Piparelli Biscotti
These spicy Italian Piparelli Biscotti are among the best biscotti I have tasted in quite a while.
Perfectly firm and crunchy, these cookies don’t fall apart when dunked into your tea or coffee. Not to mention that the warm dunking brings to life the aroma and flavour of the spices.
You will also love my Italian Peach Cookies, which taste amazing and look so cute!
What to dunk in?
I’ve been dunking away since I was a small child, probably a toddler. Dunking cookies in a milky cup of tea is one of my first childhood memories. Today, I enjoy dunking these Piparelli biscotti in a little glass of liqueur like Vin Santo. In fact, I’ve never stopped dunking. Are you a dunker? What do you like to dunk, and what’s your liquid of choice?
About these Piparelli Cookies
Piparelli cookies are favoured in Messina, Sicily, during Lent when Catholics are supposed to make a sacrifice or give something up. These cookies have very little fat and only use egg whites, but they are so delicious that they can be found year round. I first came across Piparelli when a wonderful Sicilian baker and his wife opened up a Pasticceria in our northern Australian town. While Massimo baked amazing delights, these Piparelli remained my favourites. Of course, feel free to omit the candied orange peel if you don’t like it or adjust the spices. Be sure to cut the Pipparelli thinner than the usual cantucci biscotti, or the result will be too hard.
Even though this is the last week of Lent, Piparelli can be baked anytime. And as with all biscotti (twice-baked cookies), Piparelli will store well. What are you going to dunk your Piparelli into?
Made this recipe?
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Piparelli Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons (2oz/56 g) unsalted butter, softened See Note 1
- ¼ cup brown sugar packed firmly
- 1 cup honey
- 2 egg whites kept separate
- 3 cups (375 g) all purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper or to taste
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped candied orange peel
- 1 cup unblanched almonds coarsely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375ºF (180ºC) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Using a stand mixer or by hand, beat butter with brown sugar and honey. Add one egg white and mix well.
- Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves and pepper. Stir into butter mixture until combined and no longer sticky. Mix in orange peel and almonds.
- Turn onto floured surface. Knead briefly and lightly.
- Divide the dough into 3 even portions. Form into logs about 8 inches/20cm long and 1 inch/2.5cm thick. Place on the prepared baking sheet, allowing room to spread a little. Beat the remaining egg white a little, then use it to brush the tops of the logs.
- Bake in preheated oven 25 minutes or until firm to touch.
- Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325ºF (160ºC).
- Cut the logs into thin slices (between ⅛ – ¼ inch thick ) and lay on baking sheets.
- Return to oven for 15-20 minutes to dry out. They will crisp as they cool so don’t overbake them.
- Cool on wire rack.
Notes
- Substitute lard for the traditional variation.
Nutritional Estimate Per Serving
Nutritional Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. For accurate results, it is recommended that the nutritional information be calculated based on the ingredients and brands you use.
Thanks love you recipe so much thank you Raffaela
I’m happy to hear the you love the recipe, Raffaela!
Will try these … I have an old 80+ year old recipe book from a NYC Italian Baker with this recipe… no butter … lard / strutto…. frankly; I’ll go with the butter.
The venerable bakery in Manhattan, Veniro’s, used to make these hard honey, spiced, almond biscotti… I love them… definitely a Sicillian biscotti.
Buon Natale
My piparelli recipe uses butter. Buon Natale!
Just to let you know that my mom used to make these when I was a little girl, she used hazelnuts instead of almonds and she would put them in the freezer before Christmas. I’m so happy to have found this recipe and thank you so much for making me smile of the happy memories of my childhood.
Debby, I’m glad to have been able to recreate these memories for you.
How much cinnamon?
The full quantities are in the recipe card. You’ll need 1 1/2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon. Here is the direct link for the recipe card https://www.marcellinaincucina.com/these-piparelli-cookies-are-perfect-for-dunking/#recipe
I think this is a really good-looking dessert but, it not what I’m looking for All I need is the recipe.
Are you looking for the recipe for Piparelli Biscotti? You would have scrolled past it to post this comment or you can simple click on the “jump to the recipe” button at the top as with any of my recipes. Here’s the direct link to the recipe if you’re still looking for it https://www.marcellinaincucina.com/these-piparelli-cookies-are-perfect-for-dunking/#recipe
Just made the piparelli cookies. How do I store them. Can I use a cookie tin? I also have a glass dome for cakes. Can I use that?
Thanks Margaret
Hi Margaret! Yes, store them in the cookie tin. Probably not the glass dome because it wouldn’t seal as well. But then again if you’re not in a very humid area that wouldn’t be a problem. Enjoy xx
My husband and I made these today. They are wonderful. Every ingredient pops out pleasantly. Can’t wait to share with my my family. Thank you for the recipe.
So glad you enjoyed them, Margaret!
While I’m not a dunker, I do know that I would really enjoy these in the morning with a cup of tea or in the evening with an after dinner drink.
Karen, these are perfect with a wine after dinner!
I had never heard of piparelli, but you can bet I’ll be making them, with the candied orange peel. I’m off to Sicily next month too, so I’ll look for them there as well.
Oh Linda, how exciting! I think piparelli in Sicily would be amazing!
These are simply wonderful! I have never made Piparelli. Che bonta’ and beautiful photography! Thank you Marcellina.
Thank you Alida! Massimo made the best Piparelli but this recipe is good too!
Oh my! These have my name on them… they look so good! I have pinned to make. Thanks for sharing Marcellina
I thought of you when I made them,Maria!
These are so pretty. I guess their name refers to the fact that they are a specific Sicilian recipe? But they’re also considered biscotti? I really need to go to Sicily. My real father is from there!
Really? You must go! There is something special about going back to your roots, Mimi.