Italian Chocolate Spice Cookies

Whenever I visit a new city, I try to locate a handful of the most exciting restaurants, the best place to get a well-crafted cocktail or mocktail, and the most beloved Italian bakery. I invariably leave those bakeries holding a box that’s bursting with pastries and cookies—the kind that’s tied shut with a twisty red-and-white string. In that box, you’ll always find some Italian chocolate spice cookies. They’re seasoned with cinnamon, clove and bits of walnut, and dipped in a tidy glaze, which makes them look particularly festive. You can never have too many good cookie recipes, so add this one to your collection! It’s wonderful for Christmas cookie platters or to serve after a delicious Italian meal.

Italian Chocolate Spice Cookies Ingredients

• Shortening: Because it has a neutral flavor, shortening allows the fragrant spices in these cookies to stand out. Subbing butter for shortening is a quick baking substitution, but it will alter the texture of the cookies. Shortening is pure fat, whereas butter contains some water.
• Sweeteners: These cookies contain three different sweeteners. Granulated sugar is used in the dough, while confectioners’ sugar (aka powdered sugar) and corn syrup team up in the glaze.
• Eggs: Warm those eggs up to room temperature before mixing them into the dough, and while you’re at it, do the same with the milk. Taking the chill off these ingredients helps the dough come together nicely.
• Milk: Although the recipe calls for 2% milk, any type of milk will work. You’ll use it in the cookie dough and the glaze.
• Vanilla extract: Using one of the best vanilla extract brands adds the best flavor to these cookies. It’s essential to the cookies and the glaze.
• Flour: We prefer all-purpose flour for most cookie recipes.
• Baking cocoa: Natural cocoa powder will create a better cookie for this recipe than Dutch process cocoa. The former is slightly acidic, so it will activate the baking soda and make the cookies rise a bit more.
• Cinnamon: Use whatever type of cinnamon you prefer, whether that’s spicy Vietnamese cassia cinnamon or the more subtle Ceylon cinnamon.
• Leavening agents: You’ll use both baking powder and baking soda to maximize rising and flavor.
• Cloves: Cloves are pungent, aromatic flower buds that are used in both sweet and savory dishes with other classic fall spices.
• Walnuts: These cookies are even richer thanks to the inclusion of chopped walnuts. If walnuts aren’t to your taste, try another nut.
• Sprinkles: These are optional, but the cookies are so cute with them that you won’t want to miss out! If you’re making these for the holidays, consider adding some fun Christmas sprinkles to your holiday stash.

Directions

Step 1: Make the cookie dough

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, cream the shortening and sugar until they’re light and fluffy, five to seven minutes.

Beat in the eggs, milk and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and cloves.

Gradually beat the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture. Stir in the walnuts.

Step 2: Bake the cookies

Shape level tablespoons of dough into balls and place them 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake until the bottoms are light brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the cookies from the pans to wire racks and let them cool completely.

Step 3: Make the glaze

In a large bowl, mix confectioners’ sugar, corn syrup and enough milk to reach the desired consistency. Dip the tops of the cookies into the glaze. If desired, decorate the cookies with sprinkles. Let them stand until set.

Italian Chocolate Spice Cookies Variations

• Switch the glaze: For a more flavorful topping that pairs well with chocolate and spice, try a tangy lemon glaze. Or make the glaze with freshly squeezed orange juice or cranberry juice in place of the lemon juice.
• Use different nuts: Walnuts crumble nicely into the dough, but pecans, almonds or hazelnuts would all taste great here.
• Try brown butter: Use brown butter instead of shortening. Because the process of making browned butter cooks out most of the water, its fat content is more similar to shortening than fresh butter, making it an even better substitute.
• Amp up the spices: You don’t have to stop with cinnamon and clove. Allspice, nutmeg, ginger and cardamom could all work well in this dough.

How to Store Italian Chocolate Spice Cookies

Like most cookies, Italian spiced chocolate cookies can hang out on the counter in a pretty tin or glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Since they’re iced, you’ll want to put parchment paper or waxed paper between the layers to prevent them sticking together.

How long do Italian chocolate spice cookies last?

These will be perfect for three or four days if stored on the counter. If you pop them in the fridge, they’ll last up to a week.

Can you freeze Italian chocolate spice cookies?

Absolutely, just make sure that the Italian chocolate spice cookies cool before freezing. If you freeze them before icing them, they can go in a zip-top bag, but if you’ve already iced them, freeze them in a container with a tight lid, and put parchment between the layers.

Italian Chocolate Spice Cookies Tips

How do you fix glaze that’s too runny?

To fix a runny glaze, simply whisk in additional confectioners’ sugar until the icing has the right consistency. It should be thick enough to adhere to the cookie, but thin enough for easy dipping.

What’s the best way to tell when chocolate cookies are done baking

Because chocolate cookies are already brown, the color change that signals baked cookies is more subtle. The bottoms will be a deeper color when the cookies are fully baked, and the edges will appear set. The tops may be a little puffy, but they will also feel set if you touch them gently.