Italian, Christmas cookie, round, chocolate and spicy. The smell always gets me charged for the holidays. The taste puts you in heaven.
I made these for Christmas, and my family raved over them. My boyfriend's Italian mother said that they are the same cookies her old Italian aunts make for wedding spreads. She gave me a tip, that adding a bit of red food dye to the frosting will give it a shinier appearance. Other than that, these cookies tasted perfect, they'll definitely be made again next year.
Read MoreThey are OK. Not a family favorite by any means. I looked all over for a chocolate spice cookie recipe. Guess this was not what I expected.
Read MoreI made these for Christmas, and my family raved over them. My boyfriend's Italian mother said that they are the same cookies her old Italian aunts make for wedding spreads. She gave me a tip, that adding a bit of red food dye to the frosting will give it a shinier appearance. Other than that, these cookies tasted perfect, they'll definitely be made again next year.
This Christmas cookie is my favorite and I got the recipe from my mother-in-law. The only difference is hers is chock full of things- nuts, mini chips and raisins. They are awesome. We finish them with frosty white glaze and optional red berry sprinkles or dried cherries. I double the recipe and always use shortening instead of butter. Be prepared to get your hands in this batter to mix it!
I liked these cookies, they are different BUT I didn't like the 'adjusting it with either the flour or milk' once the dough was mixed. I had to adjust a few times and it was messy. I decided to not do the glaze just put them in a ziplock bag with powdered sugar. They were awesome after that. The sugar helped offset the chocolate.
Thank you thank you thank you. I have been searching for this recipe for years. These are hands down my absolute favorite cookies in the world. My Sicilian Nana has been making these every Christmas since I was a little girl and I never knew what their real name was, so I had nowhere to begin to look for the recipe. I have to admit, I'm not crazy about "meatball cookies" as a name, but the cookie is perfect. I followed the recipe exactly and refrigerated the dough overnight. 10 minutes in my oven was perfect, and don't skimp on the glaze! Thanks again, I am so excited to have found this recipe.
I absolutely LOVE this recipe. I made them at Christmas time and stuck most of them in the freezer for myself and put very few of them on the Christmas cookie trays I made for people. Wonderful combination of chocolate and spice!
This was a big hit at my office. Next time I will not put as much of each spice in. The cookie was even better after a few days
YUM! My husband devoured these and he doesn't like sweets. I only made half the glaze recipe and used 1 cup chocolate chips instead of 1 cup of nuts. Dough very easy to handle!
i have been looking for this recipe for some time, they are very good ,everyone asked for the recipe.
Perfect for te holidays. I refrigerated the dough for easy handling. I think they would be great dipped in melted chocolate instead of the glaze. Athena
I made these last year for Christmas. I make lots of cookies and this year I will make these first, when kept chilled the flavor only gets better over time. If you plan on making a whole bunch of cookies do these ones earlier and let the flavor build.
They are OK. Not a family favorite by any means. I looked all over for a chocolate spice cookie recipe. Guess this was not what I expected.
These were delicious! I was looking for a way to combine cloves and chocolate, and this recipe hit the spot. I replaced the walnuts with milk chocolate chips but otherwise followed the recipe as written.
I have eaten these cookies most of my life or as much of it as I can remember. My family adds a jigger of whiskey to them. Maybe it is the Irish in us. We call them Chocolate Italian Cookies and make all year long. They are great.
These were very tasty and fairly easy to make once I got the dough to the right consistency. I did not have ground cloves or the all spice, I added extra nutmeg, ginger, and cinnamon to try and make up for the cloves. They came out great. When glazing the cookies I gave up on using a teaspoon to spoon it over the cookies, I just started dipping the cookies right in the glaze ended up being much easier. My Italian mom has been making these for years and she said mine were very good. Thanks for the recipe!
These are so yummy and fairly easy to make. My daughter enjoyed rolling the dough into balls. The spice and chocolate compliment each other well. I didn't use the glaze, instead I sprinkled them with powdered sugar as soon as they came out of the oven. They look and taste great!
