Italian Christmas Cookies (Neapolitan Roccocò)
Italian Christmas cookies, called roccocò, are a traditional Christmas biscuit in Southern Italy which are full of citrus, spices and nuts! They’ll fill your home with the aromas of Christmas.
These Italian Christmas cookies are one of the most surprisingly delicious holiday treats you’ll ever discover!
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Years later and I’m still in love with these hard, crunchy, spice filled, citrus filled biscuits from Southern Italy. And as you can see below, they’re a rather “ugly duckling” of cookies as they’re rather rough, misshapen and lumpy!
But this old fashioned Italian Christmas cookie that I’m holding is what started my obsession. I had gone to the island of Ischia for the first time in 2021, and had some of the best bread I’d ever tasted. I discovered that it came from Panificio Boccia, not too far from the Hotel Excelsior Belvedere where I was staying, so I knew I would have to venture there before leaving Ischia.
Unfortunately, when I visited, their bread was all gone for the day (which tells you how good it is!) but I went inside the little alimentari (grocery shop), and curiosity got the best of me–I bought one of their roccocò cookies.
I don’t normally like many hard Italian biscuits, so I’m not sure what led me to choose this one, but the shopkeeper explained that they are Neapolitan Christmas cookies! I was surprised given it was mid-October. He said they’re popular all year long because they’re so good!
Don’t ask me why, but I took a picture of my Christmas cookie when I got back to Naples. And I never ended up trying my roccoco until I came back to LA. I’m telling you this because these cookies can travel the world and still taste amazing!
Bake them in November and they’ll still be good for Christmastime. They are one of the few Christmas cookies you can bake this far in advance, mostly because they are dairy free and egg free.*
Most ingredients will be in your pantry (baker’s ammonia is easily found online.)
My mother and I have made so many batches of these since 2021, and I have to say, you really can’t go wrong whether they are softer or harder, smoother or more rough, the flavor always comes through and they are simply wonderful.
History of these Italian Christmas Cookies (Roccocò)
Nuns from Naples are to thank for these wonderful biscuits. The Real Convento della Maddalena is the location credited for creating roccocò in the 14th century. You can read more about roccoco cookie history, as it’s quite interesting. December 8th (the Immaculate Conception) is the traditional day that Italians would begin making them for the holiday season.
How to Serve These Italian Christmas Cookies
These hard biscuits could be deemed the Southern equivalent to Tuscan cantucci biscuits which are dipped in vin santo. Roccocò Italian Christmas cookies are best served after a meal with Marsala, Vermouth or another fortified Italian wine. I hope you like them half as much as I do!
Italian Christmas Cookies (Roccocò)
slightly adapted from Panificio Boccia (Ischia) makes 22 cookies
FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW
Ingredients
- flour
- sugar
- nutmeg
- cinnamon
- cloves
- lemon rind
- orange rind
- baker’s ammonia
- almonds
- hazelnuts
- egg
Special equipment: pastry brush
Directions
Preheat oven to 375F (180C)
Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
Mix the first 5 dry ingredients, lemon and orange rind together in a large bowl.
Remove 2 tablespoonfuls of water from the measured amount and put it in a small bowl. Add the ammonia and stir to dissolve.
Add the ammonia water to the flour mixture, then begin adding the rest of the water a little at a time, mixing until you have a fairly stiff dough. (You may not need all the water.)
Add in the almonds, hazelnuts and tangerine peel.
Turn out onto a floured surface.
Mix until the ingredients are well incorporated.
Form little rings (70 g each) about 3″ in diameter by making a sausage shape and joining the ends together.
Place on prepared cookie sheet and press down a little to flatten. Repeat until all the dough is used.
Brush the top of the roccocò with the beaten egg.
Place into the preheated oven to bake for 15 to 25 minutes, (switching top and bottom trays halfway through baking.)
Be sure they are golden brown at minimum: the longer they bake, the harder they will be.
Remove from oven when ready and cool on rack. Store in airtight container, preferably a tin.
These baked Italian Christmas cookies will last for up to 6 weeks, or longer. I hope you enjoy this Italian Christmas cookie recipe!
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Italian Christmas Cookies (Roccocò)
Ingredients
- 4 cups flour (all purpose or 00 flour)
- 1 ⅓ cups sugar
- 2 ½ tsp nutmeg grated
- 1 tsp cinnamon grated
- 1 clove ground (use a mortar and pestle)
- 2 tsp lemon rind
- 2 tsp orange rind
- 6 oz water ¾ c – (more or less as needed)
- ⅓ tsp ammonia powder baking ammonia (do not use any other type)
- ¾ cup almonds whole, toasted
- ¾ cup hazelnuts whole, toasted
- 3 Tbsp mandarin rind freshly grated
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F (190C)
- Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Mix the first 5 dry ingredients, lemon and orange rind together in a large bowl
- Remove 2 tablespoonfuls of water from the measured amount and put it in a small bowl. Add the ammonia and stir to dissolve.
- Add the ammonia water to the flour mixture, then begin adding the rest of the water a little at a time, mixing until you have a fairly stiff dough. (You may not need all the water.)
- Add in the almonds, hazelnuts and tangerine peel; turn out onto a floured surface and mix until the ingredients are well incorporated.
- Form little rings (70 g each) about 3" in diameter by making a sausage shape and joining the ends together. Place on prepared cookie sheet and press down a little to flatten. Repeat until all the dough is used.
- Brush the top of the roccocò with the beaten egg and place into the preheated oven to bake for 15 to 25 minutes (switching top and bottom trays halfway through baking.) Be sure they are golden brown at minimum: the longer they bake, the harder they will be.
- Remove from oven when ready and cool on rack. Store in airtight container, preferably a tin. These harder baked Italian Christmas cookies will last for up to 6 weeks.
Notes
- Recipe slightly adapted from Panificio Boccia. Ischia, Italy- GRAZIE!
- Baking ammonia is easiest to find online (or in Italy.)
- Pisto is the traditional spice blend, but this blend is almost identical.
- Instead of tangerine rind, you can used candied citrus peel.
- Use orange and some lemon juice in place of half of the water for more citrus flavor.
- Choose how you prefer roccocò by baking some for a shorter time, and leaving some in longer (softer vs harder.)
Nutrition
Please let me know if you try these Italian cookies for Christmas in the comments below!
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Love the spices, orange and lemon in these cookies and adore how you’re keeping the Italian traditions at Christmas time, Christina. Wonderful recipe!
These look fantastic — and perfect for the holidays! Thanks!
One of my favorite Christmas cookies! In fact one of my favorite cookies full stop. Yours look wonderful.
Thanks, Frank! Yes, I only discovered them a few years ago and couldn’t believe how good they were!
WOW! These are the best! I just made a batch, the flavor is amazing. I will be making a few baches for Christmas gifts. Love this recipe!
So happy to hear it, Ann. They are truly in a class by themselves!