TODAY Food Club

Cuccidati, also known as Sicilian Fig Cookies are traditionally served during the holidays. In my family, we enjoyed them year-round. The sweet dough is similar to that of a butter cookie and the filling is a mixture of dried figs, dried dates, raisins, walnuts, chocolate, apricot jam, honey, and spices.

Cuccidati - Sicilian Fig Cookies

• Servings: 8-10
• Prep Time: 1 hr
• Cooking Time: 20 min

Ingredients

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ cups sugar
• 1½ tablespoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup butter (2 sticks), cut into pieces
• ½ cup milk
• FOR THE FILLING
• 2½ cups dried figs
• 1 cup dried dates
• 1 cup raisins
• 1½ cups, coarsely chopped walnuts
• ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• ½ cup apricot jam
• ½ cup honey
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• FOR THE EGG WASH
• 1 egg white
• 1 tablespoon water
• Colored sprinkles, for decorating

Preparation

1. TO MAKE THE DOUGH
2. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
3. Add the egg and the vanilla.
4. Add the butter and using a pastry/dough blender, two knives, or your fingers, cut in the butter. You want the mixture to be a cornmeal or pebble consistency.
5. Add the milk and mix it into the dough. Using your hands, make a roll with the dough, wrap it in plastic wrap and place in in the refrigerator for 45 minutes.
6. TO MAKE THE FILLING
7. In a food processor, combine the figs, dates, and raisins and process to finely chop.
8. Add the walnuts, chocolate chips, apricot jam, honey, orange zest, and cinnamon and process again. (If your food processor isn't big enough to hold the entire amount of filling, process in batches, then pour the filling into a large bowl and stir to combine).
9. TO ASSEMBLE THE CUCCIDATI
10. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
11. Cut the dough into 4 pieces.
12. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough, one piece at a time. Cut the dough into long strips about 3-inches wide.
13. Cut out squares from the rectangle strips. Flatten the squares slightly with your fingers and add a spoonful of the fig filling to the center.
14. Fold the dough over, pinching the ends. Using a sharp knife, make 2 slits in each cookie. Place the cookies on a cookie sheet lined with silpat or parchment paper.
15. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg white and the water to make the egg wash. Brush the egg wash over each cookie.
16. Top with sprinkles
17. Bake for 20 minutes, until cookies are golden brown.

Recipe Tags

• Christmas
• Italian
• Dessert