These were in my grandma's recipe box which I didn't have with me after my move. I was glad I found it here. I added chocolate chips and raisins which was in my grandma's recipe. The combo of spices is what adds sophistication to this cookie. I rolled half the batch in the chocolate glaze and half in confectioner's sugar (also in grandma's recipe). Now that I think of it, you can put half and half on one cookie and make it really fancy! This chocolate glaze is simple and can be applied to other cookies.
I really did not care for the flavor of these cookies. I thought the chocolate and spice would be a nice change, but it didn't jive with anybody who tried them. I tried one right out of the oven (they smell really good) and was really disappointed. I thought it would be better once I frosted it, but it only improved a little. I don't think I will make these again.
Delicious Italian style soft cookie. Love the spice and chocolate combination. Very sophisticated taste. The cookie itself is not sugary sweet therefore the glaze, in my opinion, is a must to bring it all together. I made half the glaze called for and had plenty. The glaze is nice and thick and I used the back of a spoon to spread it on the top portion of my cookies. The directions are perfect, follow them and you should not have any problems. I cooked my cookies for 10 minutes and was very pleased with the end result. Cookies are even better the next day when flavors have time to meld into one another. I stored them in a well sealed container and kept in a cool place (it's cold here in NJ this time of year so I have them in the garage in one of the cabinets). Thank you Sheri for sharing this wonderful recipe.
These were called "Tutu's", or Doo doos" as my dad used to call them, Nana's best and my favorites growing up also!
Meh, these were just ok. The dough was slightly tough to work with, and the recipe calls for way too much glaze - half will do. I thought I'd be making 30 larger cookies, given the "serving size" but in fact wound up with about 65 cookies. Like someone else said, you'd expect a sweet cookie judging by how they look, but they're not. Flavour was nothing to write home about- the spices and chocolate surprisingly didn't complement one another. I don't know, maybe I'll bring these over to an Italian friend to see if they like them! I'm hoping these are a nice pairing with a good coffee. They DO look super cute, though. Thanks for the recipe!
I grew up eating these cookies baked by an Italian neighbor and have been trying to find a recipe for years. I knew that the recipes included cinnamon and some other spices that I could tase just a hint of. I made a batch of these according to the recipe and had to start over. I found the spice quantities to be over powering. However, with the second batch, I cut the spice quantities in half and they seemed much better. Overall, once I made the adjustments, the cookies were a hit; easy to prepare and delicious!
These cookies are very similar to a traditional southern Italian Christmas cookie. The chocolate is subtle and the spice is not overpowering. I did not have walnuts, so I substituted pecans. I really didn't have to adjust the dough and I did not refrigerate it before rolling into small balls. They baked perfectly in 10 minutes and were moist and tender. Will definitely make these again.
I followed the recipe exactly, but decided to add 1 cup of mini chocolate chips. They were magnificent! Needed to work the dough with my hands. Rolled into about one inch balls, and made about 70 cookies. I halved the glaze recipe (as someone suggested) and ran out with about 12 cookies left to glaze, so I whipped up a little more. They taste like authentic italian cookies. Delicious and beautiful on the tray.
Absolutely the best cookie ever! I made this at Christmas time for my fiance and he LOVED them, said they tasted just like the ones his Mom made. Everyone devoured them. Definately going to be making this cookie again.
Very easy and yummy! But next time I will cut the glaze in half. there was way too much left over. Such a waste.
Amazing Cookie!! My boyfriend wanted to be adventurous so we added a plash of Amaretto to the dough and countered the moisture with flour, no measurements, just went by feel. Then made my own glaze/frosting and added a splash of amaretto, and WOW. He took them to work xmas eve, we'll see what the reviews are this afternoon.
Well, this recipe is my new alternative to make chocolate cookie which all started look the same. I doubled the ground clove and add 6 tbsp honey, plus refrigerate it for a night to make the dough more stiff. The flavour is unique and it smells good. I also used chocolate icing, but decide it taste better without the icing. Thank for this recipe. =)
I tried this for the first time this week.True to the name the cookies look like meatballs :). They are very tasty, a bit different because of the chocolate and spice combination. My husband and my family say the recipie is a keeper! I might add more cinnamon when I make them again. we like cinnamon.
