Cucidati – Italian Fig Cookies
Cucidati is a traditional Italian cookie, originating in Sicily, that is filled with a mixture of figs and other fruits, nuts, and seasonings. Some recipes vary but the “standard” typically includes figs, dates, raisins, and walnuts and is bound together with honey and orange marmalade. I am actually surprised that my grandma never made these since they are such a popular Italian cookie, but when I asked my mom about it, she said my grandma hates figs, so I guess I have my answer!
It was during a conversation with my Chief Culinary Consultant that I learned about cucidati. I was talking about the walnut pillow cookies that my grandma always made and he said that his grandma made something similar, but with raisins and figs. I stored it away in my memory bank, with intentions to try them at a later date. A few days later I was searching online for walnut pillow recipes because I was unsure if we would be able to find my grandma’s (we did!) and stumbled upon recipes for cucidati. I immediately saved them and decided I would make the cookies sooner rather than later.
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These cookies are slightly time consuming but totally worth the effort. The dough is wonderfully tender and more of a “short” dough, which makes it melt in your mouth. The filling (perhaps not surprisingly) tastes quite similar to a Fig Newton cookie, but with a much deeper and complex flavor. With the addition of dates, raisins, and walnuts to the figs, as well as the cinnamon, honey, and orange marmalade, these cookies pack a huge punch when it comes to flavor and texture.
If you have a food processor, definitely use it for processing both the walnuts as well as the figs/dates/raisins mixture. If you don’t have one, just chop as finely as possible. As far as shaping and filling the cookies, the instructions provided below will yield a short rectangle “pillow” shape, but I experimented with many sizes and shapes, and encourage you to do the same!
Cucidati (Italian Fig Cookies)
Ingredients
Dough
- 4 cups (500 g) all-purpose flour
- 1½ tablespoons (1.5 tablespoons) baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) salt
- ½ cup (100 g) sugar
- 1 cup (205 g) vegetable shortening
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (122 ml) milk
Filling
- 1 cup (149 g) dried figs
- 1 cup (147 g) dried dates, pitted
- ¾ cup (108.75 g) raisins
- ½ cup (58.5 g) walnuts, chopped or ground in food processor
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup (84.75 ml) honey
- ¼ cup (80 g) orange marmalade
Icing
- 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons milk, approximately
- Colored sprinkles, optional
Instructions
- Sift flour, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk in the sugar and combine well.
- Cut in the shortening with a fork or pastry blender and work the mixture until it looks like cornmeal.
- In a separate bowl whisk together the egg, vanilla, and milk.
- Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and mix with an electric mixer for a full 3 minutes. Dough will be soft.
- Remove the dough from the mixer and knead by hand for 5 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces, wrap each with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes.
- To make the filling, grind figs, dates, and raisins in a food processor until coarse.
- Place fig, date, and raisin mixture in a bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Mixture will be thick. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 375° and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Work with one piece of dough at a time, leaving the remaining pieces in the refrigerator until needed. On a floured surface roll the dough into a 12-inch square. Cut dough into 2x3-inch rectangles. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of filling into the middle of each rectangle. Carefully fold the short edges over to meet in the center and pinch to seal. Seal the sides as well.
- Place each cookie, seam-side down, on a baking sheet, leaving 1-2 inches between each cookie.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the cookies are golden in color.
- Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool. Cool completely before icing.
- For the icing, mix together the powdered sugar, vanilla, and enough milk to achieve the desired consistency. You'll want the icing to be thick enough not to be runny, but still easily spreadable. Ice the tops of the cookies and decorate with sprinkles, if desired. Let the icing set completely before storing in an airtight container.
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My grandmother (originally from Sicily) used to make these each Christmas, but one thing I haven’t seen. She used some kind of pepper (black, red?) in them to really give them a “kick”, but we all loved them. Does anyone out there have the recipe for the ones with pepper???? Thanks, Bob
Bob, My grandmothers recipe has black pepper in it… gets that certain little bite in it as you finish each bite..when anyone here’s black pepper. I have that same recipe.. It may not be the same as your Nonna’, but it has black pepper in it. Who would think pepper could do such an amazing thing to a sweet cookie.
ahhhhh….finally this is the cookies i have been looking for. I used to buy in Buffalo, NY bakery and nowadays we don’t see any Italian bakery around. Thanks for the recipe!
Ah, I love this recipe! Can’t wait to try it.
these cookies sound amazing! i love figs & dates, but have never used them in cookies – might need to give it a try now. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Hi Phyllis,
As you may be able to tell from the pictures, my cookies don’t get very dark either, but they do get lightly browned. My dough recipe doesn’t use evaporated milk; perhaps give my dough a recipe a try and brush on some melted butter prior to baking.
As far as the icing thickening, a 1/2 cup of cream seems like a lot for only 1.5 cups of sugar. I would measure out your sugar and then only add the liquid one or two teaspoons at a time and stir until you get the consistency you want. I find that I often use much less liquid than a recipe calls for.
Let me know how it goes!
