Sicilian Easter Cookies with Eggs are distributed to family and friends at Easter time in Sicily. This is a tradition that my mother has continued in our family. A batch of a basic cookie recipe usually made for dipping in coffee or milk for breakfast is wrapped around eggs to make these adorable sweet treats!
Origin of Sicilian Easter Cookies with Eggs
Easter in Sicily is celebrated by gifting cuddura cu l'ova (meaning crown in reference to their cylindrical shape) to family and friends. These traditional Easter cookies are also referred to as pupa cu l'ovu, as the cookie dough may be shaped as a dove, basket or other shapes with the egg in the center.
The cuddura can be made out of bread dough, as in the recipe I previously shared with you: cuddura cu l'ova.
This version of cuddura made with a lightly sweetened cookie dough basically consists of a variation of my mom's Italian breakfast cookie recipe wrapped around an egg and decorated.
These are the cookies that Italians enjoy for breakfast, crushed in a cup and covered with warm milk and coffee!
This is a very plain cookie and so I decided to add extra flavor with freshly grated lemon zest and vanilla extract. The colored candy sprinkles are also my addition. After all it's Easter! You'll notice that my eggs are not painted just as my mother has never painted hers.
What is ammonium carbonate?
You'll notice an interesting ingredient in this recipe that you may not be familiar with: ammonium carbonate.
Before baking powder was available, ammonium carbonate was the commonly used leavening agent for baking. I was pleasantly surprised to see how much the cookies puffed up while baking! Note: be sure to place the cookies at least 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.
Ammonium carbonate also gives these cookies a nice crisp exterior and soft interior. You will notice a particular odor while the cookies are baking, especially when you open the oven door. However, you definitely do not taste it in the cookies.
In case you're wondering if it's safe to bake with, have no worries! You can read more about ammonium carbonate here. I purchased mine in the baking section of my local grocery store.
What can ammonium carbonate be replaced with?
If you don't have access to ammonium carbonate or you simply choose not to use it, there is an alternative. Simply replace with the same amount of baking powder.
In this recipe that would be 3 teaspoon of baking powder. However, for the sake of sticking to the authentic recipe as made in Sicily I used ammonium carbonate in the cookies pictured in this post.
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.
How to make Sicilian Easter Cookies with Eggs
- Begin by removing eggs from the refrigerator about 2 hours ahead in order to bring them to room temperature.
- While preparing the cookies, place the eggs that you will be baking with the cookies in a bowl and cover with hot tap water. This will prevent them from cracking while baking.
- Preheat oven to 350F and cover 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Prepare the cookie dough
In a large mixing bowl whisk together eggs and sugar (1) until frothy, about 2 minutes (2). Stir in oil and milk. Add grated lemon zest of 1 lemon and vanilla (3). Sift flour and ammonium carbonate over the bowl (4).
Stir with a wooden spoon until all the flour is incorporated (5). Use your hands to shape into a ball. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky (6).
To Shape
- Prepare a small bowl with a spoonful or two of vegetable oil to have on hand when rolling the dough.
- Break off a golf ball sized piece of dough. Dip your finger tips in the oil and roll the dough into a rope of about ½ inch (1 cm) thick and 14 inches (35 cm) long (1).
- Fold in half and twist as shown below (2).
- Join both ends to form a circle (3) and nestle the egg in the center of the dough (4).
- Place on the prepared baking sheets and cover with colored candy sprinkles (5).
- Bake for 25 minutes or until lightly browned on the bottom and golden on top. Transfer to a wire rack to cool (6).
FAQs
While you are preparing the cookies, place only the eggs that will bake with the cookies in a bowl and cover with hot tap water. This will prevent the eggs from cracking while baking.
The same amount of baking powder may be substituted for the ammonium carbonate.
This recipe makes 12 large cookies.
You may also choose to bake a few without the egg in the center.
Cookies with the eggs should be refrigerated for up to a week.
The cookies, without an egg in the center, can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature.
These cookies are perfect for dunking in your coffee or glass of milk.
However, the egg is definitely eaten separately!
We enjoy our hard boiled eggs with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt along with some bread for breakfast, lunch or a quick snack.
More traditional Italian Easter recipes!
If you tried this Sicilian Cauliflower Meatballs or any other recipe on my blog please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how much you enjoyed it in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Sicilian Easter Cookies with Eggs
Ingredients
For baking in the center of the cookies
- 12 large eggs at room temperature (if you choose to place an egg in each cookie)
For the cookies
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil plus extra for rolling the dough
- ½ cup milk
- 1 lemon, zest of
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoon ammonium carbonate or 3 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 tablespoon colored candy sprinkles
Instructions
For the eggs to be baked in the center of each cookie:
- Remove eggs from the refrigerator about 2 hours ahead in order to come to room temperature. While preparing the cookies, place the eggs that you will be baking with the cookies in a bowl and cover with hot tap water. This will prevent them from cracking while baking.
For the cookies:
- Preheat oven to 350F and cover 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl whisk together eggs and sugar until frothy, about 2 minutes. Stir in oil and milk. Add grated lemon zest from 1 lemon and vanilla.
