Canestrelli cookies are Northern Italy's version of shortbread and they could not be easier to make. With very simple ingredients and the classic flower cutout shape, they make the perfect treats to go along with coffee or tea or they are great for just enjoying on their own.
If you have ever been to the town of Asti, Italy, you have undoubtedly come across these delicious Italian shortbread like cookies. Asti, which is in the piedmont region and that region is known for its buttery cookies. If you have tried my crumiri recipe then you are already familiar with me talking about this.
Asti, is also a really fun place and it has the most amazing food and wine festival called Festival delle Sagre di Asti. My husband and I like to go to this festival and that trip is when we first came across canestrelli cookies.
They are similar to shortbread but they are a little less sweet and a little more crumbly with a crunch. They are also made with cooked egg yolks in the dough.
I picked up a recipe for these cookies when I last visited, and after trying it out at home, I have to say it is very easy. I did have to make a few adjustments because of the whole measuring in grams vs cups but it tastes just like the ones I had there.
One caveat is, there is no liquid in the recipe so the dough is essentially kneaded together (cold butter, flour, sugar, etc.)
Because of this, I have included two versions of this recipe in the recipe card at the bottom. One with the cooked egg yolks and one with uncooked yolks. The uncooked egg yolk version is much easier on the hands and good for anyone who doesn't have a food processor or arthritis.
Once you try these buttery Italian treats, you will want to make them all the time.
Ingredients
- Unsalted butter
- All purpose flour
- Large eggs (hard boiled): You will be using only the cooked egg yolks.
- Granulated sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Kosher salt: If you do not have this, use regular table salt but reduce the amount in the recipe by half.
- Lemon zest (optional): I have left this out of the recipe but if you want to add some, use about ½ teaspoon of lemon zest in the dough.
- Powdered sugar: For dusting the cookies with when they are baked and cooled.
How to Make Canestrelli Cookies
- Mix dry ingredients together: In a large bowl, add the flour, salt and sugar and mix well.
- Push egg yolks through a sieve: Add the cooked egg yolks to a sieve and push it through by rubbing a spoon over the yolks while gently pushing them into the sieve. You will not see much falling from the sieve since the yolks stick the sieve. Just scrape of the yolks once they go through.
- Add mixture to a food processor: You can either cut the cold butter into the dry mixture by hand with a pastry cutter or the easiest way to do this is to add it all to a food processor and pulse until it comes together.
- Divide dough and chill: Once a dough ball has formed, divide it into 2 and wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Roll out dough and stamp flower shapes: Once the dough is chilled, working one disc at a time, on a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough until it is about ¼ inch thick. Cut out your flower shapes then cut out a hole on the center of the flower. I like to use pastry tip for the center but you can get creative with things in the kitchen if you don't have this.
- Bake and cool: Bake the cookies for about 8-12 minutes or until they are lightly browned on top.
- Dust with powdered sugar: Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let them cool completely. After they are cool, dust them well with copious amounts of powdered sugar.
Canestrelli Cookie Tips
- If you do not have a food processor, use uncooked egg yolks: Unless you are very strong and don't mind kneading a dry dough, use regular egg yolks in the dough which will add moisture. This tip is also good for anyone wanting to make this who doesn't have time to cook the yolks and let them cool.
- Boil the eggs ahead of time: As I mentioned just above, the yolks need time to cool. Because of this, it is best to cook the eggs ahead of time.
- Allow the cookies to fully cool: The cookies crisp up once they are fully cool. They will seem underbaked and soft when they come out of the oven and that is from the moisture in the butter. The butter will solidify once cooled.
Best Way To Store These Buttery Cookies
These cookies store well on the counter. One thing I have noticed though is if it is a humid day, they do soften up a little. If you live in a humid area, you will want to store these in the fridge.
These cookies store in the fridge for up to 1 week. On the counter, they last for up to 3 days.
You can also make the dough ahead of time and freeze some. I love doing this around the holidays and using this dough for cutting out festive cookie shapes (and not just flowers.)
More delicious Italian Cookie recipes
- Vanilla Pizzelle
- Cuccidati (Italian Fig Cookies)
- Ricciarelli Cookies
- Chewy Chocolate Almond Cookies
- Almond Crescent Cookies
Canestrelli- Egg Yolk Cookies From Piedmont
Ingredients
- ½ cup plus 6 tablespoon Unsalted butter Cold and cut into small cubes.
- 1 ⅓ cup plus one tablespoon of All purpose flour
- 2 Cooked Egg Yolks
- ¾ Granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon Vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- Lemon zest optional: about ½ tsp
- 1 cup Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the flour, salt and sugar and mix well1 ⅓ cup plus one tablespoon of All purpose flour, ¾ Granulated sugar, ½ tsp Kosher salt
- Push egg yolks through a sieve Add the cooked egg yolks to a sieve and push it through by rubbing a spoon over the yolks while gently pushing them into the sieve. You will not see much falling from the sieve since the yolks stick the sieve. Just scrape of the yolks once they go through.2 Cooked Egg Yolks
- Add the butter and vanilla (and lemon zest if using) to the flour mixture. You can either cut the cold butter into the dry mixture by hand with a pastry cutter or the easiest way to do this is to add it all to a food processor and pulse until it comes together.½ cup plus 6 tablespoon Unsalted butter, 1 tbsp Vanilla extract, Lemon zest
- Once a dough ball has formed, divide it into 2 and wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Once the dough is chilled, working one disc at a time, on a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough until it is about ¼ inch thick. Not thicker or the cookie will stay soft. Cut out your flower shapes ( I use a 1 ½ inch diameter flower cookie cutter) then cut out a hole in the center of the flower with something small and round like a pastry or icing tip.
- Bake the cookies for about 8-12 minutes or until they are lightly browned on top. All ovens vary so look for the cookies to lightly brown.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let them cool completely. After they are cool, dust them well with copious amounts of powdered sugar.1 cup Powdered sugar
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