Italian Chocolate Cookies are soft and cake-like, with chopped chocolate bits and a bit of cinnamon. These luscious treats are topped with crisp vanilla icing.
Why you'll love this recipe
This traditional Italian cookie, also known at tutu cookies, is like a little domed cake. The texture is soft and slightly chewy. Then the glaze goes on top, providing a little crunch and a burst of warm vanilla when you take a bite.
Some versions of this popular cookie call for addional spices like nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. This recipe emphasizes the chocolate flavor.
A small amount of espresso powder intensifies the rich chocolate flavor without adding any discernable coffee flavor to the cookies. Think of it as a flavor enhancer for chocolate.
Chopped semi-sweet chocolate (or mini chocolate chips) add even more chocolate flavor to the dough.
Iced and sprinkled, Italian Chocolate Cookies are pretty enough to be served as Christmas cookies or for other special occasions.
They are also excellent care package goodies. Stored in an airtight container at room temperature, they stay soft and delicious for at least 2 weeks.
Ingredients
Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Microwave shortening until melted.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the ingredients to form a dough. Stir the chopped chocolate into the chocolate cookie dough. Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour-overnight.
- When the cookie dough is chilled and ready to bake use a medium cookie scoop, to form golf-ball sized dough balls.
- Place on prepared baking sheet about 2” apart, and bake for 10-12 minutes.
- To make the icing, mix together confectioner’s sugar, milk, vanilla ( and cinnamon if using) to form a thick icing.
- Hold the cookies on the bottom edges and dip the tops of the cookies into icing. Shake gently to remove excess icing. If using sprinkles or decorating sugar, sprinkle on immediately after icing each individual cookie. The icing begins to set quickly.
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Storage
These cookies are soft and cake-like. They will remain soft for at least 2 weeks if stored at room temperature in an airtight container.
Tips and variations
- The chopped chocolate can be replaced with mini chocolate chips or chopped regular sized chips.
- Butter can be substituted for the shortening, but the cookies will not stay fresh as long.
- Turn these cookies into Italian chocolate spice cookies, by adding ¼ teaspoon each of nutmeg and allspice.
- For a touch of citrus, add the orange zest from a medium orange to the dough.
- Espresso powder and instant coffee are not the same. Don't substitute.
- Consider replacing some or all of the chopped chocolate with chocolate covered raisins or chopped nuts.
- Chilling this dough is essential in order for the cookies to hold their shape and to allow the flavors to develop.
- These cookies are a popular Italian holiday cookie and look beautiful on a Christmas cookie tray.
Frequently asked questions
No, they are not the same. Espresso powder is a finely ground powder made with dark roasted coffee beans that have been ground, brewed, dried and ground again. Coffee flavor is more concentrated in epresso powder.
Yes, you can substitute ½ cup butter for the ½ cup shortening or you can substitute 1 cup of butter instead of the oil and shortening. Cookies made with butter don't stay fresh as long as cookies made with oil and shortening.
Replace all or part of the 1 cup of chopped chocolate with the add-in's of your choice.
There are many variations of this cookie that come from different parts of Italy. Other names for these chocolate treats include tutu (tetu) cookies, mostaccioli cookies, and meatball cookies.
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Italian Chocolate Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 cup shortening or butter
- 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, Dutch-process
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- 4 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- ⅓ cup plain yogurt
- 7 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped semisweet chocolate or mini chocolate chips or chopped regular semi-sweet chocolate chips
Icing
- 3 cups confectioners' sugar
- 6 tablespoons milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon optional
- ¼ cup sprinkles or decorating sugar optional
Instructions
Cookies
- In a small bowl, microwave the vegetable shortening until melted. Set aside to cool slightly.
- In a large bowl whisk together flour, cocoa, espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the shortening and sugar until combined, about 2-3 minutes.
- Mix in the eggs, yogurt, milk, and vanilla.
- Reduce the speed of the mixer and slowly add the dry ingredients until just combined.
- Stir in the chopped chocolate.
- Cover the dough wih a sheet of plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour to overnight.
- When the cookie dough is chilled and ready to bake: Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- With a medium, 1 ½ tablespoon, cookie scoop, form golf-ball sized portions. Roll each dough ball between your palms to smooth,
- Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheet about 2” apart, and bake for 10-12 minutes. (Finished cookie balls will have surface cracks.)
- Cool completely on wire racks before icing.
Icing
- In a medium bowl, mix together confectioner’s sugar, milk, vanilla and cinnamon to form icing with the consitency of white glue.
- Hold bottom edges of a cookie and dip the top of each cookie into the icing, top down. Shake gently to remove excess icing. Place on a wire rack over a sheet of wax paper to catch any drips. Add sprinkles immediately after icing each individual cookie. The icing begins to set quickly.
- Leave the cookies out several hours to overnight to allow the icing to set completely before wrapping.
- These cookies are soft and cake-like. They will remain soft for at least 2 weeks if stored at room temperature in an airtight container.
Notes
- The chopped chocolate can be replaced with mini chocolate chips or chopped regular sized chips.
- Butter can be substituted for the shortening, but the cookies will not stay fresh as long.
- Turn these cookies into Italian chocolate spice cookies, by adding ¼ teaspoon each of nutmeg and allspice.
- For a touch of citrus, add the orange zest from a medium orange to the dough.
- Espresso powder and instant coffee are not the same. Don't substitute.
- Consider replacing some or all of the chopped chocolate with chocolate covered raisins or chopped nuts.
