make a great addition to any holiday table. They pair wonderfully with a cup of espresso for a mid-afternoon pick-me-up or alongside a glass of dessert wine for a sophisticated after-dinner treat. It's an easy way to bring an Italian tradition to your kitchen!
And if you love these cookies, you’ll love making Struffoli or Amarretti Cookies for the holidays!
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❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- The rich blend of flavors, from the sweet figs to the crunchy nuts and aromatic spices, creates a unique taste and texture in every bite.
- These cookies are incredibly versatile – dress them up for a festive occasion or keep them simple for a casual snack.
- Their long shelf life means you can savor these treats over several weeks, perfect for those who love to have homemade goodies on hand.
- Making Cuccidati is not just about baking; it's a wonderful way to explore and embrace Italian culinary traditions, bringing a slice of Sicilian heritage into your kitchen.
🍫 Ingredients you'll need
- Dried Figs - Provide a naturally sweet and chewy base for the filling, giving the cookies their signature fig flavor.
- Shelled Pistachios - Add a unique, slightly sweet nuttiness and an appealing green color to the filling mix.
- Walnuts - Contribute a rich, earthy taste and a crunchy texture, enhancing the overall mouthfeel of the cookies.
- Almonds - Offer a mild, slightly sweet flavor and a firm texture, balancing the softer ingredients in the filling.
- Hazelnuts - Bring a distinct, aromatic flavor that complements the other nuts and adds depth to the cookie's taste profile.
- Apricot Jam - Acts as a sweet binder in the filling, adding a slight tartness and helping to create a smooth consistency.
- Marsala Wine - Infuses the filling with a subtle, complex flavor, enhancing the overall richness of the cookies.
- Candied Orange and Lemon Peel - Provide bursts of citrusy sweetness, adding brightness and a festive touch to the filling.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips - Introduce a hint of chocolatey richness, offering a delightful contrast to the fruity and nutty flavors.
- Raisins - Add a touch of natural sweetness and a chewy texture, complementing the dried figs in the filling.
- Orange Zest - Brings a zesty, fresh aroma and flavor, elevating the fruity notes of the cookies.
- Powdered Sugar - Used in the glaze, it gives the cookies a sweet, smooth, and visually appealing finish.
- Egg White - Helps to bind the powdered sugar in the glaze, creating a glossy and firm topping for the cookies.
- Lemon Juice - Adds a light, tangy flavor to the glaze, balancing the sweetness and enhancing the overall taste.
- Multicolored Sprinkles - Serve as a festive and colorful decoration, making the cookies visually attractive and fun to eat.
- Plus dough ingredients: flour, butter, sugar, eggs, baking powder, milk
📋 How To Make Italian Fig Cookies
Assemble the dough: Fit a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Add the flour and butter and mix until they form a sand-like texture. Then add the butter, eggs, and baking powder and mix until incorporated. Mix in the milk until a dough ball forms.
Chill the dough: Remove from the stand mixer and shape into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap, then let it chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Prepare the dried fruit: Place the figs and raisins in warm water and soak for 30 minutes. After the time is up, drain them and place on a dish towel to absorb excess moisture. Remove the fig stems with a knife.
Prepare the nuts: Place the nuts in a pan and turn the heat to medium. Gently toast the nuts until they are fragrant. Let them cool off, then place them into a food processor and pulse until they are coarse.
Assemble the filling: To the food processor, add the drained figs, marsala, and jam and mix until a paste forms. Then add the candied fruit, chocolate, and raisins and mix until combined before adding the cinnamon and orange peel and process again. The consistency should be that of a thick paste. Work in two batches if food processor is not large enough to fit all ingredients.
Shape the cookies: Remove the chilled dough from the fridge. Cut off a piece and roll it on a floured surface into a rectangle that is 3mm thick. Place one quarter of the filling lengthwise on the dough and fold the dough over the filling creating a seam. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Place the log seem side down and cut into one inch pieces.
Bake and cool: Place the cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 350F for 20-25 minutes, until golden on the bottom. Let them cool completely on the baking sheet.
Prepare the glaze: Add the powdered sugar, egg white, and lemon juice into a small mixing bowl and whisk until smooth with no lumps.
Garnish the cookies: Dip tops of the cooled cookies into the glaze and garnish with sprinkles immediately. Let the glaze harden before serving. Enjoy!
👩🏾🍳 Cooking Tips
- Toasting the nuts lightly before adding them to the mix enhances their flavor and adds a light crunch to the cookie filling.
- When making the dough, ensure the butter is cold; this helps achieve a flakier and more tender shortcrust.
- If needed, roll out the dough between two sheets of parchment paper to prevent sticking and to achieve a uniform thickness.
- Cut the rolled cookies with a serrated knife for a cleaner cut, which helps maintain the shape of the cookies.
- Bake the cookies until they are golden on the bottom to avoid over-browning while ensuring they are fully cooked.
- Decorate with sprinkles immediately after glazing, as the glaze sets quickly, and the sprinkles may not stick if delayed.
