Cuccidati (Italian Fig Cookies)

Learn how to make Cuccidati (Italian fig cookies) from scratch, a delicious shortbread cookie filled with a flavorful paste of dry fruits, nuts, and different spices.

“Cuccidati,” also known as “Sicilian fig cookies,” is a traditional Italian cookie shortbread filled with dried fruits, nuts, and spices. I like to call this cookie grown-up fig newtons. The aspect reminds me a lot of the classic boxed cookie that everybody knows, but the flavor is way more intense. The crumbly and melt-in-your-mouth cookie pleasantly balances the chewy and spicy interior, making this cookie one of the favorites of Italians around Christmas time.

These cookies are strongly associated with Sicily, but similar versions exist in other regions of southern Italy.   

INGREDIENTS TO MAKE CUCCIDATI (ITALIAN FIG COOKIES)

For the sweet shortbread: 

Flour: Regular all-purpose flour. 

Powdered sugar: Make a more tender shortbread, and use granulated sugar if you prefer a crisper cookie exterior.

Butter: Cold unsalted butter cut into cubes.

Eggs: Large room temperature.

Orange zest: When making dough with so much fat, the zest helps bring some freshness.

Baking powder: A little baking powder helps make the dough lighter; check the expiration date before use.

Salt: Create contrast and enhance the overall flavor of the shortbread.

For the filling: 

Dry fruits: Dried figs and raisins are used most for these cookies. 

Nuts: I’m using a combination of walnuts, pistachio, and hazelnuts, but every type of nuts you like does the work. The most important thing is to toast them in the oven to bring out the flavor.

Marsala: A fortified Sicilian wine widely used for savory and dessert creations, many varieties are available; choose the sweet one for this recipe. It can be substituted for Porto or even rum. For an alcohol-free version, use orange juice.

Jam: I love to use apricot jam, but orange marmalade is also common. 

Citrus: No Sicilian dessert is without a good amount of orange zest.  

Spices: I use cinnamon and black pepper, but you can experiment with different spice mixtures.

For the glaze: 

Orange juice: I like to use the juice from the orange we zested so nothing goes wasted. As an alternative, you can use milk or water. 

Powdered sugar: Sift the sugar before adding it to the juice to avoid clumping.

Sprinkles: Just a touch of sprinkles to make these cookies more cheerful and in tune with the holidays. As an alternative, I used chopped pistachios.

HOW TO MAKE CUCCIDATI COOKIES:  

The best way to approach this recipe is to prepare the shortbread and filling the day before assembling and baking. The cookies will taste so much better and be easier to shape. 

The first thing to do is to make the sweet shortbread or “pasta frolla,” as we call it in Italy.   

STEP 1:  

In a large bowl, combine room-temperature butter and powdered sugar and mix with your hands or wooden spoon until well combined.

STEP 2: 

Next, add eggs and fresh orange zest and mix until the eggs are well incorporated.

STEP 3: 

Last, add sifted flour, salt, and baking powder and mix until the dough is nice and smooth.

STEP 4: 

Move the dough to a lightly floured working table and shape it into a rectangle. Put the dough in a plastic bag and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or better overnight before use. 

THE FIG FILLING: 

STEP 1: 

Put figs and raisins in two different bowls and cover with warm water. Let sit for 30 minutes.

STEP 2:   

Toast the nuts in the oven at 350F°/175°C for 10 minutes and cool. 

Roughly chop the nuts using a sharp chef’s knife, put them in a bowl, and set aside.

STEP 3: 

Discard the water from the figs and remove the stem from the figs. Put it into a food processor; blitz for a minute or until you get a uniform and thick paste.

STEP 4:  

Put the figs paste into a large bowl, and add apricot jam, toasted nuts, drained raisins, chopped dark chocolate, rum, cinnamon, and black pepper.

Mix the mixture with your hands until it is nice and uniform.

STEP 5:  

Put the filling on a lightly floured surface and roll it into an 18-inch (45cm)log. Cover in plastic wrap, then put in the refrigerator overnight to set.  

ASSEMBLING AND BAKING: 

STEP 1: 

Take the dough from the refrigerator and wait 10 minutes for it to come to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 350°F/176 °C and line up two baking sheets with parchment paper.

STEP 2: 

Lightly dust the work surface with flour and roll the dough into a rectangle of 18×13 inches (45x33cm). Trim the edges.

STEP 3: 

Place the filling log on top of the rolled shortbread and start rolling using both hands. Make sure to roll the log tightly and eliminate any void between the filling and the cookie dough.

STEP 4: 

Use a sharp knife or pastry cutter to trim any excess of dough. You can re-roll and make shortbread cookies with the scraps. 

STEP 5: 

Put the log in the freezer for 15 minutes, then slice the cookies into 2-inch pieces and place them on a lined baking sheet.

Bake cookies in a preheated oven at 350°F/177°C for 20 minutes or until golden.

STEP 6: 

Remove the cookies from the oven and let completely cool on a wire rack. 

GLAZE AND DECORATION: 

STEP 1: 

Mix the juice and powdered sugar in a small bowl until the glaze is spreadable but not too runny. You can add more sugar or juice until you get the ideal consistency. 

 

STEP 2: 

Dip the cookies into the glaze, then decorate with the rainbow sprinkles. Alternatively, you can brush them with apricot jam and decorate them with chopped pistachios. Put the cookies on a wire rack and allow the glaze to set before serving.

HOW TO STORE ITALIAN FIG COOKIES: 

Store the cookies in an airtight container with paper between layers for four days at room temperature or three months in the freezer. 

OTHER ITALIAN SWEET RECIPES YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:

Sesame cookies

Maritozzi

Sbriciolata(Italian crumb cake)

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