- Wrap pairs of cookies, with bottoms together, in plastic wrap.
- Place in airtight containers or a plastic freezer bag.
Nutrition
First Published: May 3, 2013. Last Updated: February 21, 2023. Updated for improved photos, additional information, and better reader experience.
Cindy
These look so delicious! However, I have been searching your blog for the recipe for you Chocolate Chip cookies!! I am on a quest for the perfect chocolate chip cookie . . . again! Could you please direct me as to where to find it. Thank you!
themondaybox
Thanks,Cindy. 🙂 I truly understand your quest! And I am very happy to share my favorite chocolate chip recipe! Its actually not on my site because its not mine. After extensive sampling, we are devoted to the Jaques Torres NY Times Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/09/dining/091crex.html?_r=0 Several things make it different. It uses cake and bread flours instead of all purpose and a little corn starch for chew. Also it "requires" 24-36 hrs in the fridge before baking. We never want to wait that long so I always have a bag of frozen dough balls in a zip lock bag in the freezer so we can pop them straight into the oven (12 min.) whenever the need strikes. Let me know what you think!
Aimee @ ShugarySweets
How pretty! Love the sprinkles!!
themondaybox
Thanks, Aimee! Me too. 🙂
themondaybox
Very sneaky of your husband, Holly! 🙂 I am glad the name turned out to be one you liked anyway! I hope you do find a recipe you like to send in your Mother's Day packages. Let me know what you choose and how they turn out. 🙂
zerrin
Wendy, these cookies look really so soft! Love that they are like bite size cakes and the topping makes them so elegant!
themondaybox
They are surprisingly soft, Zerrin, but sturdy at the same time, making them a good mailing cookie. The icing on the top helps keep them soft for several weeks!
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com
Soft, pillowy deliciousness! I love the sparkling sugar crystals on top! So festive!
themondaybox
Thanks, Kiran! Pillowy is the perfect description for these cookies. 🙂 The original recipe doesn't use sprinkles but life is just a little more festive, as you said, with some sprinkles. 🙂
Suzie
Those are so pretty! They sound fantastic but, almost everything you make does 🙂
themondaybox
Suzie, you are so sweet! Thank you for being my own personal cheering section. I am actively trying to include as many desert safe recipes as possible now that it is moving toward summer. Its a challenge, but I am learning (slowly) some tricks. 🙂
CateyLou
These look so soft and delicious! I love the sugar on top, so pretty.
themondaybox
Thanks, CateyLou! They are definitely soft and also delicious. 🙂 The sparkly golden sugar is a beauty bonus. 🙂
shannon
i am so intrigued by these cookies; i don't think i've ever made anything like them and they're beautiful! Meira is a beautiful name; it took forever for us to pick Stella's name (sort of the same issues you had with husbands and pretty straightforward options). i halfheartedly picked boys' names knowing that a girl was happening. 🙂
themondaybox
I know it isn't scientific, but I really felt like I had already met my daughter when she was born. After hanging out together for 8 months (preemie) I kind of knew her. 🙂 Stella(meaning star) is also a beautiful name! (And there won't be 12 other little girls with the same name when she starts school!) I also had never made cookies like these before. The amount of baking powder in the recipe surprised me until I baked batch #1 and saw the cake-like texture. They are just so easy to make, taste good, and stay soft for so long. In the interest of public service I tried them with butter and with Crisco, with chips, raisins, and plain. All were tasty. My batch with espresso powder was disappointing. Not enough maybe? At some point I will tweak that. 🙂
shannon
aw, thank you! i thought the same thing when i named her: there shouldn't be any duplicates in her class. 🙂 Espresso powder can be tricky, because you never want to add too much (bitter!) but if you don't add enough, it can lack in the flavor department. I've found that if i go a bit beyond my comfort zone with it, it turns out well.
crazyforcrust
These cookies look unbelievably good!
themondaybox
Thanks, Dorothy! 🙂
Ashley
I love those gorgeous sparkly sprinkles on top! These sound wonderful - the perfect cross between a cookie and cake!
themondaybox
Thanks, Ashley! Like most Italian cookies, these are perfect with your beverage of choice. Mine is coffee but milk, tea, or wine would do. 🙂 The sparkly gold decorating sugar is cookie bling. 🙂
themondaybox
It is funny in retrospect, Joanne. But in the end, I was right, as usual. 🙂 These cookies really are a excellent soft and chewy change from regular crunchy flat cookies.
Miss Messy
They look amazing! Little yummy cakes 🙂
themondaybox
Thanks! They are so easy to make and stay tasty a long time too. 🙂 I am glad you stopped by because now I found your blog that is full of yummy looking treats I can't wait to try!
Jess @ On Sugar Mountain
Wendy these look like little chocolate puffs of cookie perfection!! 😀
themondaybox
They are yummy, and soft, and chewy, and addictive, Jess. They are an excellent munchie for late night exam studying. 🙂
noyomoco
These look delicious! They look like beautiful, little cakes 🙂
themondaybox
Thanks, Jennifer! They are a cookie-cakelette. 🙂 Soft like a cake but sturdy like a cookie. The chocolate cinnamon flavor is great with a cup of coffee! 🙂
Eva @ Eva Bakes
These almost look like baked donuts! I'll take a dozen, please. 🙂
themondaybox
They have a different texture than baked donuts, Eva. More chewy, I think, but fluffy in the same way. You will probably need a dozen, anyway. The first is a sample. The next 11 are due to the addictive quality of these cookies. 🙂