Maybe not so photogenic, these cookies are amazingly good. There are a lot of similar recipes around, and I, myself, have tried about four or five of them. But I’m not in search for the perfect recipe anymore, I’m quite content and happy with this one. I bake exactly the same cookies for three years in a row for Christmas (they are traditional Italian Christmas cookies) and every single recipient always raves. They are a bit time consuming to make, but a prep, broken in stages, makes it relatively easy to put together.
Adapted from Gourmet magazine
Makes about 6 dozens
For the filling:
- 1 cup packed soft dried Mission figs (8 oz), hard tips discarded
- 3/4 cup raisins (3 3/4 oz), plumped
- 3/4 cup mild honey
- 1/4 cup brandy
- 1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated fresh orange zest
- 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 3/4 cup whole almonds (4 oz), toasted and coarsely chopped
- 3/4 cup walnuts (3 oz), toasted and coarsely chopped
For the dough:
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 sticks (1 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh orange
For the icing:
- 1 cup confectioners sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- A few drops of natural orange oil (optional but very good)
Make the filling:
Pulse the figs and raisins in a food processor until finely chopped, then stir together with the remaining filling ingredients in a bowl. Chill, covered, at least 8 hours.
The filling can be made 1 week ahead and chilled, covered.
Make the dough:
Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter and blend with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) just until the most of the mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (roughly a pea-size) butter lumps. Add the eggs, milk, vanilla, and zest and stir with a fork (or pulse in the food processor) until a soft dough forms (starts to form – for the food processor method; do not overprocess). Halve the dough and gather each half into a ball, then flatten each half into a rough 6- by 4-inch rectangle between sheets of plastic wrap. Chill until firm, at least 8 hours.
The dough can be chilled, wrapped in plastic wrap and then foil, up to 3 days.
Form the cookies:
Center an oven rack and preheat oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone mat. Set aside.
Roll out 1 rectangle of dough (keep the remaining dough chilled) into a 1/8-inch thick rectangle, about 15- by 14-inch, on a well-floured surface with a floured rolling pin. Trim the edges to form a rectangle with one side exactly 13-inches long; another side can be as long as it can be assuming you rolled it evenly thin (chill the trimmings). Then cut the 13-inch side into 4 (3 1/4-inch-wide) strips. Arrange a little bit less than 1/8 of all filling in a 1-inch-wide log lengthwise down the center of each strip, then fold the sides of each strip up over the filling to enclose it, pinching edges together to seal. Turn the rolls seam-sides down and press gently to flatten the seams. Chill the logs, covered with plastic wrap, for about half an hour before slicing and baking. Cut the logs crosswise with a sharp knife into 1 1/2-inch-wide slices and arrange 1/2 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. Make more cookies in the same manner with the remaining chilled dough, trimmings (reroll once), and filling.
Bake the cookies, in batches, until golden around edges, about 30 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and cool until warm, about 10 minutes. Glaze until the cookies are still warm.
Make the icing while the first batch of cookies is baking:
Whisk together the confectioners sugar, vanilla, and enough orange juice to make a pourable icing.
Brush the icing on the warm cookies. Let the icing to dry completely before packing the cookies for storing.
The cookies keep, layered between sheets of parchment paper, in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 week.
July 18, 2019 at 12:33 pm
NOW… I will attempt to make these. They are a favorite of mine. I have searched other recipes but the directions on yours make it so ‘do-able’. That and the photo….yum!
March 3, 2016 at 12:09 pm
Making cuccidati– what can be used in place of brandy or any other alcohol or can I just leave it out?
March 3, 2016 at 12:24 pm
I forgot to ask this–what do you ‘glaze’ with? (Can you tell I’m new at this?) Thank you for your help and recipes….Mae L
December 22, 2015 at 10:59 am
I’ve been making these for the last 3 years. I don’t eat them but my family absolutely loves them. Especially the icing with the orange juice. Thank you for sharing!! Happy Holidays!
December 20, 2015 at 12:59 pm
I just made these cookies with slight variations to accommodate allergies. I used Vegan butter and almond milk, and also pecans instead of walnuts. Fabulous! Thank you for the recipe!!!
December 13, 2015 at 7:38 pm
I also make these cookies, they are the star of my cookie baking. I make mine a little different, I use black dried, light dried figs, raisins dark and lite, apricots, dates, and prunes, then I add any jam that is in the fridge, and a jar of fig jam. For spices cinnimen, all-spice, nutmeg, zest of fresh oranges, orange juice, and whiskey. I chop everything up, and put in refrigerater, for 3 to 4 days, and I keep mixing everyday, when it seems to dry, I put a little more whisky, Oh I also put walnuts, then grind everything in Cuisinart, then ai start to bake them. I also make the roasting with milk, and a little butter for the shine.I know it sounds like a lot of stuff, but they are Devine. I make a lot because so many people I know want them. I love this cookie, because it rings so many memories back, of childhood. They are a signature cookie for me, because their flavor is so complex, and you want another, right after.We must be careful though, they contain many many calories. My dough recipe is also wonderful, but I’am sure yours is also……..Happy Baking…….
