St. Lucia’s Cookies are a traditional recipe from the Verona area, simple little cookies with Christmas shapes… I made them in the shape of a star, shooting star, and little tree.
Traditionally, on the night of December 12th, cookies are left on the table because, just like Santa Claus who leaves gifts and eats a treat, for them, St. Lucia passes by.
I’m from Abruzzo, and this tradition is quite unknown to me as we celebrate with Santa Claus.
This tradition seems to date back to the 13th century when Verona was struck by a terrible disease affecting the eyes, especially of children.
Parents began making pilgrimages to the city’s central church, trying to get the little ones to participate barefoot, promising that St. Lucia would bring them gifts and treats.
From then until the 1800s, this pilgrimage habit was maintained, and over time attracted street vendors selling sweets and toys near the church.
In Verona, the feast of St. Lucia seems almost more important than Santa Claus!
So, the tradition of making these cookies endures, so if I’ve piqued your interest even a bit, follow my recipe and try making them yourself!
About 76 Kcal per cookie
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: About 40 pieces
- Cooking methods: Electric oven
- Cuisine: Regional Italian
- Region: Veneto
- Seasonality: St. Lucia
Ingredients to Make St. Lucia’s Cookies
- 3 Egg Yolks
- 5.3 oz Powdered Sugar
- 5.3 oz Softened Butter
- 1 tsp Baking Powder for Desserts
- 1 packet Vanilla Powder or ½ tsp Liquid Vanilla
- 1 pinch Salt
- 10.6 oz All-Purpose Flour
- Grated Zest of 1 Lemon
- 1.1 oz Powdered Sugar
Preparation of St. Lucia’s Cookies
In a bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, vanilla powder or liquid, grated lemon zest, and salt, then add the softened butter, powdered sugar, and mix again.
Add the egg yolks and work the dough well, then transfer it to a work surface and continue by hand to obtain a homogeneous mixture.
Place the obtained dough in a plastic bag and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
After the time has passed, take the dough and roll it out to a thickness of ¼ inch and with said Christmas shapes cut out St. Lucia’s Cookies.
Place the cut-out cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake in a preheated oven at 302-320°F for 10-15 minutes until golden.
Once cooked, let cool and dust with powdered sugar.
