Add This Fig Cookie Recipe Now
20 Days of Christmas Cookies - Day 7
The Italian Fig Cookie Recipe
A Christmas Tradition for many Italian bakers, the Italian fig cookie, goes by many names, the Cuccidati, the Buccellati, the Fig Cookie, the Italian Christmas Fig Cookie, or Sicilian Fig Cookie. The fig cookie originated in, you guessed it, Sicily. They’re small bite-sized cookies stuffed with a refreshing sweet moist filling. Typically made at Christmas time, most Italian bakeries have them available to purchase all year. These luscious fig-stuffed cookies are relatively easy to make , are a perfect food gift, and look great on your Christmas cookie tray.
The most difficult part of making any fig cookie recipe is grinding the fig. When using either fresh or dried figs in my cookie recipe, I always marinate the figs overnight in a brandy and water mixture. Applejack brandy typically is my go-to, but I have used straight brandy with rave results. Marinating the figs, plumps them up, and softens the dried fig to go through the grinder. I have a grinder attachment for my stand mixer that makes this process so simple. I have not tried to use a food processor for this. I would highly recommend that if you love to bake, you invest in a good quality stand mixer. My KitchenAid 4 ½ Quart ultra power stand mixer is about 30 years old and still running as if it was brand new. I also have the Food Grinder attachment that is just as old and plastic. If you are purchasing a new one, I would recommend the metal one.
Italian Fig Cookie
Ingredients
½ prepared Basic Cookie Dough
1 small package of dried Calimyrna or Mission Figs
2 cups of Applejack brandy
1 cup of water
The juice from 1 orange
¼ tsp sugar
¼ tsp Saigon cinnamon
1 tsp orange zest
1 tsp lemon zest
For the confectionery glaze
1 cup of powdered sugar
½ TBSP water
Rainbow sprinkles for decoration
Directions
The night before making the cookie, in a small bowl add the figs, Applejack brandy, and water. Cover and leave overnight.
When you are ready to bake the fig cookie, preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Using a heavy-duty stand mixer fitted with the food grinder attachment, run the soaked figs through the grinder attachment once, into a medium-sized bowl.
Add to the figs, the orange juice, orange zest, lemon zest, cinnamon, and sugar. Mix thoroughly.
Roll the cookie dough out on a lightly floured board in a rectangular shape, about ⅛ inch thick, 10 inches wide by 16 inches long. Be sure the consistency of the dough is like your earlobe.
Spread the fig mixture on the cookie dough.
Roll the cookie dough into a long using the vertical side of the dough.
Place cookie log on a greased, 11x17 cookie/jelly roll pan.
Bake for 15 - 20 minutes, or just until set.
Slightly loosen the cookie log using a small thin spatula, and let them cool completely.
Using a sharp serrated small knife, cut the cookies into small slices about 1 ½ inch wide.
Mix the confectionary sugar and ½ TSP of water together in a small bowl, making a glaze.
Spread the glaze over the cookies and quickly, sprinkle the sprinkles on top, the glaze sets fast.
