Soft Italian Chocolate Cookies. A simple name for special, soft, cake-like cookie, with mini chocolate chips or chocolate raisins inside, topped with crisp vanilla icing. Golden sugar adds sparkle and flair.
About this recipe
Choosing the right name is important.
Twenty-five years ago, when I was pregnant with my first child, my husband and I deliberated over baby names. We had no official notification of whether we were having a boy or a girl.
I know this is going to sound ridiculous, but I knew I was having a girl because I had met her in my dreams. I had dreams where I was holding a black haired, blue eyed baby girl.
My husband, the scientist, didn’t pay any attention to my “evidence”. He insisted that we pick a boy name and a girl name.
Actually, he was rather convinced (I have no idea why) that we were having a boy, so convinced that he let me pick a girl name without any arguing. I let him pick the boy name without too much debate, because I knew we wouldn’t be using it.
My husband leans toward short, traditional American names. I, on the other hand, love international names that have meanings.
My daughter’s name is Meira, pronounced meer-ah. I chose the name because I like the sound and the meaning. Meira means “peace” in Russian.
I later found out that Meira is also a Hindi goddess princess. In addition, variations of the name mean “enlightened” in Hebrew and “to look” in Spanish. All excellent, in my opinion.
Unlike the significance of naming a child, naming a cookie is a minor detail. It is useful if the cookie name gives the eater an idea of what they are about to consume, such as Thin Mints, Graham Crackers, or Vanilla Wafers.
A blogger naming a cookie might consider SEO (search engine optimization). What good is a delicious cookie with a name that no one can remember or search for? That is why this recipe is simply called Soft Italian Chocolate Cookies.
Though a long name, it’s relatively accurate in describing this soft chocolate treat. Research seems to indicate that it is a traditional cookie baked by people of Italian decent, who inherited the recipe from Italian ancestors. So far, so good.
The inaccuracy is in the word “cookie”. This is more like a little domed cake.
The texture is soft and spongy with a soft, slightly chewy surface. Then the glaze goes on top, providing a little crunch when you take a bite.
If you choose to add decorating sugar, there is a little extra crunch (and they look fancier all dressed up).
I will confess to fiddling with the original Italian version of this recipe. I don’t like nutmeg and allspice, so I left them out. If you like them, and would like to make a more traditional spice cookie, add a ¼ teaspoon each of nutmeg and allspice.
Because I eliminated the extra spices, I added chocolate covered raisins which go well with the cinnamon chocolate flavor and provide a bit of extra chewiness. If you don’t like raisins, mini chocolate chips can provide an extra chocolate boost instead.
These cookie-cakes are excellent care package goodies. Stored in an airtight container at room temperature, they stay soft and delicious for at least 2 weeks.
The recipe can be made with desert-safe ingredients and the icing, once dry, ships beautifully even in hot weather.
More Italian cookie recipes
You can read more about heat resistant ingredients in the index of all of the desert safe recipes on The Monday Box.
Ready to bake? Join the free membership group to get new recipes and a newsletter delivered to your inbox! You can also stay in touch on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram. I’d love to stay in touch!
Soft Italian Chocolate Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 cup butter or vegetable shortening for desert-safe recipe, melted
- 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup Dutch-process cocoa
- 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 or vanilla paste for desert-safe recipe
- 1 cup chocolate covered raisins if raisin is large cut in half and/or mini chocolate chips
Icing
- 3 cups confectioner’s sugar
- 4 tablespoons milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla paste for desert-safe recipe
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon optional
- ¼ cup sprinkles or decorating sugar optional
Instructions
- In a small bowl, microwave butter or vegetable shortening until melted. Set aside to cool slightly.
- In a large bowl whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter (or vegetable shortening) and sugar until combined, about 2-3 minutes.
- Mix in the eggs, yogurt, milk, and vanilla.
- Reduce speed of mixer and slowly add dry ingredients until just combined.
- Stir in raisins and/or mini chips.
- Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour-overnight.
- When dough is chilled and ready to bake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- With a 2 tablespoon scoop, form golf-ball sized dough balls.
- Roll into a ball with a smooth surface (no raisins or chips on the outer surface or finished cookie will have “craters”).
- Place on prepared cookie sheet about 2” apart, and bake for 10-12 minutes. (Finished cookie balls will have surface cracks which should look dry when done.)
- Cool completely on wire racks before icing.
- ICING: In a medium bowl, mix together confectioner’s sugar, milk, vanilla ( and cinnamon if using) to form a thick icing. If the icing is too thin it will drip down the sides of the cookie. (Not a problem but not as neat looking)
- Hold bottom edges of cookie and dip into icing, top down. 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.
- Place the cookies on wire rack to dry.
- 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.
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! 🙂
Chandra@The Plaid and Paisley Kitchen
I love your Daughters name! I too love names with meanings. Chandra is Sanskrit the original language of India and it means Shining brighter than the moon. What I also love is the look of these cookies! The look very delicious!
themondaybox
Chandra, what a beautiful meaning! Not only does it communicate a beautiful visual but somehow contains in one word how much your parents love you. While pondering this philosophical response, have a cup of tea and a cookie. 🙂
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. 🙂
Rosie @ Blueberry Kitchen
Ooh yum, your cookies look so delicious! I love your daughter’s name too – so pretty!
themondaybox
Thank you, Rosie. 🙂 Because my kids have two last names (hyphen in the middle) we chose not to give middle names, but we debated over Rose as my daughters middle name. Its a beautiful name, sounds good with Meira, and was my husband’s grandmother’s name. 🙂 So, I love your name too!
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!
Joanne
It is funny how you were both so convinced the other was wrong that you conceded to each other’s name choices! These cookies (or mini cakes) sound delicious – no matter what they’re called!
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.
Sinead
Meira is such a pretty name 🙂 These cookies look so delicious, I love the golden sugar on top
themondaybox
Thank you, Sinead! I think your name is pretty as well, and has a beautiful meaning, “God is gracious”. The meaning behind a name is like a hidden treasure. 🙂 These cookies traditionally have just the white icing but the sparkling golden sugar needed a home. 🙂
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. 🙂
Monica
Meira is a beautiful name. And these cookies are so interesting. I love your creative substitutions and those gold sprinkles/sugar on top of them. My all-time favorite Italian “cookie” is the tri-color or rainbow cookies. Those are also more like petite fours or cake, and calling them “cookie” doesn’t seem to give them enough credit…but I guess, ultimately, it’s all about the taste.
themondaybox
Thanks, Monica. 🙂 The sprinkles are just because I like bling on my cookies (though they do add crunch) 🙂 I am wondering if the whole “cookie” concept with Italian “cookies” has to do with translation. Maybe English had a more limited idea of what constitutes a cookie. But, definitely the bottom line is the taste!