These cookies have been a tradition in our Italian family for many years – typically made for St. Joseph’s altars. We make a dough of sugar, butter, eggs, evaporated milk, almond extract, baking powder, flour, and we bake at 350F. Our cookies just don’t brown – we even tried a batch brushed with egg wash and still no browning. Can anyone suggest anything? Also, our icing never seems to thicken (our recipe is 1.5cup powdered sugar + .5cup cream). Any suggestions? Thanks so much.
It’s so wonderful to see these cookies on your site. For many years at Christmas, the women in my family have gotten together for a day to make this recipe – a great tradition passed down from our Sicilian grandmother. A couple of notes: We make the filling a week before to let the flavours blend together well and include 1/4 cup of Apricot Brandy and chocolate bits. We use a hand-held ravioli press to make the cookies.
a l – In place of the walnuts you could add another dried fruit – cranberries or apricots come to mind as good complements, but whatever you like!
With a family member allergic to tree nuts, would I just substitute the equilavent amount of fruits for the walnuts? I’ve never baked anything close to a fig newton before, so I’m excited to try this one! Thanks.
yumm yumm yumm another cookie ill have to try
I adore these cookies! My Mom is Sicilian but my Nonna used to buy these cookies at the pasticeria so there was no ‘family recipe’ until I started making them and haven’t stopped! Yours look wonderful!
We just made these for the second weekend in a row, we like them so much. The second time, we used buttermilk, instead of milk, and the cookies came out really soft, like fig newtons. I think you may like the way the buttermilk softens the dough. Also, we divided the dough in half, rolled it out, put the filling on and put the other half of the dough on top, rolling it down snug, and baked the whole thing like that, then cut it into squares. Not a pretty as the individual cookies, but easier and just as good! And yes, coconut shortening works almost the same as butter in any dough I’ve tried….
What size pan did you bake your cookies in? I like the idea of a bar-type cookie.
I’m Sicilian and I make these every Christmas with all the women in my family, they are quite the joyful tradition! Even in Sicily, I don’t find them all that common, mainly in the north part. They are certainly worth seeking out though!
Great job!
M
These cookies are beautiful! The filling sounds really unique and delicious, I love anything that involves figs.
Gorgeous! They look like they would be behind the counter of one of the pastry shops in the North End of Boston. I just found your blog and I’m really enjoying going through your archives!
Ohh, these look really good! I’m Italian (and a fan of finding Italian desserts to make), but I’ve never heard of these. Thanks for the inspiration, I’ll have to try them sometime. :)
I’m in Heaven! I can’t believe I found this recipe. My Nonna always made theses every Christmas for her children and grandchildren. She passed over a year ago and I never got the recipe from her. Oh, I am so glad I found your site! I’m making these lovely little packages of warm Christmas memories this year for my Dad and his sisters, in memory of my Nonna. :)
MEGAN — I have never baked with coconut oil, but I think you could certainly substitute the butter without any problems.
Can you substitute fresh figs for dried ones?
I have not, but since they get ground up I think you would be okay doing that.
This is the 2nd time making Cucidati, as an adult. Was a yearly occurrence in my Nonna’s home. She made the most tender dough, and seven adoring children made the cookies.The figs should be dried. I have dried fresh figs many times. Don’t use them wet, because it will change the taste. This recipe is much the same,with minor changes. Like using lard instead of shorting..and white wine in the dough…Delicious tender. unfortunately so fattening, but a nicer flavor.
just came across your blog – i don’t really use vegetable shortening – do you think i could substitute either coconut oil or butter? these look amazing!!! =)
These look and sound SO good! I am definitely going to try them.
Oh my goodness I LOOOOOOOOOVE figs!!!! I need to make these ASAP! And I love love love love sprinkles. Can I have some?? Kthanx. :)
I love these cookies!! I’m totally going to have to try making them :)
EVAN — Thanks for the suggestion! That sounds amazing, I will definitely try it next time!
OMG these are sooooo cute! i’m so glad i stumbled across this post! I have to try these!
next time, add chopped dark chocolate and a splash of whiskey! both add a dark kick to it :)
Yes, Evan! This is the way my family makes them!
I saw the pictures before the title and thought to myself: “Why do those perogies have sprinkles on them?”
haha
I don’t think sprinkled perogies would be my thing, but they sound really lovely as cookies though.
My favorite cookies are the ones my Dad brings home from the North End, but never has he brought home a fig-filled one. I can’t wait to try these, figs are my favorite, and Fig Newtons – I could eat the whole package. Thanks for sharing!
Oh! I love that you made these! Just this past weekend I discovered this little show on YouTube about this 93 year old little Italian great grandmother, Clara. She has several little episodes about making good food from the Great Depression. One of the episodes is totally devoted to making these cookies! I’ve wanted to make them ever since.
I can imagine how great your house must have smelled when you made these. They look spectacular!
First of all, I love the sprinkles. There is something so happy about rainbow sprinkles. Secondly, these cookies look amazing. What an intriguingly delicious filling!! I can’t wait to try these little pillows.
Oooh, what tasty cookies. I love the fun sprinkles too!
These look so fun and absolutely delish!
Thanks for sharing.. can’t wait to try these! I love figs!
do you sell cucidati other than at Christmas time and will you ship out of town.
thanks.
I actually do not sell or ship any of the baked goods that I make.