Cavallucci (Tuscan Christmas Cookies)

Name: Cavallucci (Tuscan Christmas Cookies)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 300 g of All Purpose Flour; 250 g of White Sugar; 50 g of Acacia Honey; 50 g of Water; 100 g of Walnut Kernels; 35 g of Candied Oranges; 35 g of Candied Citrons; 8 Anise; Mezza teaspoon of Baking Soda; Powdered Sugar; 1 teaspoon of Cinnamon

Cavallucci Toscani, or Cavallucci di Siena, are traditional Tuscan Christmas cookies made with walnuts, honey, candied fruit and flour.

Recipe Cavallucci (Tuscan Christmas Cookies)

Difficulty Easy
Preparation 15 minutes
Cooking 15 minutes
Servings for 4 people

Cavallucci Toscani, also known as Cavallucci di Siena, are tasty cookies from Tuscany, a Traditional Christmas Recipe whose roots go back to the days of Lorenzo the Magnificent.

As with all traditional recipes, the Cavallucci Toscani Recipe has been customized and varied over the centuries, and above all from family to family. The one we’re sharing today is the closest to the Original Cavallucci Toscani Recipe, which makes the most of the humble (but noble) ingredients of the farmhouse tradition.

A fun fact: do you know why they’re called Cavallucci, “little horses”? These ancient cookies, once called Berriguocoli, took the name of Cavallucci cookies because they were offered to horse drivers in country taverns.

If you like, you can serve your Cavallucci Cookies the traditional way, with dessert wines for dunking, such as Vin Santo, Marsala, Passito di Pantelleria or Moscato.

Ingredients for 4 people

300 g of All Purpose Flour
250 g of White Sugar
50 g of Acacia Honey
50 g of Water
100 g of Walnut Kernels
35 g of Candied Oranges
35 g of Candied Citrons
8 Anise seeds
1/2 teaspoon of Baking Soda
Powdered Sugar to taste
1 teaspoon of Cinnamon

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Method

To make the Cavallucci Toscani, put the sifted flour in a bowl with the crushed anise seeds, the chopped walnuts, the diced candied orange and candied citron, the cinnamon and the baking soda, and mix well.
In a small saucepan, melt the granulated sugar with the honey and water, stirring carefully until you have a syrup.
Now add the syrup to the bowl with the other ingredients and mix everything well with a wooden spoon.
Flour your hands well and shape the dough into 12 balls, then arrange them well apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Press lightly on the center of each ball to flatten them a little.
Bake in a preheated oven at 150-160 °C (300-320 °F) for about 15-20 minutes. Once baked, take the Sienese Cavallucci out of the oven, let them cool and, if you like, dust them with a little powdered sugar before serving and enjoying them. Finally, remember to download our App with exclusive content and fewer ads!

Variations and Alternatives

If you like, you can also use just one kind of candied fruit (orange or citron) and replace the honey with whichever kind you like best.

Tips

For perfect Cavallucci, we recommend using your oven in conventional mode.

Storage

Cavallucci keep for a long time: just store them in an airtight container or a tightly sealed bag.