Canestrelletti or Canestrelli. My grandmother’s favorite Christmas cookies. Actually, they were my grandfather’s favorite and my grandmother always prepared them for him for Christmas. Of course, my mother carried the tradition that was passed down to me.
It would not be the holiday season without at least three if not four batches of those heavenly little morsels.
Just the right amount of sweetness with the perfect light crunch that will not break off in tiny pieces, with a hint of lemon.
Do not be scared by the amount of butter, once one will be in your hands and you bite into it, you will forget about the amount. You will be in love with them before you know it.
What are Canestreletti or Canestrelli?
All my life I heard them be referred to as canestreletti. which means smaller canestrelli.
Originally from the Piemonte and Liguria regions of Italy, Northern Italy. Deliciously soft and buttery texture cookies with a delicious lemony flavor. They literally melt in your mouth.
Shortbread cookies that are well suited to any time of the day and night. Perfect with your morning espresso, cappuccino, or tea.
Excellent gift idea during the holiday season. Wrap them in a beautiful holiday decorative paper as a present to your family and friends.
Easy to make, you can make quite a few using the smaller cookie cutter. But most of all they will so wonderfully appreciate it as there are no others with such a distinct taste.
Why another recipe?
You will encounter numerous recipes that all differ from mine. I do not add vanilla extract. I also use a combination of powder sugar, a must or they will not taste the same, as well as granulated sugar.
However, the main difference, I use egg yolks versus cooked eggs. Mine are richer in flavor and texture and they will not flake away every time you bite into one.
TIPS
It is a very simple recipe, but follow these suggestions for success;
- Use fresh lemon zest. The flavor that it gives to those little cookies is out of this world. Barely a hint when you bite into it, but just the perfect uplifting from all other cookies.
- Use non-salted butter that is brought to room temperature. Do not melt the butter as it will not allow your Canestrelletti to hold the shape.
- Wrap the dough in plastic saran wrap and refrigerate for a couple of hours. You want the flavors to blend.
- Work your dough fast as the warmer it gets the softer and less manageable it will get for you. Dividing it and working into batches, will be idyllic.
- Use any of your favorite cookie cutter shapes. Use smaller ones to better enjoy the flavors. I use small hearts, stars, and flowers. Make sure they are all the same size therefore they all will be baking evenly.
- Although there is plenty of butter in those little cookies, I always use either parchment paper or a Silpat to prevent any from attaching themselves to the cookie sheet.
- Wait until the canestreletti are completely cooled down before dusting a generous amount of powder sugar.
- Do use some of the egg white to brush over the top of them prior to entering the oven. A beautiful golden coat will be kissing them once out of the oven.
- Save the egg whites to make meringues.
How can you store your canestreletti or canestrelli?
Once cooled completely and dusted with powder sugar, the canestrelletti can be stored for up to 1 week in an airtight container. However, I am quite confident that you will have them all gone before the second day approaches. Prior to serving them, dust with a little more powder sugar.
I usually place them under a glass cloche cake stand. Anytime someone walks by, they reach in and help themselves to a few.
Looking for more delicious recipes?
Why not try making:
Dried Cranberry Chocolate Cookies
Enjoy those sweet Italian Canestrelli this holiday season, and remember, they are the perfect sweet gift to give.
Equipment and ingredients used to prepare this recipe
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Canestreletti
Ingredients
- ½ lemon rind 1/2 lemon rind finely grated
- 3 cups unbleached flour 3 cups unbleached flour
- ½ cup powder sugar 1/2 cup powder sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter 1 cup unsalted butter
- 4 egg yolks 4 egg yolks (save the egg white)
Instructions
- Mix all the above ingredients until you are able to roll the dough with some ease.
- Let it rest, covered in a dark spot for at least 30 minutes.
- Roll it out to a ¼ of an inch and use favorite cutters to make cookies. Place the cookies on parchment paper on a large cookie sheet. With a small brush, brush over a light coat of egg white.
- Bake in the oven at 375F for 10 minutes or when golden.
- Let it cool off and sprinkle powder sugar over it.
Nutrition
Giangi's Kitchen provides nutritional information, but these figures should be considered estimates, as a registered dietician does not calculate them.
- Course: Desserts
- Cuisine: Italian
- Occasion: Valentine's Day, Easter, Mother's Day, Christmas
- Type: Affordable Gourmet
Did you make this?
Leave a comment below and tag @giangiskitchen on Instagram
Originally published on December 18, 2018, updated on November 26, 2021.
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Maria
I can imagine the subtle citrusy aroma spreading in the house while these cookies are in the oven. Lovely memories to go with a lovely recipe.
Giangi Townsend
Thank you Maria
Sue
Oh my goodness these cookies look like perfect buttery bites! I will be making these with my holiday baking for sure!
