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Italian Fig Cookies (Cuccidati)
You don't need fresh figs or a Sicilian grandmother to make Italian fig cookies. Just combine a buttery cookie dough with chewy dried fruit and you're there.
👥 5 Servings⏱️ Prep & Cook: 10h🔥 Cook: 1h👤 The Gourmet Test Kitchen📖 epicurious
🥘 Ingredients
Check off ingredients as you prepare them:
🍳 Cookware
- ●bowl
- ●food processor
- ●blender
- ●whisk
- ●baking sheet
- ●oven
- ●knife
📝 Preparation Steps
1
Filling
2
Pulse 1 cup (8 oz.; packed) soft dried figs (preferably Mission), hard tips discarded, and ¾ cup (3¾ oz.) raisins in a food processor until finely chopped. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in ¾ cup mild honey, ¼ cup brandy, 1½ tsp. finely grated fresh orange zest, 1 tsp. finely grated fresh lemon zest, 1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon, ¼ tsp. ground cloves, ¼ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg, ¾ cup (4 oz.) whole almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped, and ¾ cup (3 oz.) walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped. Chill, covered, at least ⏱️ 8 hours. Do ahead: Filling can be made 1 week ahead; refrigerate, covered.
(8 oz.; packed) soft dried figs (preferably Mission), hard tips discarded1 cup½ tsp. finely grated fresh orange zest1(500 g) all-purpose flour plus more for work surface and equipment4 cups(200 g) plus 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar1 cup(2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½" cubes, plus more for pans1 cup(114 g) powdered sugar1 cup. finely grated fresh lemon zest1 tsp. ground cinnamon1 Tbsp
3
Pastry dough and assembly
4
Whisk 4 cups (500 g) all-purpose flour, 1 cup (200 g) plus 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar, 1 Tbsp. baking powder, and 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. plus ⅛ tsp. Morton kosher salt in a large bowl to combine. Add 1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½" cubes, to the dry ingredients and blend with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) just until most of mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps. Add 2 large eggs, lightly beaten, ½ cup whole milk, 1½ tsp. vanilla extract, and 1 tsp. finely grated fresh orange or lemon zest and stir with a fork until a soft dough forms. Halve dough and gather each half into a ball, then flatten each half into a rough 6x4" rectangle between sheets of plastic wrap. Chill until firm, at least ⏱️ 8 hours.
(8 oz.; packed) soft dried figs (preferably Mission), hard tips discarded1 cup(500 g) all-purpose flour plus more for work surface and equipment4 cups(200 g) plus 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar1 cup. baking powder1 Tbsp(2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½" cubes, plus more for pans1 cup(114 g) powdered sugar1 cup. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. plus ⅛ tsp. Morton kosher salt1 tsplarge eggs, lightly beaten2. vanilla extract, divided2 tsp. finely grated fresh orange or lemon zest1 tsp
5
Placed rack in middle of oven; preheat oven to 350°F. Butter two large rimmed baking sheets. Roll out 1 rectangle of dough (keep remaining dough chilled) into a 15x14" rectangle on a well-floured surface with a floured rolling pin. Trim to a 13x10" rectangle (chill trimmings), then cut into 4 (10x3¼") strips.
6
Arrange ⅓ cup fig filling in a 1"-wide log lengthwise down center of each strip, then fold sides of each strip up over filling to enclose it, pinching edges together to seal. Turn rolls seam sides down and press gently to flatten seams. Cut logs crosswise with a floured knife into 1½"-wide slices and arrange ½" apart on prepared baking sheets. Make more cookies in same manner with remaining chilled dough, trimmings (reroll once), and filling.
7
Bake cookies in batches until golden around edges, 16–⏱️ 20 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks and cool until warm, about ⏱️ 10 minutes.
8
Whisk 1 cup (114 g) powdered sugar, remaining ½ tsp. vanilla extract, and 1 Tbsp. fresh orange juice or lemon juice to combine, adding more juice as necessary (up to 2 Tbsp. total) to make a pourable icing. Brush icing on warm cookies and decorate with multicolored nonpareils (if using), then cool completely. Do ahead: Dough can be chilled, wrapped in plastic wrap, and then foil, up to 3 days. Cookies keep, layered between sheets of wax paper or parchment paper, in an airtight container at room temperature, 1 week. Editor’s note: This fig cookie recipe was first printed in the December 2002 issue of ‘Gourmet.’ Head this way for more of our very best Christmas cookie recipes →
(8 oz.; packed) soft dried figs (preferably Mission), hard tips discarded1 cup(500 g) all-purpose flour plus more for work surface and equipment4 cups(200 g) plus 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar1 cup(2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½" cubes, plus more for pans1 cup. vanilla extract, divided2 tsp(114 g) powdered sugar1 cupMulticolored nonpareils (such as Layer Cake Shop’s Retro Rainbow blend) for garnish (optional)
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