Italian Canestrelli Cookies
Canestrelli cookies are crisp, buttery Italian treats with vanilla and lemon—perfect for Easter, spring, or anytime you want a sweet bite!
Servings: 16 cookies
Equipment
- Saucepan Small
Ingredients
- 1 Cup all purpose flour
- ½ Cup + 1 ½ Tablespoons powdered sugar
- ¾ Cup + 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- ⅔ Cup butter cold
- ½ Teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 egg yolks hard-boiled
- ½ lemon zest only
Instructions
- Hard boil eggs in a saucepan and let cool. Remove shell, separate the white from yolk. Mash the yolk only with a fork. Set aside.
- In a food processor, mix together the flour, sugar, corn starch and the lemon zest. Then add the butter and vanilla. Process briefly, and then add the egg yolk. Process until combined.
- Place on a lightly floured surface and knead until combined. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Prepare baking sheets and line with parchment.
- Remove dough from fridge, and divide into two pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to 1 centimeter thickness. Cut with a small to medium size flower cookie cutter.
- Use a straw or a small round cookie cutter to make a hole in the middle of the flower. Place cut out flowers on prepared cookie sheets and bake for approximately 12 to14 minutes. Note: the number of cookies this recipe makes will vary depending on the size of the cookie cutters you use.
- Remove cookies from the oven and let cool for a few minutes before you move to wire racks to cool. Dust with powdered sugar.
Notes
Use softened butter: Use room temperature, not melted, butter, so the flowers hold their shape.
Knead briefly: Knead the dough quickly and briefly. Too much kneading will warm the dough too much. Some people like to knead it a piece at a time, because it’s easier this way.
Getting them on the cookie sheet: When removing the dough from the cookie cutter, use a spoon handle to help you and push it out gently. Put it straight on to the prepared cookie sheet.
Chill before baking: Allow the dough to rest in the refrigerator until it is well chilled. This means your canestrelli cookies will have the right texture. If they’re too soft they will spread out too much and your flowers will look – well, a bit less like flowers!
Watch them in the oven: The pale color is important so keep an eye on them in the oven during the final few minutes of holiday baking. Golden brown isn’t what we are going for here with Italian egg yolk cookies.
Knead briefly: Knead the dough quickly and briefly. Too much kneading will warm the dough too much. Some people like to knead it a piece at a time, because it’s easier this way.
Getting them on the cookie sheet: When removing the dough from the cookie cutter, use a spoon handle to help you and push it out gently. Put it straight on to the prepared cookie sheet.
Chill before baking: Allow the dough to rest in the refrigerator until it is well chilled. This means your canestrelli cookies will have the right texture. If they’re too soft they will spread out too much and your flowers will look – well, a bit less like flowers!
Watch them in the oven: The pale color is important so keep an eye on them in the oven during the final few minutes of holiday baking. Golden brown isn’t what we are going for here with Italian egg yolk cookies.
Nutrition
Calories: 84kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 23mg | Potassium: 33mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 61IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg
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