Giangi Townsend
Thank you Sue! You will enjoy them
Kayla DiMaggio
Yum! I am loving these Christmas cookies! They are so easy and delicious!
Giangi Townsend
Thank you! Yes, quite delicious and gone so fast too 🙂 make more
Sam
What an awesome recipe! So perfect for the holiday season. Delicious!
Giangi Townsend
Thank you, Sam! Absolutely, you will enjoy it
Emily Flint
These cookies sound amazing and I love that you are keeping your family tradition alive! Such a sweet story and awesome recipe. These will be on my holiday table for sure!
Giangi Townsend
Thank you so much, Emily. I enjoy old and new traditions, that is the fun of life, at least for me.
Mihaela | https://theworldisanoyster.com/
As always, I appreciate the history and love you put in each of your recipes! And I have known these cookies since I travelled around Italy, I know how tasty they are! Getting ready to bake in a minute!
Giangi Townsend
Thank you so much, Mihaela! Happy baking and thank you for stopping by Giangi’s Kitchen.
Cindy Mom the Lunch Lady
Oh goodness! I am adding these to my holiday baking list this year. Butter cookies with citrus sound amazing!
Giangi Townsend
They sure are! You will enjoy them.
Happy baking!
Kalin Williams
What perfect treats to have at the holidays! I love all your tips, they are super helpful
Giangi Townsend
Thank you, Kalin! Thank you for stopping Giangi’s Kitchen and that the tips can be of help to you
Michael DiMaggio
Loving these! They remind me of my childhood christmas cookies growing up in an italian family!
Giangi Townsend
Thank you!
Brianna
Love these cookies! Great texture and not too sweet.
Giangi Townsend
Absolutely! That is one of the things I love the most about them, not too sweet.
Enjoy!
Addie
So fun and festive for Christmas!
Giangi Townsend
Thank you! and so yummy too.
Enjoy!!
Natalie
Delicious cookies. I’m going to add them to my Holiday baking list. Yum!
Giangi Townsend
Thank you, Natalie! I am delighted that you will make them. I am sure you will enjoy them.
Happy Baking!
Dawn Conklin
These are so delicious! I can definitely see how they are a holiday tradition passed down through generations. The family loved them and we will be making these with our Christmas cookies this year too.
Giangi Townsend
Thank you! I am so happy you will make them for your family. Little sweet morcels.
Enjoy!
Emily Flint
Such a simple recipe for cookies that are beyond deilcious! I also love your photo…I’m going to try and replicate your presentation for my Christmas party…wish me luck!
Giangi Townsend
You got this, Emily, no luck needed. I am so happy you like them and I am sure your guests will enjoy them too.
Thank you!
Susan
The perfect cookie!
Giangi Townsend
Thank you!
Jeannie
I made this for myself first and will be making again to share as gifts to my friends, these cookies is a perfect gift idea to share.
Giangi Townsend
Thank you, Jeannie! I am so happy you enjoyed them and are making them for your friends.
Happy Holidays!
Abhi
I can’t wait to give it a try such a lovely recipe!!
Giangi Townsend
Thank you! Let me know when you do, love your input.
Enjoy!
Cindy Mom the Lunch Lady
My SO has told me about these cookies, that his nonna would make for the holidays. Thank you for sharing the recipe!!!
Giangi Townsend
The pleasure is all mine.
Matej
These look like the perfect Christmas treats! Similar to what I’m baking, but still a bit different. Will try your recipe this year 🙂
Giangi Townsend
Thank you, Matej! They are perfect now and all year round too. Love to see your recipe.
Enjoy!
Gabriela Herrera
These Canestreletti Short Bread Cookies are perfect Giangi, thank you so much for the recipe.
Giangi Townsend
The pleasure is all mine Gabriela.
Enjoy!
Natalie
Beautiful cookies. Perfect Christmas treat. I’m going to add your recipe to my baking list.
Giangi Townsend
Thank you, Natalie! You will enjoy them and they are perfect all year round too, just in case 😋
Gina Abernathy
Thank you for sharing! Being from an Italian family, I have very few passed down recipes from my relatives. Still not sure why, but Italians will not share their recipes. I have tried for years to get my relatives to put together a cook book of family favorites and they very nicely declined to share. So, I’ll just have to look for more along the way.
Giangi Townsend
I can sympathize with you here. This recipe was given to me and yet one of the ingredients was not given to me correctly thus never coming out perfect. Until the day my mother was making them and here she is pulling out the right sugar to use. I feel as pulling a recipe out of a family member is the same as asking a chef their cooking secrets: you will never get the whole recipe.
Thank you, Gina, for stopping by Giangi’s Kitchen!