December 9, 2015 at 2:11 pm
Thank you for being so gracious
And sharing this special recipe with
All of us.
Happy holidays to you!
November 2, 2015 at 2:09 pm
I saw your recipe for Cuccidati.
I have a recipe which is called Cuchadadatie, which has been in my family for over fifty (50) years. It is simple and delicious and not as lengthy as your recipe.
I would be willing to negotiate with you to give you my recipe.
December 29, 2013 at 5:20 pm
Made these for Christmas….awesome! They were the star of my cookie tray!!! Everyone LOVED them.
December 21, 2013 at 1:12 pm
these are FABULOUS!!!!!!!! thanks so much for sharing this recipe. I have been baking all kinds of cookies but being french and german and husband polish I never tried them.
December 26, 2011 at 7:04 pm
My grandmother was from Sicily, and she taught me to make these with just the figs and raisins and with a little water for mixing it all together. We added only pecans, and believe it or not, the secret ingredient is BLACK Pepper! It sounds strange, but they are surprisingly delicious. Once the cuccidati are done then we sprinkled them with powdered sugar rather than icing. Making the cuccidati has alwasy been a Christmas tradition in our family.
I was looking around at the recipes and now have variations to try. It all sounds good to me. Bon appetito!
December 18, 2010 at 12:38 am
Carol, thank you for your comment. I will definitely try your filling, everything is better with some pepper.
December 17, 2010 at 11:50 am
Both my grandparents came from Sicily; this cookie was required for a proper Christmas. My grandmother made 100’s of them every year as did every other Sicilian family in town. This recipe is quite authentic. I would suggest adding fresh pureed orange sections to the filling. The filling was traditionally made by feeding the filling ingredients thru a meat grinder, and included whole oranges and pepper. Enjoy!
July 5, 2009 at 6:28 am
I love these! they look great. I wouldn t be able to stop if I had them now :)
January 14, 2009 at 4:20 am
ciao sono in italia e ho notato i vostri biscotti,
molto simili ad un biscotto tradizionale siciliano “Cucciddati o Buccellati”.
Comunque se vi va seguiteci sul nostro blog.
Ciao dall’italia
December 25, 2008 at 3:35 am
I don’t know.. They look pretty photogenic to me. Hope you’re having a fun holiday season :)
December 23, 2008 at 6:04 am
These cookies look so delicious! And in my opinion, they’re very beautiful and photogenic :)
December 23, 2008 at 12:40 am
Thank you, everyone, very much for your kind words!
December 22, 2008 at 9:45 pm
Are you kidding?? These look amazing! I bet they taste 10,000,000 times better than store-bought fig newtons.
December 22, 2008 at 2:51 pm
You’re wrong – they’re definitely very photogenic :)
December 22, 2008 at 10:05 am
This type of simple looking cookie – ie without icings and an overabundance of icing sugar are my very favourites. They look like a version of rugalach
December 22, 2008 at 7:57 am
on the contrary–i think they’re extremely photogenic! forget fig newtons, gimme some of these! and by “some,” i mean 23. :)
December 22, 2008 at 7:40 am
Looks great, Vera. Have a wonderful Christmas!
December 22, 2008 at 6:31 am
you crack me up when you think your photos are not up to par!! I have never seen a photo from you that looks like anything less than in a gourmet magazine!!
December 22, 2008 at 1:43 am
Oh yum!! Figs!! These would definitely taste like Christmas! I can tell!!
December 21, 2008 at 3:50 pm
Hi Vera,
I love Italian cookies with dried fruit. These look great especially with the almonds.
Have a very blessed Christmas!
Amber
December 21, 2008 at 12:48 pm
These look incredible. I love these kind of chewy fruity and nutty cookies!
December 21, 2008 at 12:07 pm
They look fantastic. I love fig cookies, and italian baking, no idea why I haven’t tried these yet!!
December 21, 2008 at 10:01 am
This looks almost like a fig newton, the best fig newton ever. I love figs, so another cookie on my Christmas list.
December 21, 2008 at 8:58 am
You always have a beautiful photo set up Vera, they look wonderful!
I’m so glad you make this recipe! It is a lot of work and you do it proud! :)
December 21, 2008 at 8:37 am
They look just great. I do love these type of cookies, withs the soft fruity filling.
I make something like these with a date filling.
Best wishes for a festive season and a Happy New Year.
December 21, 2008 at 6:57 am
I think they look lovely! And they sound delicious too…
December 21, 2008 at 6:06 am
these look so nice . Yeahh I ve got all ingredients . I m gonna try these : )thanks for sharing the recipe
December 21, 2008 at 5:09 am
I’ll be making them this New Year, for sure! Thanks a lot!
December 21, 2008 at 4:12 am
For a not so photogenic cookie you managed to make them look photogenic…and delicious too!