Italian Fig Cookies (Cuccidati)

Ring in the holidays with these traditional Italian Fig Cookies (also “Cuccidati,” in Italian). These decadent, tender, sweet fruit-filled cookies are drizzled with a lemon glaze and traditional holiday sprinkles. Perfetto!

What Are Cuccidati?

Italian Fig Cookies, aka Cucidati, are deliciously moist, tender, and sweet fruit- and nut-filled cookies. The filling generally consists of some combination of walnuts, dates, figs, honey, spices and orange or apricot jam.

The pastry is rolled around the filling, and those rolls of fruity, buttery dough are then either baked whole and then sliced into individual cookies when they’re finished baking and still warm from the oven, or they’re cut into short tubes before they’re baked. They’re finished off with a sweet lemon glaze and traditional holiday nonpareils, or sprinkles.

In other words, they’re basically the O.G. Fig Newtown cookie, but MUCH better homemade than what you can buy at the grocery store. In fact, most Italians would roar with laughter at the thought of comparing their beloved Cuccidati to the overly processed, Americanized Fig Newton. There’s just no comparison, really. This homemade version wins every time!

The unique flavor of these Italian Fig Cookies is like any other with its spicy, aromatic, fruity filling and simple vanilla sugar cookie dough. This recipe is a must-bake for your holiday table!

Where Do Cuccidati Originate From?

Cuccidati are said to have originated hundreds of years ago in southern Italy and Sicily, particularly in the Palermo region, where there is a strong Arab influence. They’re often made with figs, dates, and raisins — all of which were first introduced by the Arabic people who lived on the island — and served at Christmastime.

These special holiday pastries are beloved by Italians and Italian descendants, so much so that Chicago hosts its own annual Cuccidati Festival.

Cuccidati goes by many names, depending on who’s making them. Some include the following:

• Cucidati
• Cucciddati
• Buccellati
• Italian Fig Cookies
• Sicilian fig cookies
• Christmas Fig Cookies
• Traditional Sicilian Cookies
• Italian Date Cookies
• Buccellato

Key Ingredients for Homemade Italian Fig Cookie Dough

With notes of citrus from fresh orange juice and lemon zest, the unique and richly spiced filling is wrapped inside a buttery vanilla sugar cookie dough that is then baked in strips and sliced into individual cookies when warm from the oven. This method truly couldn’t be easier! Once fully cooled, the cookies are drizzled with a lemon glaze and traditional holiday sprinkles.

• Flour: All-purpose flour keeps these cookies thick surprisingly light with a good bite before hitting the fruity center.
• Baking Powder: This is the leavening agent that helps the cookie fluff up and not spread out across the hot baking sheet.
• Salt: Just a pinch helps balance out the sweetness of these cookies.
• Shortening: Margarine or lard would also work in this recipe.
• Granulated sugar: Opt for white granulated sugar over light or dark brown sugar to not affect the color of the cookies and keep the sweet flavors light as to not compete with the fruit filling.
• Eggs: This recipe calls for four eggs total, which help the cookies rise and offer a rich flavor that compliments the rest of the ingredients.
• Grated orange peel: You can’t have Cucidati without citrus! The oils from the orange peel offer bright pops of flavor in the cookies that pair perfectly with the fruit filling.
• Milk: There aren’t many cookie recipes that call for milk in the dough, but this one does. It helps get the dough to the consistency we’re looking for, and offers a pleasant hint of dairy flavor.

Key Ingredients for Homemade Cuccidati Filling

The jammy, sweet filling in these Italian Fig Cookies is made by rehydrating the raisins and dried figs in hot water for approx. 10 minutes. Then, drain and puree them with all of the other ingredients — .dark chocolate, marsala wine, rum, orange zest, and cinnamon. Fold in the chopped at the end and voila! The figgy filling is complete.

And the best part of this filling? You don’t have to cook it! That’s right, just combine the ingredients in your food processor, and you’re done!

Here’s a breakdown of the cuccidati ingredients:

• Dried Figs: Figs are crucial for homemade cuccidati. After all, they’re Italian Fig Cookies! They offer a bright, deep, fruit, sweet flavor that has made this dish famous.
• Raisins: A crucial ingredient for Italian Fig Cookies that people don’t often think of it raisins. They’re cheap and plentiful, and when rehydrated and combined with the figs create a sweet, jam-like filling.
• Dark chocolate chips: These are folded into the pureed fruit along with the other ingredients. The bittersweetness works brilliantly with the super sweet fruit and spices.
• Nuts:  Almonds, hazelnuts, or mixture of the two will do.
• Marsala wine:  This is optional if serving the cookies to children, but great for sticking to the original Italian tradition.
• Rum: Also optional, but preferred for this recipe. It works great with the marsala wine. Just two tablespoons does the trick!
• Orange: But only the zest! This compliments the sweet ingredients and the zest in the sugar cookie dough.
• Cinnamon (not shown below): Only half of a teaspoon makes a big difference in this recipe!

How To Make Homemade Italian Fig Cookies

• Mix the dough, knead the dough, slice, and form into logs
• Place logs of dough into a plastic bag and refrigerate while you make the filling

• After the filling has been made, roll the dough out to approximately 24 inches by 6 to 8 inches wide on a well floured surface.
• Using a tablespoon, fill the center of each strip of dough with the filling, making a long line of filling.
• Enclose the filling by folding over the dough and then gently roll the log and slice into cookies.
• Place cookies on a parchment or silicone lined baking sheet and bake until very lightly golden.
• Cool cookies and decorate with icing and sprinkles.

How To Store Cuccidati

• Storage: These cookies are best when eaten fresh. Keep leftovers in an airtight container on your counter at room temperature for no more than two days after baking. If they are not all consumed by Day 2, store in the refrigerator for up to three additional days and allow to come back to room temperature before serving.
• Freezing: Cookies taste best when eaten within a day or two, and refrigerating them isn’t ideal because it can cause them to develop a stale taste or dry out. Cut the recipe in half if you can’t use all the cookies within a few days, or freeze the raw cookie dough logs or cubes and bake as you need it. Wrap them well with plastic and use them within one month. Allow them to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking them. Don’t thaw them before baking.

Tips for Success

• Completely cool the fruit filling mixture before spreading it on the strips of tender vanilla cookie dough. It can get a bit warm when mixing in the food processor, so set aside for a few minutes to ensure it’s completely cooled through. If you spread it while the it’s still hot, you risk melting the butter and sugar in the dough, which would result in a flat or tough cookie.
• You can serve these year-round and top them with festive nonpareil sprinkles like the rainbow variety I went with, but if you’re making these for the holidays, go with the colors of the season. Reds, greens, and whites would pop against the colors of these Italian Fig Cookies!
• Instead of milk for the icing, try a couple tablespoons of the juice from your zested orange, or add zest to the milk and powdered sugar mixture. A little more citrus can’t hurt!

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