Pizzicati Italian Pinch Cookies

Pizzicati is one of my favorite cookie recipes and for good reason. These delicate jam-filled shortbread cookies have a light texture, and a subtle sweetness.With only a half cup of sugar in the entire recipe these Italian pinch cookies are lovely served with coffee or hot tea at the end of a meal. Although most people think of cookies as an evening snack or part of a holiday dessert tray adorned with Italian treats like pignoli, biscotti and cannoli, I am not ashamed to say I have thoroughly enjoyed them at breakfast time too! This recipe makes about 30 to 40 cookies depending upon how thin you roll the dough. Each cookie is quite small — only about two bites each and finished with a light dusting of powdered sugar. Depending upon the size of your cookie cutter and how thin you roll the dough you may get fewer cookies. When it comes to filings, I prefer strawberry, fig or apricot jam. While I have tried pizzicati with nutella I must admit, it’s not my favorite. (I know! I’m so sorry to all the chocolate hazelnut lovers out there!) Regardless, of what you put inside these tender shortbread morsels, you are certain to delight your friends and family with these sweet Italian cookies.

What is in Pizzicati?

I love these cookies because they are so simple and easy to make. My eleven-year-old daughter and I make these all the time. I roll and cut the dough, she fills with jam and pinches the two sides together in the middle.

All purpose flour: Most people have this in their homes and makes a great shortbread dough. Powdered sugar: I used powdered sugar both in the dough, and a little extra to dust the cookies for a snowy finish. Corn starch: Corn starch won’t develop gluten like flour will, which means the dough is more likely to keep it’s shape. Baking powder: You don’t need much for leavening agents in this recipe. The tiny bit of baking powder gives the cookies a little lift, but not too much. Lemon zest: For this recipe I used lemon zest because lemon and strawberry are one of my favorite flavor combinations. I call for the zest of 1 lemon, but you can add the zest of two lemons if you prefer. Softened butter: the dough comes together quickly using softened butter. If you forgot to soften your butter you can pop it in the microwave for about 5 seconds. Vanilla extract: If you want to swap out the vanilla extract for almond extract or another flavor go right head! Egg: This is used to provide a structure to the dough. Strawberry jam: I love the lemon strawberry combo in this recipe, but you can swap it for another jam flavor if you’d prefer.

How to Make Pizzicati

Italian pinch cookies really are easy to make, but like any roll out cookie you want to keep the dough chilled. If your dough gets too warm it might stick to the counter or make it difficult to roll out. You also want to roll the dough thin (about the height of 2 stacked quarters).

Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl combine the flour, powdered sugar, corn starch, baking powder, and lemon zest. Whisk to combine.

Add the wet ingredients: To the bowl with the dry ingredients, add softened butter, vanilla extract, and egg. Using a hand mixer, beat on low just until the flour is a little wet, then increase the speed to medium until the dough becomes a loose grainy mixture. Take a rubber spatula and scoop around the bowl. Then knead with the spatula for a minute or so just until you have a slightly sticky, cohesive dough.

Wrap the dough and chill: Transfer the cohesive dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and form it into a 1-inch thick disk. Place it in the fridge to chill for one hour.

Roll out the cookie dough: Dust the countertop with flour, but don’t use too much. You need the dough to be a little sticky so your pinch will seal properly. You can also roll the dough out between two sheets of parchment. Roll out the dough into a disk that is less than 1/4-inch thick. You want the dough thin. If it’s too thick or there is too much flour the pinch might not hold. Use a 2 1/2 -inch biscuit or cookie cutter and cut out as many circles as you can. Transfer the circles to a baking sheet. Repeat until all the dough is used up.

Fill and pinch the cookies: Place a scant teaspoon of jam in the center of each circle. Then lift the sides, pinch just center together about 3 finger tips wide but leave each end open. Fold the pinched section down to the left or right side of the cookie. The cookies will not spread. As you pinch them move them so the pinched cookies are only about 1 inch apart on the baking sheet. I can get 20 pinched cookies on a single baking sheet.

Bake the cookies: Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake in a 350°F oven for 12-14 minutes. The bottoms will be lightly golden, the jam will spread to the open ends, but the cookies will still be pale and will not take on much color.

Cool and dust the cookies: When the cookies are ready, remove them from the oven and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Then dust with powdered sugar and serve.

Trouble-Shooting Pizzicati

These sweet little cookies can be tricky to make. If you overfill them, roll the dough to thick or use too much flour when rolling them out the pinch wont stay and the cookies will pop open.

Only use a 1/2 teaspoon of jam. If the dough becomes difficult to work with place it in the fridge to cool it down and make it easier to work with. Resist the urge to add more flour to roll it out. Use a bench scraper to help lift the dough off of your work surface. The dough should be rolled pretty thin. If you aren’t getting 30 cookies out of a batch of dough you’re rolling it too thick. Pinch the sides together then fold the pinch over. It will help with the seal.

If all else fails and the cookies pop open, place one on top of the other for sandwich cookies, chop them up and sprinkle in trifle or on top of ice cream.

When to Enjoy Pizzicati

I’m pretty sure I’ve never struggled to find a way to enjoy a shortbread cookie let alone one filled with jam! But if you need some ideas I have a few for you. Don’t relegate pizzicati to a simple Christmas cookie placed on a dessert table along with other after dinner bites like Lemon Ricotta Cheesecake, Chocolate Covered Dates and Brownies. Make these cookies for a bridal shower, Sunday brunch, baby shower or a Mother’s Day spread. Get the coffee ready! And now that you are a filled-cookie expert, be sure to check out this ma’amoul recipe. Another scrumptious cookie with a date filling. Then try Baci Di Dama, an Italian hazelnut cookie stuffed with melted chocolate.

How to Store and Freeze Pizzicati

If you’re anything like me, you like to get a head of a big gatherings. If you’re in that camp, then you’re in luck. Make a batch of cookies. Bake them off, let them cool, then pop them in the freezer.To store: Simply layer the cooked pinch cookies between sheets of parchment, place them in an airtight container in the freezer. When ready transfer then to your serving platter and dust with a little powdered sugar.