Cuccidati, Italian Fig Cookies

Celebrate the festive season with these beautiful Christmas-spiced Italian Fig Cookies known as Cuccidati. These cookies are made with shortcrust pastry (Pasta Frolla) and stuffed with sticky dried figs, orange, dried fruit, nuts and spices. They look beautiful and taste divine!

Cuccidati also known as Buccellati are traditional cookies from Sicily, served during the holidays.

They're packed full of festive flavours from dried figs, orange, cinnamon, nuts and cocoa powder making them the solid treat to make at Christmas.

You can dust them with a little powdered sugar or you can cover them in sweet icing topped with sprinkles. This recipe will show you how to make the traditional icing plus an egg-free version.

Interested in learning more about what Italians eat at Christmas? Check out our Traditional Italian Christmas Foods post that goes through each Italian region.

See the recipe below including notes on ingredients, step by step photos, tips, variations and a video tutorial. For the full printable recipe scroll to the bottom or click the recipe link below

Ingredients – what you need

See the photo below that shows you everything you need to make this recipe plus some important notes on ingredients!

Ingredient notes for the pastry dough

• Italian 00 flour – this is what is traditionally used but regular all-purpose flour will also work well.
• Orange zest – you can also use lemon, use unwaxed if possible.
• Butter – use unsalted butter and it must be cold, straight from the fridge.
• Sugar – We use caster sugar (superfine) but we have made this recipe serval times with granulated sugar and it works as well.
• Eggs – use large eggs.
• Baking powder – always double-check the use by date on baking powder, especially if you don't use it often. If it's old it won't do its job.

Ingredient notes for the filling

• Dried figs – if your figs have thick hardy stalks on them cut them off first.
• Nuts – we used a mix of walnuts, pine nuts and blanched almonds but you can use a mix of other nuts if you prefer.
• Marsala – you can replace this with brandy, rum, grappa or another liqueur you like. If avoiding alcohol you can use 1 tablespoon of water.
• Sprinkles (not pictured) – multicoloured sprinkles are traditionally sprinkled over them while the icing is still wet. You can choose any sprinkles you like.

Step by step photos and recipe instructions

Make the pastry

Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and orange zest together in a large mixing bowl. Add the cold cubed butter and crumb it into the flour using your hands. It should resemble rough breadcrumbs (photos 1-3).

Next, add the egg to the flour mixture. Mix to form a rough dough. Use your hands to bring the dough together into a smooth ball (photos 4-6).

Cut the dough in half, form back into balls then wrap them in plastic wrap. Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes (photos 7 & 8).

Make the filling

Put the figs in a bowl and cover them with warm water (not hot). Let them sit for 30 minutes then drain and squeeze out any excess water, set aside (photo 9).

Put the nuts, cocoa powder, cinnamon and salt in a food processor and pulse to large crumbs. Transfer to a bowl and set aside (photos 10 & 11).

Put the figs, raisins, candied orange, marmalade and marsala in the food processor and blitz until combined (photo 12).

Transfer to a large bowl and add the nuts and cocoa mixture. Mix everything together until combined (photos 13 & 14).

Roll out the dough

Pre-heat the oven to 350F (180C) and line a large baking tray with parchment paper.

Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour. Roll 1 piece of dough out into a rough rectangle about 8×13 inches and 1/2cm (¼ inch) thick. Use a knife to trim the edges so you're left with a neat rectangle shape (photos 15-17).

Add half of the filling to one end of the rectangle forming it into a log shape. Roll the pastry over the filling until it overlaps at the seam. Trim off any excess pastry (photos 18 & 19).

Cut the log into 1¼-inch thick cookies and place on a baking tray. Bake for 20 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack (photos 20-22).

Repeat with the second half of the dough and the remaining filling.

Make the icing

Add the egg white, lemon juice and powdered sugar to a stand mixer (or use a mixing bowl and electric whisk) (photos 23 & 24).

Whisk until thick and glossy, it should resemble soft peaks and not be too runny. Dip each cookie into the icing and top with sprinkles then let them set for a couple of hours (photos 25-28).

Swaps

• Use different liqueur – if you don't have Marsala you could use rum, brandy, grappa or another liqueur you like
• Orange marmalade – you can use apricot jam instead.
• Add vanilla – you can either add the inside of a vanilla bean or a little vanilla extract if you like.
• Spices – you can experiment with different festive spices such as cloves, anise and nutmeg.
• Decoration – you can either dip or drizzle the icing over the cookies and use any festive sprinkles you like.

