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Desserts

Cocoa and Pistachio Cantucci

Cocoa and pistachio cantucci, a tasty twist on the Tuscan classic with cocoa and crunchy pistachios. Try them with a sweet wine or as a special snack.
Recipe Cocoa and Pistachio Cantucci
  • Difficulty Medium
  • Preparation 15 minutes
  • Cooking 30 minutes
  • Servings for 4 people

Do you love desserts with an intense flavor that smell of cocoa and hide a crunchy surprise? Then you can’t miss this cocoa and pistachio cantucci recipe, a tasty new take on the classic Tuscan twice-baked cookies that will make every break special. These pistachio and cocoa cookies bring to the table a wonderful mix of the deep aroma of chocolate and the precious note of pistachios, sure to win over both lovers of traditional flavors and anyone looking for something original to surprise guests and family.

The method is simple and wholesome, perfect even if you want to try your hand at easy pistachio desserts. The soft dough, enriched with unsweetened cocoa and plenty of whole pistachios, turns into crunchy cocoa cantucci thanks to the double baking, ideal for dunking in hot tea or for adding to a selection of artisan pistachio cookies to offer over the holidays. Their crunch also makes them perfect as dunking cookies or as a cocoa and nut dessert, to serve with a liqueur after dinner or with a good coffee at the end of a meal.

Making these crunchy cocoa and pistachio cookies at home means bringing a true taste experience to the table, one that recalls the festive get-togethers of the holidays but is perfect whenever you want something special. If you love these pairings or want to try other tasty recipes with chocolate and nuts, take inspiration from our Double Chocolate Muffins with Chopped Pistachios, the tasty Chocolate Hazelnut Cream Cookies or the soft Castagnotti, Chestnut and Chocolate Cookies. For more variety, also try the recipes for Chocolate Crinkle Cookies and Classic American Cookies, for a selection of treats for true connoisseurs.

Ready to discover how to make chocolate pistachio cantucci? Follow our tips and let the wonderful aroma of these cookies fill your kitchen.

Ingredients for 4 people

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Method

  1. To make the cocoa and pistachio cantucci, put the flour, sugar and cocoa in a medium bowl, then add the eggs and start mixing the ingredients with a fork, making sure the sugar granules dissolve. Add the honey, the vanilla extract and the juice and zest of an unwaxed orange and combine the ingredients. Finally, add the softened butter and the whole pistachios and knead with your hands until you have a smooth, even dough. If the dough is too dry, you can soften it by adding milk a little at a time.
    Cocoa and Pistachio Cantucci, step 1: making the cocoa dough with whole pistachios
  2. Divide the dough into two equal parts and shape two long, narrow logs. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake them in a preheated conventional oven at 180 °C (350 °F) for 25 minutes.
    Cocoa and Pistachio Cantucci, step 2: shaping the dough into logs on a baking sheet
  3. Take the logs out of the oven and let them cool for about ten minutes. Using a serrated knife, cut them slightly on the diagonal into slices about 1 cm (3/8 in) wide and place them back on the baking sheet with the parchment paper. Toast the cookies in a preheated oven at 150 °C (300 °F) for 3-5 minutes per side.
    Cocoa and Pistachio Cantucci, step 3: slicing the baked logs on the diagonal
  4. Take the cocoa and pistachio cantucci out of the oven and let them cool. Enjoy them once they are cool and crunchy. Finally, remember to download our App with exclusive content and fewer ads!

Variations and Alternatives

If you love classic almond cantucci, we recommend trying this recipe with almonds in place of the pistachios, making your cantucci even richer with chocolate.

If you are lactose intolerant, you can use lactose-free butter and milk to make lactose-free cocoa and pistachio cantucci.

To give them a little spirit, you can replace the vanilla with a few drops of Marsala or another fortified wine: success guaranteed.

Storage

Cocoa and pistachio cantucci keep easily and for a long time: just put them in a tin in a cool, dry place to preserve their characteristic crunch.

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