Carnival is synonymous with joy, colors, and above all, irresistible traditional sweets! Besides the classic fried chiacchiere, castagnole, and cream-filled bomboloni, today I’m offering you an original and fun recipe: Carnival masks with sugar sprinkles. These crumbly and aromatic cookies are perfect for enhancing the Carnival buffet along with frappe, sweet tortelli, and stuffed fritters.
Easy to prepare and beautiful to look at, these sweets are ideal for children’s costume parties, to accompany a cup of hot chocolate, or to be packaged in gift bags to distribute at school or during a Carnival parade. And if you are organizing a home Carnival, you can pair them with themed decorations and confetti to create an even more festive atmosphere!
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- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 30 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Carnival, All Seasons
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup butter
- 3 eggs
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 packet vanillin
- 1 tsp baking powder
- as needed milk (or butter)
- as needed sugar sprinkles
Tools
- Cookie Cutter
Steps
In a large bowl, mix the flour with the baking powder and salt. Add the sugar and vanillin, then combine with the melted butter. Work it with your hands until you get a sandy mixture.
Add the eggs and knead until you form a smooth and homogeneous dough. Wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Roll the dough out on a floured surface to about 1/5 inch thick. Use a mask-shaped cutter (or a sharp knife) to cut out shapes and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Brush the masks with a little milk or melted butter, sprinkle them with sugar sprinkles.
Bake them in a preheated oven at 350°F for about 15 minutes, until golden brown.
Tips, Storage
If you want a more aromatic dough, add grated lemon or orange zest.
For a more decadent version, bake them without sugar sprinkles and, once cooled, brush the masks with melted chocolate.
You can store them in a tin box for 4-5 days, keeping them always crisp.
