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Imagine this: Smack dab in the middle of the holiday season.
You’re in the kitchen, surrounded by the warm aromas of gingerbread and sugar cookies.
But then, in the midst of all this holiday cheer, you bite into a Spicy Italian Pepper Cookie.
This little gem is full of flavor; it’s like nothing you’ve ever tasted before.
Wouldn’t you love to have a Spicy Italian Pepper Cookie recipe to call your own?
Well, we can bet you do!
Italian pepper cookies are a great gluten-free treat.
The taste of home. You can never beat the coziness of a good pepper cookie.
These are hands down the best Italian pepper cookies you’ll ever have.
Light and crunchy with a little kick of spice, these beauties have been a family favorite for years.
The subtle aroma of cinnamon, citrus fruits, and pepper gives these cookies a unique flavor.
You will crave it any time of the day.
To help you out of random cravings here is your ultimate recipe.
Let’s dive in!
How Were Italian Pepper Cookies Birthed?
Italian pepper cookies originated in Calabria and Sicily, known for pepper farming and trading.
It also came from the many spices brought to Italy through trade – predominantly peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
In the beginning, they made pepper cookies only during the Christmas period.
They were a delicacy served to guests and used as gifts presented in a beautiful tin box.
Over time, pepper cookies became more popular, and they added ingredients like butter, sugar, and eggs to the recipe.
These ingredients were usually costly at the time (and therefore reserved for special occasions), but they made the cookies lighter and tastier.
How to Make Italian Pepper Cookies
Italian pepper cookies are a traditional Christmas Cookie in Sicily but are a perfect dessert to serve any time of year.
These Italian pepper cookies are so easy to make, and they’re so delicious that I bet your family will ask for them repeatedly.
This is a great recipe to make with your kids on a snowy day or anytime you have a sweet craving.
They go well with coffee, tea, and wine.
Ingredients
●2 cups all-purpose flour
●¼ teaspoon baking powder
●1/4 teaspoon salt
●1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
●1 cup granulated sugar
●2 large eggs, room temperature
●1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
●1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
●1 cup milk
●⅛ cup orange juice
●¾ cup raising
●½ tablespoon ground cinnamon
●¼ chocolate powder
●1 tablespoon ground black pepper
●½ chopped walnuts
●1 cup shortening
Instructions:
1.Preheat the oven to 350 F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2.In a small bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder, cocoa powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and peppercorns and mix well to combine.
3.In a medium bowl, combine butter and sugar and mix until light and fluffy with a hand mixer.
Add vanilla extract, orange zest, milk, and egg, and mix until combined.
4.Add walnuts and raisins to the wet ingredients.
Mix until combined after each addition, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
5.Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
Press the cookies slightly to flatten them out using your finger or the end of a spoon (they won’t spread much).
6.Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the edges are golden brown (cookies will still be soft).
7.Remove from the oven and let cool on a baking sheet for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
8.Decorate with dry fruit or sprinkles and serve.
How to Store Italian Pepper Cookies
You can cook Italian pepper cookies and save some for the next holiday or when you randomly crave something sweet.
Storing uncooked Italian pepper cookies
To freeze unbaked cookies, place the dough balls on a baking sheet and put them in the freezer for about 30 minutes, just until firm.
Then transfer to a resealable plastic bag or airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To bake from frozen, place the frozen cookie balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart and bake one to two minutes longer than the recipe directs.
Storing Cooked Italian pepper Cookies
These cookies are best eaten the day they are baked.
However, if you want to save them for later, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.
Cooked cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag for up to 5 days.
Conclusion
Well, that’s our round-up of the best Italian pepper cookies.
Hopefully, the article can be helpful for those who want to make these wonderful treats.
The recipe is straightforward, and if you follow the precise steps of this article, it will be very difficult to get confused.
You can enjoy your cookies with a nice cup of tea or coffee while watching a movie or doing your homework; they are easy and quick.
They look pretty enough to be excellent additions to a cookie platter with other homemade treats!
These cookies are a delightful sweet treat to serve guests.
They’re fun cookies to make with the kids, and adults could have fun with the decorating part too!
FAQs
How do I prevent Italian pepper cookie rounded dough from sticking together?
Place your stacks of dough rounds on a parchment-lined sheet pan before sliding them into the oven.
Make sure that there is enough room between each cookie to don’t run together while baking.
These cookies will spread out as they bake, so leave enough space between your stacks of rounded dough.
How do I know that Italian pepper is ready?
The cookies are done when they’re golden on the bottom and around the edges, with just a few darker freckles that also indicate doneness.
The cookies should be tender but not too soft.
How do I use refrigerated dough?
When you refrigerate the dough, be aware that it will be pretty stiff when it comes out of the refrigerator.
Even though it won’t be as quick and easy to roll out when cold, the dough will still roll out in a reasonable amount of time.
If you have trouble rolling out the chilled dough, let it sit for a few minutes at room temperature to soften slightly.
Do I have to use shortening to make Italian pepper cookies?
You don’t have to use shortening to make Italian pepper cookies though it is important to reduce gluten.
You can use butter, cream, canola oil, or coconut oil as a substitute.
Heavenly Spicy Italian Pepper Cookies
Equipment
- 1 oven
Ingredients
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon pure almond
- 1 cup milk
- ⅛ cup orange juice
- ¾ cup raising
- ½ tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ chocolate powder
- 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
- ½ chopped walnuts
- 1 cup shortening
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder, cocoa powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and peppercorns and mix well to combine.
- In a medium bowl, combine butter and sugar and mix until light and fluffy with a hand mixer.
- Add vanilla extract, orange zest, milk, and egg, and mix until combined.
- Add walnuts and raisins to the wet ingredients.
- Mix until combined after each addition, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
- Press the cookies slightly to flatten them out using your finger or the end of a spoon (they won’t spread much).
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the edges are golden brown (cookies will still be soft).
- Remove from the oven and let cool on a baking sheet for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Decorate with dry fruit or sprinkles and serve.
