These Italian Chocolate Cookies are so easy to make and your kitchen will be filled with wonderful baking smells!
Blending TWO types of chocolate with the crunchiness of walnuts, these cookies are a must for lovers of chocolate. And a surprising ingredient ensures moist cookies!!
Why you’ll love this recipe
Italian chocolate cookies are rich, lightly spiced and perfect for gift giving. Moist and almost cake-like, these cookies are prettily decorated with white icing and colored sprinkles.
Just like other Italian cookies (think baci di dama, cuccidati, pignoli cookies or Italian peach cookies), these cookies are super flavorful and fun to make and eat!!
Packed with crunchy walnuts and lots of chocolate chips, these Italian chocolate cookies are popular during the holidays but also ideal year round. Make a batch to share today!
For complete ingredient quantities and full instructions, please scroll to the printable recipe card bottom of the page.
Ingredient notes
Here’s what you’ll need.
- all purpose plain flour – nothing fancy here
- superfine (castor) sugar – dissolves much more easily
- cocoa powder – dutch processed for extra dark chocolateyness
- baking powder – to give just the correct amount of rise
- spices – cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg
- eggs, milk and vanilla extract
- walnuts – you’ll want some texture so don’t chop these too fine
- mini dark chocolate chips – or use regular chocolate chips in dark, milk or white
- extra virgin olive oil – the surprising ingredient that add so much moisture and flavor
Plus powdered (icing) sugar with a little bit of milk for the icing. Colored sprinkles are a must!
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350ºF/160ºC and line two large baking trays with non stick baking paper.
- Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, spices and salt.
- Beat eggs. Add sugar and beat until pale then drizzle in olive oil, milk and vanilla.
- Stir in flour mixture in two lots.
- Then add walnuts and mini chocolate chips and mix to combine.
- After resting, form balls and place on lined baking sheet. Bake and cool.
- Combine icing ingredients. Spread a little icing on each cookie and decorate with colored sprinkles.
Tips for success and FAQ’s
To make really good Italian Chocolate Cookies it’s really important not to over-bake otherwise they will be dry. These cookies should be soft and moist.
Use large or extra large eggs and fresh walnuts for best results. And don’t omit the resting – it’s essential for this recipe.
Store at room temperature in an airtight container with non stick or wax paper between the layers for 5 days.
Yes! Freeze in an airtight container for up to one month (possibly longer). When thawing, don’t remove instead thaw cookies completely in the container.
More recipes like this
Cantuccini (Almond Biscotti)
Sponge Fingers (Savoiardi)
Gingerbread Pizzelle
Italian Anise Cookies
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This updated recipe was first published on June 25, 2012.
Italian Chocolate Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 2⅓ cups all (plain) purpose flour
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup milk
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup walnuts chopped medium fine
- 1 cup mini choc chips
Icing
- 1½ cups powdered (icing) sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk more if necessary
- sprinkles for decorating
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF/160ºC and line two large baking trays with non stick baking paper.
- Whisk (or sieve) together flour, cocoa, baking powder, spices and salt.
- With a whisk attachment on the an electric mixer beat together eggs until frothy then slowly add sugar. Beat until pale and thick.
- Slowly drizzle in the olive oil followed by milk and vanilla.
- Using a wooden spoon, add the flour mixture in two lots, stirring until smooth. Stir through the walnuts and mini choc chips. The dough will be soft and sticky. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rest for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Take rounded teaspoonsful of the dough and roll between your palms into a ball. Place the balls on the prepared trays allowing room for spreading and rising.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes. Don't over bake – these are meant to be soft and moist. The cookies will rise and form a few cracks. Cool on the trays for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool.
- Spread a small amount of icing on each cookie and decorate with coloured sprinkles. Allow icing to set before serving or storing.
Icing
- If the sugar has lumps, sieve before using.
- Mix the powdered (icing) sugar and milk together to form a thick but spreadable icing. Add more milk if needed.
Notes
- it’s really important not to over-bake otherwise they will be dry. These cookies should be soft and moist.
- use large or extra large eggs
- fresh walnuts for best results
- be sure to rest the dough before forming cookies and baking
angiesrecipes
I love chunky tall look of these chocolate cookies. The icing and sprinkles make them even more tempting.
Ciao Chow Linda
I always thought these cookies were Sicilian or from Calabria. I grew up eating something very similar and they're on my blog as Italian Christmas "brownies."
Cakelaw
These cookies look marvellous.
Pam
Those would be very dangerous for me… they look amazing!
mireia badia
Nice!!!! I had never heard of such cookies!!
Deeba PAB
These would disappear in a heartbeat. Love love love the icing.
simple baking
OMG these are exquisite! Perfect companion to a hot mug of coffee.