These cookies were very quick and easy to make, not to mention absolutely delicious. Perfect combination of the sweet from the chocolate and the spicy from the cinnamon, cloves, allspice and nutmeg. They melt in your mouth!
Very unique flavor. I would suggest eating these cookies as soon as possible becasue they don't freeze well and the flavor diminishes with time. Instead of making a glaze, I simply brushed them with melted chocolate chips and that turned out well.
Made these 3 days ago and they're almost gone! So amazing and very moist. I did a confect. sugar, milk and vanilla frosting that I coated the entire cookie w/ and it was soooo good!!
Excellent cookie for Christmas or special occasion! Just like pizzette only easier and fun to make!
These were pretty good!! I added 1c. splenda and 1/2 c. sugar. I had to add milk to the mix while adding the flour, the dough was too dry, but it all turned out great! I used a small melon baller dipped in flour to make the "balls" and for the frosting I used approx. 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 large tbsp. cocoa powder and 1 tsp. chocolate syrup and 1 large tbsp. strawberries and cream frosting, and enough milk to make it runny. I put it in a ziploc bag, snipped off the corner and drizzled the "balls" with the frosting. They tasted like chocolate covered stawberries!! Yummy!!!
We always had these for holidays. In our family they were called Italian Pepper Cookies. The very SPECIAL ingredient was black pepper. Usually a Tablespoon but this varied with taste.
Simply excellent. We ate the whole batch in one sitting. Be very craeful not to overcook, ten minutes was all miine needed.
Excellent combination of chocolate and spices. They absolutely melt in your mouth! Dough was very easy to work with. I made them a little on the smaller side so they would look a little dantier and they looked absolutely wonderful. I will definately be making these again. Excellent recipe!
These were just ok. I won't be making them again. I think the flavors just didn't go very well together.
My Italian grandma used to make these cookies all year round. This is exactly the taste we remembered! I made a batch and surprised my dad on his birthday. He hadn't had them in many years and they met with his approval! Thank you for this recipe!
This is a great recipe for my favorite Christmas cookie--it brings back wonderful childhood memories. I remembered the flavor of theses cookies but I didn't know what they were called, so I had a difficult time finding a recipe. Imagine my surprise when I stumbled across the "Meatball Cookies" recipe!? Everyone laughs when I tell them the name, but they look so pretty that they try them anyway. I have made this recipe every year since finding it here and it is always a hit. If you like spices, you will LOVE this recipe.
I already have a lot of excellent Christmas cookie recipes so really didn't need another, but I wanted something different and this is it. I made it twice last year and they disappeared. Will be making them every year now. They're easy to make and taste great following the recipe as written.
These smell like Christmas as they're baking. The taste is unique; the spices compliment the cocoa and vice versa. I shared these with my co-workers and several of them requested the recipe. If spicy flavors aren't your thing, find a traditional chocolate cookie. Otherwise, try something new and different, like I did, and hopefully be pleasantly surprised.
I too grew up on this recipe! I hadn't had these cookies in years until I found the recipe here. Now my grandchildren are enjoying these cookies. Thanks
OH MY GOD!!! I HAVE BEEN LOOKING EVERYWHERE FOR THIS RECIPE. I WAS LACKING 3 INGREDIENTS NUTMEG, ALLSPICE AND CINN. BRINGS BACK GREAT CHILDHOOD MEMORIES. THANKS A BUNCH MY FAMILY IS FINALLY HAPPY!!!
This was the 1st time I made this cookies, but it won't be the last. I cooked for exactly 10 min., and they were nice and soft on the inside. A nice spiciness, but not too strong. I loved these cookies - but several people I shared them with did not (the spiciness).
Excellent! These cookies are my trademark, and this recipe is as good as mine! :-) My recipe's slightly different though (oil, not butter, different measurements, white icing...) but the cookies are extremely similar and absolutely wonderful.
