BONES OF THE DEAD COOKIES-OSSA DI MORTO
Bones of the Dead Cookies-Ossa di Morto are a typical Italian cookie that is hard and crunchy and full of wonderful spices. This is a cookie that varies from region to region to in Italy and is eaten to remember loved ones that have left us on All Soul's Day.
Servings: 3 dozen cookies
Calories: 623kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
- 1 ¼ cup sugar
- 1 egg white lightly beaten with 1 teaspoon of vanilla
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup whole wheat flour
- ½ cup ground almonds
- grated zest of one lemon
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teasoon of ground cloves
- 1-2 Tablespoons Nocino or another Italian liqueur, white wine or even water
- confectioner's sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Line 3 cookie sheets with a parchment paper.
- Cream the butter and sugar. Add in the egg white mixed with the vanilla and beat on medium speed for a minute or two until combined.
- In a small bowl, combine the flour, ground almonds, grated lemon zest and spices.
- Slowly add in the flour mixture and mix until combined, stopping the mixer to scrape the sides of the bowl and combine all the flour.
- Add 1 Tablespoon of the Nocino (or other liqueur or water). Add in more 1 teaspoon at a time if needed until the dough is combined (but not too wet).
- Remove the dough and wrap it in plastic wrap. Let chill for about 30-45 minutes. While dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Lightly flour a clean counter or a pastry board. Cut the dough into 4 parts. Roll the first part of dough into a rope that is about 18 inches long. Cut the rope into two parts. Cut the first section into cookies that are about 3 inches long and about ½ inch thick. Line them up with some space between them on a the first baking tray. Press down a little on the cookie. Continue the process with the other parts of the dough.
- Bake for about 15 minutes or until the edges just start to turn golden brown. Dust with confectioner's sugar.
Notes
- Texture: these are meant to be hard and crisp, not chewy, closer to a bone than a typical cookie.
- Flour: all-purpose flour alone works fine if you would rather skip the whole wheat.
- Storage: airtight container at room temperature, up to 2 weeks, or freeze up to 2 months.
- Nutrition: is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact ingredients used.
Nutrition
Calories: 623kcal | Carbohydrates: 146g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 19mg | Potassium: 160mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 84g | Vitamin A: 4IU | Vitamin C: 0.03mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 4mg