Sicilian honey twigs are cookies made for the Day of the Dead and are typical of Sicily.
When I first learned about these cookies, I was a bit skeptical, even though the dough is somewhat similar to some Lazio cookies I make during the Christmas holidays.
When I was told they were very hard, I thought that the cookies I make are also hard, and in that dough, I add a teaspoon of olive oil to make them a bit more eatable.
Eatable because I don’t dip cookies, whereas these should be dipped, and if you want to bite them like I do, I suggest adding a little bit of olive oil, which will help make them softer but still hard.
They keep for a long time if you remember to cover them, maybe putting them on a plate and then under a cake cover so they don’t stick to bags or anything else.
Below you will also find a video where you can better see the steps, unfortunately, I couldn’t take some photos while thinking about the video.
They are simple to make; you just need a bit of patience, like with all things, and wait for the dough to rest in the fridge.
If you make any of my recipes, send me the photos, and I will publish them on my page with your name.
Let’s make this recipe together, which I was also skeptical about at first, but they are absolutely delicious, and you must make them too.
Approximately 146 Kcal per twig
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 1 Hour
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 18 cookies
- Cooking methods: Electric oven
- Cuisine: Regional Italian
- Region: Sicily
- Seasonality: Day of the Dead
Ingredients for Sicilian Honey Twigs
- 8 oz oz wildflower honey
- 1/2 cup cup sugar
- 2 1/2 cups cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil, optional
- 18 almonds
- 1.4 oz oz wildflower honey
- 1 Baking tray Baking tray
Preparation of Sicilian Honey Twigs
In a steel saucepan, put the honey and sugar, and let them melt over medium heat until they become liquid.
Once the honey and sugar are melted, gradually add the sifted flour, baking powder, and if desired, the olive oil. Stir well until a well-blended mixture is obtained.
Pour everything onto a floured work surface, and knead with hands until a ball is formed.
Wrap it in food film and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
After the time has passed, take our dough and create strings about 5 inches long and slightly thicker than a finger, from which to cut all pieces about 1.6 inches.
Join 3 pieces together to create branches as shown in the picture, adjust with hands to shape the tips and base, and score the branches with a knife.
At the base where the branches join, place an almond, and place our cookies on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
…bake in a preheated oven at 356°F for about 15 minutes.
As soon as they are out of the oven, while still hot, brush them with honey and let them cool before consuming.
If you want the honey to set quickly, you can put them in the fridge for 15-20 minutes as soon as the cookies are cold.