They tasted good but everyone thought they were gingerbread cookies. I might make them again if I get the chance. They smelled awesome! I'm going to make them again this year just because they smelled so good.
Very good cookies, my first real taste of spiced chocolate baked goods. Definitely worth a try if you're willing to experiment with something a little different.
tasted great! but too much frosting! I wasted most of it :( a shame to waste something so delicious...
good cookies. without the icing, they're pretty spicy. with the icing, they taste more chocolate-y.
THese are ok. I won't make them again. The frosting is too much. The cookie itself it too spicy. The chocolate taste funny with the spices. Nothing is really meshing well here. My husband isn't excited he has to help me get rid of them. He would much rather eat the other cookies I made.
My mother and I have been searchng for this recipe for years! Thank the Lord fo the internet! This recipe was just like our family has made for generations. Wonderful cookie! You wontbe dissapointed!! Ciao
These cookies were wonderful! I added about 2 oz of whiskey to the batch and baked them. Fantastic!!
I made these when I was a teen and lost the recipe. They turned out great but I made a few adjustments. Decease the salt to 1/4 teaspoon. I found 1 teaspoon was too salty! Also I frosted the cookies with 1/2 cup milk and 3 tablespoons of milk. I prefer a white icing. Thanks for the recipe.
I really didn't care for these cookies. I was hoping for more of a chocolatey, fudgy cookie. All I could taste was cloves. They did look pretty, though. I used red and green jimmys instead of colored sprinkles. I probably won't make these again.
What a wonderful cookie! I made 3 batches--one for home, one for holiday gift boxes and one to freeze. They were a big hit with everyone! The combination of the chocolate and the spices is delicious. A great cookie with afternoon tea!
I almost didn't try this recipe due to the name, but once I saw the ingredients I realized it was probably the recipe I had hoped to find. I was looking for an Italian chocolate spice cookie one of grandmother's neighbors made when I was a child. I think this is actually better; at least it is more moist than I remember. Those I had way back when were not frosted, but dipped in a 10X sugar glaze and set out to dry before storing. That's what I did, and they were tremendous. My (very Italian) mom loved them, as did my picky Irish husband.
This recipe is really good. It reminds me of chocolate gingerbread. I made smaller balls and baked them for seven minutes due to the size difference. After they had cooled I drizzled them with melted semi-sweet chocolate rather than what the recipe says and it turned out awesome. :)
i think i'm one of the first to give this a bad review. no one seemed to care for these at all unfortunetly. probably just not our thing. sorry!.
Incredible! Totally authentic and perfect for dunking (coffee NOT milk, please). I will certainly be adding these to my list of favorites.
These are quite good! The dough was very easy to work with, and the spices are nice. I felt that the chocolate taste was a bit muted, but these are very good nonetheless! The glaze was a nice touch too.
I was looking for a recipe that was like an old italian friend had made. This was it. It reminded me of holidays past. I didn't use all the amounts of spices and now i wished I had. My husband remembers these from when his mother made them. He just loved them. Thanks again, very good, Karen
Recieved many compliments by those who tried it and was a favorite on my cookie tray. Both my grandfather and sister could not stay away and my grandfather asked to keep the leftovers.
Awesome recipe, had never been a fan of the chocolate Italian cookie.....till I made these, don't change anything.
These bring back fond memories from my childhood. Perfect amount of spices. I had no nuts on hand, so I subbed milk chocolate chips. Fabulous! The second batch I did half choc. chips and half chopped walnuts: also fabulous! Thanks to the reviewer who mentioned adding a few drops of red food coloring for extra shine.
Yummy! We used mini chic chips instead of nuts and made the glaze. They were fantastic! A mix between the taste of gingerbread and chocolate. Thanks for the recipe! UPDATED: This is still our favorite holiday cookie to make, give and have. Love these!
