Satisfyingly crunchy, buttery, and infused with orange and nutty flavor, biscotti Regina or Sicilian sesame seed cookies are the perfect treat to enjoy with your coffee, tea or a glass of sweet wine!
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What are Biscotti Regina?
Have you ever tried Biscotti Regina also known as reginelle or Sicilian sesame seed cookies? The word regina in the title means queen in Italian. These crunchy, nutty and not too sweet cookies originated in Palermo and are found in bakeries all over Sicily.
These unique cookies are completely covered in sesame seeds giving them a nutty flavor and wonderful crunch. The base consists of a pasta frolla or shortcrust dough made up of flour, sugar, butter and an egg along with grated orange zest for flavor.
You’ll notice they are bite sized and therefore perfect for enjoying alongside your coffee or tea. But they are also quite tasty served with a glass of sweet wine such as vin santo.
Made with just a handful of ingredients, you’ll be surprised at how easy they are to put together!
But first, let me tell you about a unique ingredient in this recipe.
What is ammonium carbonate or baker’s ammonia?
Before baking powder was available ammonium carbonate also known as baker’s ammonia was used as a leavening agent. This was very common in Italy and what my mother’s family used for baking cookies such as these Italian breakfast cookies.
Ammonium carbonate gives cookies an extra crunchy texture and therefore is perfect for Biscotti Regina.
Where can I find ammonium carbonate?
You can find it in the spice section of most grocery stores or you can purchase it here.
Will my biscotti Regina taste like ammonium carbonate?
Ammonium carbonate has a strong odor which you may notice during baking when you open the oven door. But no worries, this aroma dissipates and your cookies will not taste of ammonium carbonate!
What can I replace ammonium carbonate with?
If you don’t have access to ammonium carbonate, simply replace it with equal amounts of baking powder.
The following are step by step instructions with images to guide you through this recipe. Please scroll to the end of this post for the detailed printable recipe card.
Step by Step Instructions
Here’s what you’ll need:
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Ammonium carbonate or equal amount of baking powder
- Salt
- Unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
- A large egg
- Finely grated zest of one orange
- Milk
- Sesame seeds for coating the cookies: can be toasted if you prefer
Prepare the dough:
In a large bowl stir together all-purpose flour; sugar; ammonium carbonate (or baking powder) and salt (1). Add cold cubed butter and use your fingers or a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles a coarse meal (2).
Make a well in the center and add an egg, freshly grated orange zest and 3 tbsp. of milk (3). Stir together to form a dough. If the mixture is dry add an extra tbsp. of milk, as needed, to form a slightly tacky dough (4).
Shape into a round dough, flatten into a disc and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
To shape the Biscotti Regina:
Prepare 2 baking sheets and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a small bowl filled with water; place sesame seeds in a second bowl.
Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces.
Work with one piece of dough at a time, keeping the remaining dough wrapped. Roll into a long rope about the width of your thumb. The process is the same as in shaping gnocchi. Cut into 5 cm lengths. 
Moisten each cut piece of dough lightly with water with your fingers and roll in the sesame seeds to coat all sides. 
Place an inch apart on the prepared baking sheets as they will expand during baking. Continue with the remaining dough. 
To bake:
Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool before serving.
Substitutions and possible add-ins:
- Biscotti Regina were originally made with strutto or lard which is often replaced with butter.
- Replace the orange zest with lemon zest.
- Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract to the dough.
- Replace the ammonia with an equal amount of baking powder.
- For extra nutty flavor, lightly toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan until fragrant.
Storage:
Since they are dry, they keep well stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks, if they last that long!
They may also be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Can the cookie dough be prepared in advance?
Prepare the dough and refrigerate overnight. Remove from the refrigerator about 30 minutes prior to preparing the cookies.
If you give this recipe a try, please let me know how much you enjoyed it by rating it in the recipe card below. Feel free to Pin it for later. Buon appetito!
Here are more Italian cookie recipes for you to check out!
- Chewy Amaretti Cookies
- Easy Anise Biscotti Recipe
- Chocolate Pizzelle
- Cuccidati – Sicilian Fig Cookies
- Biscotti di San Martino
- 3-Ingredient Hazelnut Cookies
- Pistachio Amaretti
- Italian Pizzelle Cookies
- Classic Almond Biscotti with Variations
- Italian Nut and Jam Rolled Cookies
- Tetù (Sicilian Chocolate Spice Cookies)
- Genovesi Ericine
- Italian Breakfast Cookies
- Sheet Pan Almond Biscotti
- Chocolate Espresso Amaretti
- Italian Lemon Glazed Cookies
- Raspberry Almond Thumbprint Cookies Recipe
- Italian Orange Juice Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp ammonium carbonate or baking powder
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup butter, unsalted cut into cubes
- 1 large egg
- 3-4 tbsp. milk
- 1 orange zested
- 1/2 cup sesame seeds
Instructions
Prepare the dough:
- In a large bowl stir together all-purpose flour; sugar; ammonium carbonate (or baking powder) and salt.
- Add cold cubed butter and use your fingers or a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.
- Make a well in the center and add an egg, freshly grated orange zest and 3 tbsp. of milk. Stir together to form a dough. If the mixture is dry add an extra tbsp. of milk, as needed, to form a slightly tacky dough.
- Shape into a round dough, flatten into a disc and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
To shape the Biscotti Regina:
- Prepare 2 baking sheets and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a small bowl filled with water; place sesame seeds in a second bowl.
- Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Work with one piece of dough at a time keeping the rest wrapped. Roll into a long rope about the width of your thumb. Cut into 5 cm lengths.
- Moisten each cut piece of dough lightly with water with your fingers and roll in the sesame seeds to coat all sides.
- Place an inch apart on the prepared baking sheets as they will expand during baking. Continue with the remaining dough.
To bake:
- Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool before serving.
Notes
Substitutions and possible add-ins:
- Biscotti Regina were originally made with strutto or lard which is often replaced with butter.
- Replace the orange zest with lemon zest.
- Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract to the dough.
- Replace the ammonia with an equal amount of baking powder.
- For extra nutty flavor, lightly toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan until fragrant.
How to store Biscotti Regina:
Since they are dry, they keep well stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. They may also be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months.Can the dough for Biscotti Regina be prepared in advance?
Prepare the dough and refrigerate overnight. Remove from the refrigerator about 30 minutes prior to preparing the cookies. Please note that the nutritional information offered is approximate and may vary according to exact ingredients used and portion size.Nutrition
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My second time making these cookies! Delicious! Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
Thank you Michele, so glad you enjoyed them!
Wonderful recipe, thanks.
These are delicious! I am putting my second batch in the oven now. My first batch froze well so I am making ahead so I always have them in the house. Your recipe is so easy to follow and takes a short time to put together.
Hi Rita, so glad you enjoyed them. They are definitely so easy to make and good idea to freeze a batch for later. Enjoy!