Recipe tips and FAQs

• Prepare in advance – you can prepare both the dough and filling a few days in advance and store them in the fridge.
• Don't over-knead the pastry dough – it's important you don't overwork the pastry dough or it'll become tough. It's normal for pasta frolla (shortcrust pastry) to split or tear but it can easily be manipulated back into shape, don't worry if this happens.
• Rolling out the dough (temperature) – if the pastry is left in the fridge for more than 1 hour it'll likely need to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes to soften slightly or it'll be too stiff to work with. Also, ensure you don't let the pastry get too warm or it'll be too soft and hard to work with. If that happens put it back into the fridge.

How to pronounce Cuccidati?

Cuccidati is pronounced koo-chee-dah-tee.

Where did Cuccidati originate?

Cuccidati also sometimes spelt as 'Cucciddati' date back to the Muslim rule of Sicily. The addition of spices such as cinnamon and sometimes cloves comes from the Arab influence.

Can we freeze them?

Yes, you can freeze them before or after baking. Freeze in an even layer on a baking tray, once frozen transfer into bags or containers for easy storage.

Italian Desserts

Panforte – Tuscan Fruit and Nut Cake

Italian Desserts

Struffoli – Italian Honey Balls

Christmas

Italian Almond Cookies (Ricciarelli)

Christmas

Cuccia (Sicilian Ricotta Dessert)

Ingredients

Makes 24 cookies

Pasta Frolla (pastry)

• 4 cups* Italian 00 Flour ((500g) *spooned and levelled (plus extra for dusting))
• 1 cup caster superfine sugar ((160g) can also use granulated)
• 17 tablespoons cold unsalted butter ((240g) cut into cubes)
• 2 large eggs
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• Zest of 1 orange
• 1 pinch salt

Filling

• 2 cups dried figs ((400g))
• ⅔ cup raisins ((100g))
• ⅓ cup candied orange peel ((80g))
• ¼ cup pine nuts ((30g))
• ¼ cup almonds ((40g))
• ½ cup walnuts ((50g))
• ⅓ cup orange marmalade ((90g))
• 1 tablespoon marsala wine
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 pinch salt

Icing

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 large egg white
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• Sprinkles (optional)

Equipment

• Food processor
• Baking tray
• Parchment paper
• Rolling pin

Method

Make the pastry

1. Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and orange zest together in a large mixing bowl. Add the cold cubed butter and crumb it into the flour using your hands. It should resemble rough breadcrumbs (see photos or video for reference).

2. Next, lightly scramble the eggs together in a small bowl then add to the flour mixture. Mix them in to form a rough dough. Use your hands to bring the dough together into a smooth ball.

3. Cut the dough in half, form back into balls then wrap them in plastic wrap. Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Make the filling

1. Put the figs in a bowl and cover them with warm water (not hot). Let them sit for 30 minutes then drain and squeeze out any excess water, set aside.

2. Put the nuts, cocoa powder, cinnamon and salt in a food processor and pulse to large crumbs. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

3. Put the figs, raisins, candied orange, marmalade and marsala in the food processor and blitz until combined.

4. Transfer to a large bowl and add the nuts and cocoa mixture. Mix everything together until combined.

Roll out the dough

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350F (180C) and line a large baking tray with parchment paper.

2. Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour. Roll 1 piece of dough out into a rough rectangle about 8x13 inches and 1/2cm (¼ inch) thick. Use a knife to trim the edges so you're left with a neat rectangle shape.

3. Add half of the filling to one end of the rectangle (long edge) forming it into a log shape. Roll the pastry over the filling until it overlaps at the seam. Trim off any excess pastry.

4. Cut the log into 1¼-inch thick cookies and place on a baking tray. Bake for 20 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack.

5. Repeat with the second half of the dough and the remaining filling.

Make the icing

1. Add the egg white, lemon juice and powdered sugar to a stand mixer (or use a mixing bowl and electric whisk).

2. Whisk until thick and glossy, it should resemble soft peaks and not be too runny. Dip each cookie into the icing and top with sprinkles then let them set for a couple of hours.

Alternative icing

1. If you don't want to use egg white you can simply use water, lemon or orange juice to create a thick, smooth icing. Dip each cookie and top with sprinkles.

Kitchen notes

• Prepare in advance you can prepare both the dough and filling a few days in advance and store them in the fridge.
• Don't over-knead the pastry dough it's important you don't overwork the pastry dough or it'll become tough. It's normal for pasta frolla (shortcrust pastry) to split or tear but it can easily be manipulated back into shape, don't worry if this happens.
• Rolling out the dough (temperature) if the pastry is left in the fridge for more than 1 hour it'll likely need to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes to soften slightly or it'll be too stiff to work with. Also, ensure you don't let the pastry get too warm or it'll be too soft and hard to work with. If that happens put it back into the fridge.
• Freezing you can freeze them before or after baking. Freeze in an even layer on a baking tray, once frozen transfer into bags or containers for easy storage.
• Storage the cookies will keep well in an airtight container for weeks.