Yummy! I made these for a cookie exchange and everyone loved them! Followed the recipe just about to a tee. I did add about 1/4 cup golden raisins and about a 1/3 cup tiny chocolate chips. I did have a little bit of a tough time with the dough. I added about a tablespoon of milk because it was too thick and I thought my hand mixer was going to overheat! But after the addition of the milk it got a bit too sticky, so I added a tablespoon or so of flour. I ended up using my floured hands to mix the dough, but my hands were caked. I did the best I could. I covered the bowl and stored in the fridge for 2 days. That made all the difference. It was so easy to handle. The smell of these cookies baking with all those spices was devine!! You'll love these!
Delicious and Easy. I loved the flavor combination. I followed the recipe to the letter and they came out beautifully. This is a keeper
Just as I remember!! Grew up making these with my Dad every Christmas!! Since he has passed iv lost his recie so glad to of found this one!!! These are perfect!
Made the exact cookie recipe using butter, they turned out great! You should definitely give this recipe a try if you like spice cookies. I did cut the recipe for the glaze in half and still has plenty. Thanks for the yummy cookie :).
The flavor is just like my grandma's but this recipe is more cake-like. It also is missing the chocolate chips that my grandma used to add. I didn't remember them until I bit into a cookie and realized it was missing something. Next time I would add 4 oz of chocolate chips.
awesome cookies, took slightly longer in the oven. They are simple to make, but may take more than one go to really master. Important tip: melt the butter! it may seem obvious but it isn't written and it kinda messed thing up for me.
My husband and I traveled through Italy this fall, so I wanted to add an Italian cookie to my trays this Christmas. Hit the jackpot with this recipe. With every bite we relived our time in Italy. The best was Christmas Eve when we indulged in the Panforte that we had brought home from Siena. One bite and we said "This tastes just like your Italian cookie." Must admit I don't like the name Meatball cookie, but the taste is superb, This delight will grace my Christmas cookie trays for years to come. Oh, I made it exactly by the recipe. Made again this year but switched to the vanilla glaze found in all recipes. Find the glaze with recipe way to runny.
So good! I love it I made it for a project and got A+. The chocolate compliments the spices nicely.
This recipe is great just as it is! I grew up with these every Christmas and my mother left us before I could get her recipe, so I feel grateful that you decided to post this- I add chopped maraschino cherries and raisins with the nuts like my mother use to make (left out the citron as I always picked it out of the cookies as a child because I never liked it.)Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! Yes, now I am feeling like it's Christmas time!
The cookies are good if you proceed with some common sense. There are many things about this recipe that are terrible. 1) First the ingredient list. The ingredients should be listed in the order that you use them. 2) The amount of spices is too high. I cut them in half. 3) The quantity of glaze is excessive. I used 2 cups of confectioners sugar and had glaze left over. 4) The direction about adding more flour or some milk is goofy. I know from experience that if it's wintertime and the heat is on in my house (forced hot air), the house will be very dry and I need to cut back on the flour in a recipe. I used 2 1/2 cups of flour and it was fine. 5) The first instruction is to preheat the oven. No. You will be refrigerating the dough for 1 hour. I preheated the oven when I took the dough out of the fridge.
I really liked this recipe, the contrast between spice and sweet is really tasteful.
What a great recipe. A blast from the past, authentic italian chocolate cookies I remember from Christmas as a child. I added Ghiradelli Chips (about a cup) and instead of a heavy frosting, just drizzled some glaze with confetti (see pic). Wonderful!!
We tried a single batch of these to test them out to see if we wanted to include these with our Christmas cookie trays this year. It was rated so highly that we thought we would give it a try. The dough came together nicely and smelled great, but the flavor of the baked cookie was not one that we enjoyed. We will not be making these again.
These were delicious but I grew up on these Italian cookies and was happy to find this recipe. They are just what I remembered.
These cookies are so delicious. My husband ate four of them and said they were the best cookies I have ever made. I did cut the spices back by 1/2. Was afraid to use the whole amount. They have a wonderful flavor. I did add a little butter to the glaze and it was a perfect topping for the cookie. Thanks for sharing your recipe Sheri.
AMAZING, I grew up on these cookies!!!