🍊Variations
- Swap the semi-sweet chocolate chips for dark chocolate chips for a richer, more intense chocolate flavor in the filling.
- If allergies are a concern, omit the nuts and substitute them with an equal amount of dried fruits like apricots or dates for a nut-free version.
- Replace the apricot jam with orange or lemon marmalade to amplify the citrus notes in the filling for a tangier taste.
- For a non-alcoholic version, substitute the Marsala wine with grape juice or an extra splash of citrus juice to maintain the moistness of the filling.
- Add a pinch of nutmeg or allspice to the filling for an additional layer of warm, festive spices.
- Instead of a lemon juice glaze, try using orange juice or even a splash of almond extract for a different twist on the sweet topping.
🧊 Storing & Freezing
Storing: Cuccidati can be easily stored at room temperature. Place them in an airtight container or a cake stand with a cover to maintain their moisture and texture. They will stay fresh for up to 3 weeks.
Freezing: Arrange the cookies in a single layer in a freezer-safe container, separating layers with parchment paper to prevent sticking. They can be frozen for up to 3-4 months. When you're ready to enjoy thaw at room temperature.
💬 FAQ
Fresh figs are not recommended for this recipe as they contain more moisture than dried figs, which can alter the texture of the filling. Stick to dried figs for a consistent, jammy texture that is traditional in cuccidati.
If you don't have Marsala wine, you can use another sweet wine like port or a mixture of grape juice and a teaspoon of brandy. These substitutes will still give you a rich, fruity flavor that complements the other ingredients.
Yes, you can prepare both the dough and filling a day in advance. Keep the dough wrapped in plastic in the refrigerator and the filling in an airtight container. This can save time and make the cookie assembly process quicker and easier.
🍪 More Italian Christmas recipes
- 3-Ingredient Nutella Cookies (Nutellotti)
- Pandoro Christmas Tree with Nutella and Whipped Cream
- Homemade Tiramisu
If you’ve tried making these Cuccidati, or any other recipe on the blog please let me know what you thought of it in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND PINTEREST to see more delicious food and what I’ve been up to.
Recipe
Cuccidati - Italian Fig Cookies
Cuccidati (or cucciddati) are a traditional Sicilian Christmas cookie made with short crust dough and filled with a delicious blend of dried figs, raisins, chocolate, nuts, jam, and marsala wine.
Ingredients
For the dough
- 3.5 cups 00 flour
- ½ cup +2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ cup whole milk
For the filling
- 3 cups dried figs
- ⅓ cup shelled pistachios unsalted
- ½ cup walnuts unsalted
- ⅓ cup natural almonds unsalted
- ¼ cup hazelnuts unsalted
- ⅓ cup apricot jam
- ¼ cup marsala wine
- ⅓ cup candied orange and lemon peel
- ½ cup semi sweet chocolate chips
- ¾ cup raisins
- zest of half an orange
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
For the glaze
- 1 ¼ cup + 2 tbsp powdered sugar sifted
- 1 egg white
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- multicolored sprinkles
Instructions
Make the dough
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In the bowl of a KitchenAid mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the flour and butter. Mix until butter is incorporated into flour and is sand-like in texture.
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Add the sugar, eggs and baking powder and mix again. Add the milk, and at this point the dough should come together into a ball.
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Remove the dough from the bowl, form it into a ball, cover in plastic wrap and let rest in the fridge for approximately 30 minutes.
Make the filling
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Soak the figs and raisins separately in warm water for about 30 minutes. Drain and place on a dish towel and pat dry. Cut the stems off the figs.
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Toast all the nuts in a pan over medium heat until fragrant.
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Add the nuts to a food processor and process until coarse.
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Add the figs, marsala and jam to the food processor and process until a paste starts to form.
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Add the candied fruit, chocolate and raisins. Process again.
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Add the cinnamon and orange peel, and process one final time. The consistency should be that of a thick paste. Note you may have to work in two batches if food processor is not large enough to fit all ingredients.
Assemble and bake the cookies
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Remove the dough from the fridge, cut off a piece of the dough and roll it out on a floured surface into a rectangle shape until about 3mm thick.
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Place one quarter of the filling lengthwise on the dough and fold the dough over the filling creating a seam. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
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Place the log seem side down and cut into 1 inch pieces.
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Place the cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 350F for approximately 20-25 minutes, until golden on the bottom. Let cool.
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Once cookies are cool, make the glaze: In a bowl with a fork, mix together powdered sugar, egg white and lemon juice.
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Dip the tops of the cookies in the glaze, and top with sprinkles immediately. Let the glaze harden. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- Figs to use: You can use turkish dried fish (light brown in color), or mission dried figs. Both will work well. Turkish figs are more commonly used in this recipe.
- When rolling out the dough, you may have to roll it out with flour a few times in order to get it into a work-able consistency.
- Depending on the size of your food processor, you may have to work in batches to make the filling.
- Add the sprinkles to the cookies as soon as you dip the cookie in the glaze. The glaze hardens quickly, so the sprinkles won't stick if you wait too long
