The Susamielli are Neapolitan cookies shaped like an S, typical of the Christmas period.

Made with flour, sugar, almonds, and honey, with the addition of pisto (a spice mix based on cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and star anise); I prepared them gluten-free with rice flour.

Many believe that the name Susamiello derives from its shape; actually, the Greek-origin dessert owes its name to the fact that sesame seeds were added to the dough to enhance its flavor, and they were once called “sesamielli.”

In the 1700s, they were born from a dough with giulebbe, a sugar syrup with fruit and flower essences, honey (popularly replaced by cooked wine must prepared with a long cooking), flour, roasted almonds, candied orange peels, cinnamon, cloves, and pepper.

According to tradition, the best ones were made by the nuns of Donna Regina. They were made both in a circular shape and in the shape of an S.

The oldest recipe for susamielli is contained in the 1788 recipe book by Vincenzo Corrado, “Steward of good taste, beauty, pleasantness, and delight to satisfy men of knowledge and taste“, under the name “noble susamielli“.

Cook, philosopher, and scholar, Corrado was already the author of the famous book “Il Cuoco Galante“, a famous banqueting manager of the time and known for being the first gastronomist to write down the “Mediterranean cuisine”.

In ancient times, three different recipes for Susamielli were prepared.

Those offered to the pipers were called “Susamielli dello zampognaro” and consisted of flour and recycled ingredients, such as citrus peels.

The “Susamielli del buon cammino” were intended for the clergy, prelates, priests, nuns, and friars and had a sour cherry jam filling.

The recipe intended for nobles is still the most widespread today.

An urban legend also tells that a nun named Celestina, belonging to one of the many Neapolitan convents that served as sweet-making workshops, while preparing these cookies still in the round shape, exclaimed: “damned, you tempt me… you are a devil! And then I transform you into a snake!!!”

They are perfect for the festive days, along with other Neapolitan Christmas classics like roccocò, mustaccioli, and struffoli.

The recipe was featured in the TikTok live “Waiting for Christmas”.