Santa Lucia shortbread cookies are very simple shortcrust biscuits, prepared specifically for December 13th to celebrate the feast of Saint Lucia. This tradition is especially typical of Veneto and the city of Verona, where the devotion to the Saint is very strong. While documenting myself about the recipe, I found several versions… I propose this one, with an easy-to-make dough that is simple to roll out with a rolling pin. The cookies have a simple and genuine flavor, and you can cut them into any shape you prefer, as long as it is Christmas-themed. Try these delicious treats, they are also perfect to prepare with children!
Here are some other delicious ideas:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 50Pieces
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Regional Italian
- Region: Veneto
- Seasonality: Saint Lucia, Christmas
- Energy 92.59 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 11.45 (g) of which sugars 4.45 (g)
- Proteins 1.49 (g)
- Fat 4.80 (g) of which saturated 2.99 (g)of which unsaturated 1.75 (g)
- Fibers 0.22 (g)
- Sodium 19.02 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 20 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup butter (softened)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- lemon zest
- vanilla essence (to taste)
- 1 pinch salt
- powdered sugar
Tools
- Stand Mixer
- Rolling Pin
- Cookie Cutters for cookies
- Baking Trays
- Parchment Paper
If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can knead by hand or with the help of a food processor.
Preparation
Put the butter (softened at room temperature), sugar, grated zest of half a lemon, and a teaspoon of vanilla essence (to taste) into the bowl of the stand mixer.
Mix with the paddle attachment until you get a cream.
Add the whole egg, egg yolk, and a pinch of salt. Blend for a few seconds.
Then add the sifted flour and knead until you get a smooth and soft dough that detaches well from the sides.
If kneading by hand, you can mix the cold butter directly with the flour, aromas, and sugar, then add the eggs.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least an hour (but if you have time, I recommend leaving it longer, if kneading in the evening, even until the next day).
After the time has passed, roll out the dough with a rolling pin to a thickness of 1/4 inch. Use a little flour if necessary.
Cut out the cookies with Christmas cookie cutters, and place them on the baking trays (1), lined with parchment paper. Re-knead the scraps until the dough is used up.
Bake the cookies in a static oven at 350°F (or 340°F fan) for about 10-11 minutes. They should be just golden on the edges and still a bit soft when you take them out (2).
Cooking times and methods vary greatly from oven to oven, so always keep an eye on the cookies.
Once baked, immediately remove the trays from the oven and let them cool at room temperature.
The Santa Lucia shortbread cookies are ready, sprinkle them with plenty of powdered sugar (3) before serving.
Tips and Notes
I used rather small cookie cutters, getting over 50 cookies, but you can use the shapes you prefer.
Santa Lucia shortbread cookies keep for several days, stored in a tin box or glass jar.
You can add a pinch of baking powder (no more than half a teaspoon) to the dough if you want a softer shortcrust.
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