Meet Pizzicati: The Classic Holiday Cookie With Italian Origins

When Christmastime arrives, cookies may be the most popular sweet treat that all ages indulge in throughout America. A couple of the go-to options include frosted sugar cookies and gingerbread for houses and more. If you're looking to try something new this holiday season, consider Italian biscotti pizzicati — a shortcrust pastry with a jam filling.

The word "pizzicati" stems from an Italian word that means "pinched" because of how two ends of the cookie dough are pressed together, so biscotti pizzicati means "pinched cookies." While most people simply call them pizzicati, others call them biscotti a fiocco or Italian bow tie cookies. The specific origins are difficult to pinpoint, but these cookies arrived during a time in Italy when simple ingredients were used to make remarkable food.

Although the original pizzicati recipe has evolved over time, these cookies remain a favorite from the rich culinary heritage of Italy. They're synonymous with afternoon teatime and all kinds of festive holidays or gatherings, including Christmas, and many Italian bakeries sell them. Since these tender cookies have a light texture and delicate sweetness, it's common for Italians to eat them for breakfast with milk or a cappuccino.

The beauty of biscotti pizzicati is that they look more delicate and difficult than they are to make. After mixing together flour, baking powder, cornstarch, sugar, egg, and lots of butter to create the dough, you just refrigerate and then roll it out onto a flat, floured surface. You can use either a round cookie cutter to create circular cookies or a pastry wheel to cut the dough into squares. In either case, you place a little bit of jam in the middle, and pinch two sides of the dough together over the top of it. If you cut squares, pinch together or fold over opposite corners. Finally, when they cool after baking at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 17-20 minutes, dust the tops with powdered sugar.

Along with being easier to make than you think, pizzicati is highly customizable. In some regions of Italy, for example, bakers enhance the dough by adding spices — like nutmeg and cinnamon — or ricotta for a cake-like texture. Some recipes even incorporate lemon zest, lemon juice, and cream cheese into the dough. And, if you have a gluten sensitivity or allergy, you can substitute the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free blend. As for the filling, strawberry and apricot jams are traditional choices, but you can use any flavor you like. Some people prefer raspberry, blackberry, or fig jam or a marmalade, while others like lemon curd for a bright, tangy treat. To completely transform your pizzicati into an indulgent dessert, use Nutella for the filling.