Name: Mostaccioli Baresi (Spice Cookies from Bari)
Yield: Makes about 60 cookies
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: ¼ cup water; ⅓ cup sweet wine or vino cotto (see Note); One 1-pound box confectioners’ sugar (about 4 cups); Grated zest of 1 large orange; 4 ounces (about 1 cup) whole unblanched almonds; ⅔ cup granulated sugar; ¼ cup orange juice; 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon; 4 cups all-purpose flour; 4 large eggs; 1 teaspoon ground cloves; 8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter; 1 tablespoon sifted cocoa powder; 2 teaspoons baking powder

Preparation info

Makes about
60
cookies

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Cookies Unlimited

By Nick Malgieri

Published 2000

About

These are a version of Apulian mostaccioli cookies usually made with the almonds left over after making a kind of blancmange called latte di mandorle or almond milk, a traditional Apulian Christmas dessert. Thanks to Rose Valenti for the recipe.

Ingredients

Cookie Dough

4 ounces (about 1 cup) whole unblanched almonds
⅔ cup

Method

Set the racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees.
In the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade, pulse the almonds and sugar repeatedly until the almonds are finely ground.
Add the orange z