- Sift flour and ammonium carbonate over the bowl. Stir with a wooden spoon until all the flour is incorporated. Use your hands to shape into a ball. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky.
- Prepare a small bowl with a spoonful or two of vegetable oil to have on hand when rolling the dough. Break off a golf ball sized piece of dough. Dip your finger tips in the oil and roll the dough into a rope of about ½ inch (1 cm) thick and 14 inches (35 cm) long. Fold in half and twist. Join both ends to form a circle and nestle the egg in the center of the dough. Place on the prepared baking sheets.
- Cover with colored candy sprinkles and bake for 25 minutes or until lightly browned on the bottom and golden on top. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Notes
Do the eggs need to be hard boiled before placing them in the cookie?
- No, they do not require boiling before hand. I do recommend taking the eggs out of the fridge a couple of hours prior to making the cookies in order to bring them to room temperature.
- While you are preparing the cookies, place only the eggs that will bake with the cookies in a bowl and cover with hot tap water. This will prevent the eggs from cracking while baking.
Substitutions and Variations:
- The same amount of baking powder may be substituted for the ammonium carbonate.
- For an extra fancy looking cookie, you may opt to drizzle a simple powdered sugar glaze over the cookies when they are out of the oven.
How many cookies does this recipe make.
- This recipe makes 12 large cookies.
- You may also choose to bake a few without the egg in the center.
How long do these Italian easter cookies with eggs keep for?
- Cookies with the eggs should be refrigerated for up to a week.
- The cookies, without an egg in the center, can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature.
How do you eat the baked egg in the center of these Easter cookies?
- These cookies are perfect for dunking in your coffee or glass of milk.
- However, the egg is definitely eaten separately!
- We enjoy our hard boiled eggs with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt along with some bread for breakfast, lunch or a quick snack.
- Please note that the nutritional information provided is approximate and may vary according to exact portion size.
Lizette
How long do these last with no egg in a ziplock baggie? No refrigeration or freezer.
Nadia
Hi Lizette, at room temperature without the egg these cookies maintain their best texture for about 1 week. Hope this helps and enjoy!
Diana
The dough came out too wet and won’t form. How do I fix? It’s too sticky.
Nadia
Hello Diana, sorry to hear this. The dough is usually slightly tacky and not too dry and this makes it also easier to roll. However it should not be sticky to the point that it is unmanageable. Did you try adding a bit more flour perhaps? Please do let me know how they turned out. Thank you!
Dorrie
My Sicilian mother would make this cookie at Easter when I was young & always loved them. I looked for recipes that seemed like what she would make & came upon yours. It was like eating a "memory"! So good & exactly the way I remembered.
Nadia
Hello Dorrie, indeed these cookies were popular at Easter and even the rest of the year without the egg in the center my mom loved them in the morning with coffee and milk! Thank you for sharing your memories with me. All the best to you!
Liana
These tasted delicious but I did taste an ammonia taste and so did those who ate it. Did I do something wrong with the bicarbonate ? Otherwise the taste and texture was great
Nadia
Hi Liana, I'm so sorry to hear that! I can't be sure, perhaps you've had it too long? In that case I suggest you try with baking powder next time to be sure you don't taste the ammonia. Thanks for your comment!
Cynthia
Great recipe! My grandmother made them with the criss-cross over the top, too.
Nadia
Hi Cynthia, yes I have also seen the criss-crossed version that are popular in Sicily. Must try that next time!
Chris
Hi. Are the eggs cooked before putting in the cookie?
Nadia
Hi Chris, no the eggs are not cooked prior. As I mentioned in the recipe do take them out of the fridge earlier and then place in a bowl with warm water. They will bake along with the cookies and will be fully cooked. Enjoy!
Diane
These were delicious! We actually dyed the eggs at the end of our egg dying festivities and they came out beautifully. My son said the eggs were the best he's ever tasted. We all enjoyed the olive oil and salt; what a wonderful suggestion. I appreciated your informative text. I hope that I can find the ammonium carbonate the next time!
As an aside; I found this recipe due to a book called "The Egg Tree" by Katherine Milhous which takes place in PA Dutch country. At the end the kids get a cookie with an egg cooked in the middle. I assumed there would be an easily found recipe but could not find anything similar until I found this Sicilian bread.
Nadia
Hello Diane, I'm glad you enjoyed these simple cookies and then of course you make a meal out of the eggs! Thanks for your comment!
S Beck
As kids, we always looked forward to when my Sicilian grandma would make these cookies at Easter! Only difference is the eggs were colored & instead of being a wreath, she made a cross on the top of each one with cookie dough, with cookie dough on the bottom, I guess like a basket. Then she iced the cross with white icing. I've searched online but never found anyone who made them with a cross. Also was not sure if the eggs were cooked or not, but I see yours are raw!
Nadia
Hi! My mom never colored her eggs and so I decided to present her version of these cookies but I agree they must definitely look pretty in different colors! My mother makes a basket shaped "cuddura" which is her braided Easter egg. You'll find that recipe on my blog as well. And yes, the eggs are added raw and bake nicely in the oven along with the bread. Thanks for your comment!