Italian pinch cookies

5 from 1 vote

These Italian pinch cookies are soft, sweet, and filled with dulce de leche and jam—perfect for any dessert table.

Course Cookies, Dessert

Cuisine Italian

Keyword Italian pinch cookies, pinch cookies recipe, Pizzicati

Prep Time 35

Cook Time 10

Chill 1

Total Time 1 45

Servings

Calories 226

In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).
Add the egg and vanilla extract, and almond extract mixing until well combined.
Sift the flour and salt into the bowl. Mix until a soft dough forms. If the dough feels too sticky, add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time until manageable.

Divide the dough into two portions, flatten them into discs, wrap in cling film, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. This will help firm up the dough, making it easier to handle and shape.

Dust a countertop with flour, being careful not to use it too much. You want to keep the dough a little sticky (Another option is to roll out the dough between two sheets of parchment paper for ease and convenience.) Roll the dough to a thickness of ¼ inch. Using a 2½-inch biscuit or cookie cutter, cut out as many circles as possible.
Place the circles onto a baking sheet. Gather any leftover dough, roll it out again, and repeat the process until all the dough is used.

Place ¾ of a teaspoon of the filling in each round, half with dulce de leche and half with jam.
Next, lift the sides and pinch the center so it’s about three fingertips wide, leaving the ends open. The cookies won’t spread during baking, so as you pinch them, you can place them closer together—about 1 inch apart on the baking sheet. I typically fit 20 pinched cookies on a single sheet.

Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
Let the cookies cool on the tray for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Once cool, dust the cookies lightly with powdered sugar for a festive touch, if desired.

I used a 2 ½-inch cookie cutter to make 30 cookies. If you roll the dough too thick or use a different-sized cookie cutter, you might end up with more or fewer cookies.cookies
Avoid Overmixing: Overmixing can make the dough tough.
Dough Temperature: Keep the dough cold for easier shaping.
If the dough becomes difficult to roll out, it’s likely too warm. Simply place it in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to cool, then try again.
Using too much flour while rolling out dough can prevent the pinched edges from holding their shape during baking. To avoid this, lightly dust your countertop with flour or roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper for better results.
Roll the dough thin to ensure success. If it’s too thick, the pinches may not hold, causing them to pop open.