Easy Roccocò Traditional Neapolitan Christmas Cookies
If you are after a warm, spicy and perfect homemade gift, then these italian roccocò cookies must make your list! Imagine almond cookies that meet Christmas spices and candied fruit just in time for the december holidays, and boom, you have these delicious Neapolitan cookie.
What are roccocò cookies? What is their origin?
Roccocò are traditional Christmas cookies from Naples and the Campania region. They are easily recognizable by their ring shape, crunchy texture and spiced flavour. Usually dunked in sweet wine or liqueur, but I can assure you they are as delicious even by themselves!
Roccocò date back to 18th-century Naples, which had a big maritime tread and access to exotic spices like cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, coriander, and pepper, which were rare and only reserved for special occasions. The name roccocò is thought to come from the French word rocaille (rock). Alongside struffoli and mostaccioli, rococo cookies are a staple during the holidays.
What ingredients do you need to make roccocò napoletani?
Making these Christmas cookies is so simple, and you will need very few ingredients:
- Almonds – they add crunch, richness, and that unmistakable nutty depth typical of traditional roccocò cookies.
- All-purpose flour – it will help form the structure of the dough and give the cookies their dense, firm bite.
- Sugar – it will sweeten the dough and contribute to the hard, glossy crust once baked.
- Candied citron – It brings freshness and citrus aroma, perfect for the winter, balancing the spices and sweetness.
- Pisto (Neapolitan spice blend) – the soul of roccocò: warm, spicy, and unmistakably festive.
- Orange zest – it lifts the dough with bright citrus notes and enhances the spices, you could also add some orange peel too or use them instead of orange zest.
- Water – it binds the ingredients together and keeps the dough workable without making it soft.
- Baking soda – it helps the dough expand slightly in the oven, preventing an overly compact texture. If you want to follow the traditional rococo recipe, baking ammonia was used instead.
- Milk – Gives the cookies a shiny, golden finish after baking – you can use any type you like.
- Almonds (optional, for decoration) – they add that extra crunch and a rustic, traditional ‘look on top’.
What is pisto, and how do you make it?
As mentioned above, roccoco have a particular set of spices that goes in them, known as pisto. This blend of spices is typical of Campania and widely used in traditional christmas recipes since the Middle Ages. It’s warm, aromatic, slightly peppery, basically a mix of spices that make you think about the holidays. To make pisto, you will need:
- 15 g whole white peppercorns
- 5 g coriander seeds
- 5 g whole nutmeg (to grate)
- 2 cloves
- 2 star anise
- 13 g ground cinnamon
In a mortar or spice blender, add the star anise, white peppercorns, coriander seeds and cloves. And grind to a powder. Then add the ground nutmeg and cinnamon and grind again. Toast them for a minute on low heat to release their aroma (be careful not to burn them). When done, store in an airtight jar and use when needed.
How do you make roccocò Christmas cookies?
To begin your neapolitan christmas cookies, you will start by toasting the almonds with their skins on. Spread them on a baking tray and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 5 minutes. Let them cool slightly, then grind 50 g of the almonds in a food processor until sandy in texture; set the remaining whole almonds aside.
Then dice the candied citron and begin the roccocò dough. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and baking soda, then add the pisto spice blend, the ground almonds, and the zest of a quarter of an orange and combine. Slowly drizzle in the room-temperature water and knead until you have a very firm and dry dough.
Proceed to add the diced candied citron and the rest of the whole almonds, and knead again on your work surface until the dough comes together in a smooth ball.
Roll the dough into a long cylinder and divide it into pieces of roughly 75 g each. Use your hands to divide the portions so you can keep the almonds intact. Roll each piece into a 20 cm strand, then join the ends to form a ring. Pinch the ends to seal so they keep their shape while baking.
Place the rings on a tray lined with parchment paper and brush with lightly beaten egg (or even vegan milk if you want to keep these vegan – we tried both versions and they taste delicious). If you’re decorating with the optional almonds, add them now.
Bake at 180°C for 25 minutes, until lightly golden (they can have a hard texture, but it’s completely normal for these cookies). Allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack before serving. Enjoy your Christmas roccocò cookies!
Do you have more Christmas recipes?
We have plenty of recipes to add on top of these roccocò cookies, some of our favourites are:
- the recipe for this pandoro farcito is ready to be enjoyed;
- these words you need to learn full of Italian Christmas vocabulary is one you can’t miss out on;
- a delicious recipe for some vegan struffoli;
- from Abruzzo we have scrippelle and parrozzo;
- both this pistachio liqueur and pistachio cream make the perfect presents to hand to family and friends!
- pistachio panettone, on our sister blog, we have one of the most delicious takes on panettone;
- panpepato cake, an Emilian spiced dessert you can’t miss for the holidays;
- Sicilian toto cookies, spiced cookies made for All Saints’ Day but now beloved for the holidays too;
- this delicious limoncello pandoro, because homemade gifts are the best;
- these delicious spiced Sicilian cookies called buccellati;
- the recipe for pesce finto, to serve on Christmas eve.
Roccocò
Ingredients
For the cookies
- 100 g almonds
- 250 g all-purpose flour
- 250 g sugar
- 100 g candied citron
- 2 g pisto Neapolitan spice blend*
- Orange zest to taste
- 87 g room-temperature water
- A pinch of baking soda
- Milk for brushing
To decorate
- 30 g almonds
Instructions
- Start by toasting the almonds with their skins on.
- Spread them on a baking tray and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 5 minutes. Let them cool slightly, then grind 50 g of the almonds in a food processor until sandy in texture; set the remaining whole almonds aside.
- Dice the candied citron and begin the dough.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and baking soda, then add the pisto spice blend (see note*), the ground almonds, and the zest of a quarter of an orange.
- Slowly drizzle in the room-temperature water and knead until you have a very firm and dry dough.
- Add the diced candied citron and 50 g of whole almonds, and knead again on your work surface until the dough comes together in a smooth ball.
- Roll the dough into a long cylinder and divide it into pieces of roughly 75 g each: simply pull pieces off with your hands to avoid breaking the whole almonds inside.
- Roll each piece into a 20 cm strand, then join the ends to form a ring.
- Pinch the ends to seal so they keep their shape while baking.
- Place the rings on a parchment-lined tray and brush with milk.
- If you’re decorating with the optional almonds, add them now.
- Bake at 180°C for 25 minutes, until lightly golden.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack before serving.
- Your crunchy, spiced Neapolitan roccocò are ready to enjoy, preferably with a glass of sweet wine for dipping.
Notes
- 15 g whole white peppercorns
- 5 g coriander seeds
- 5 g whole nutmeg (to grate)
- 2 cloves
- 2 star anise
- 13 g ground cinnamon
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