Chestnut Easter Cookies: rustic sweetness shaped like a bell.
When we think of Easter sweets, our minds immediately go to large leavened breads, but there is also room for small pastries, the kind to nibble during an afternoon tea or to give away in pretty clear bags.
The Easter cookies I propose today do not come from an ancient regional tradition, but from one of my kitchen experiments: I wanted shortbread cookies with a distinct character and a unique flavor, capable of standing out from the usual shortcrust.
For this recipe I decided to “dare” by adding a portion of chestnut flour to the classic flour.
I know well that it is not a typically spring flour, but its natural sweetness and slightly toasted aftertaste are perfect for creating unexpectedly successful cookies.
The result was surprising: an aromatic shortcrust, warm in color, that melts in your mouth and won everyone over at the first bite.
Chestnut flour is a precious ingredient that we often leave forgotten in the pantry after making castagnaccio.
One of my personal tricks? Since it is a delicate flour, I always store leftovers in the freezer.
This way it stays very fresh, doesn’t risk going rancid or expiring, and is always ready to be “dared” in new recipes like this one!
If you don’t have it at home, don’t give up these cookies: you can easily make them with classic “type 0” flour or a mix of flours as you prefer.
The convenience of these bell-shaped cookies is that they can be prepared well in advance.
They keep very well for many days in a tin box, maintaining their fragrance.
Decorated with little stars or colored sprinkles, as you see in the photo, they immediately bring Easter cheer to the table.
I’m sure that if you try them once, they will become a “must” and you’ll make them again soon… try and see!
Put on your apron and let me know if your guests are also enchanted by the magical touch of chestnuts!
About 74 kcal per cookie
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 15 Minutes
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Cooking time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 32 cookies
- Cooking methods: Electric oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Easter
Ingredients to make the Easter Cookies
- 1 1/4 cup chestnut flour
- 1 cup type 0 flour (all-purpose)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 egg (medium)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla (liquid)
- 9 tbsp butter (softened (about 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp))
- as needed colored sugar star sprinkles
- edible glue
Tools
- Cookie Cutters Easter
Preparation of the Easter Cookies
Start by putting the egg and the sugar in a bowl, mix well, then add the softened butter and the chestnut flour, mixing everything thoroughly.
Add the vanilla, the baking powder, the type 0 flour and finish the dough as much as possible in the bowl, then complete it on a work surface, kneading until you form a homogeneous ball.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes.
After the resting time, roll out the dough with a rolling pin to a thickness not too thin.
Cut out bells or other Easter-themed shapes using the appropriate cutter.
Then transfer the cut cookies to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake in a preheated oven at 356°F for about 11-12 minutes.
Once baked, remove from the oven and let them cool a little, then put a small drop of edible glue where you want to place the stars and press them into place.
Let them dry for a few minutes and serve.
Decoration: If you want to make them even more indulgent, you can dip half of each bell in melted dark chocolate after baking.
The chocolate-chestnut combination is unbeatable!
Gift idea: Pack 5 or 6 cookies in a bag with a colored ribbon and a sprig of olive: it will be a handmade and much-appreciated Easter gift.
If you like, you can also take inspiration from my Easter collection
Sweet recipes for Easter
