Uncinetti (Italian Easter Cookies)

This recipe makes approximately 90 cookies

Cookie:                                                                         1/3c.-1/2c. milk

5 1/2-6 c. all-purpose flour                                        1 tsp. almond extract

1c. granulated sugar                                                   1 1/2tbs. baking powder

4 large eggs at room temperature                             3/4c. melted butter, cooled

3 tsp. vanilla extract                                                      zest of 1 lemon plus 2 tbsp lemon juice                                                                                                                                                       

Glaze:

4c. confectioner’s sugar

1 ½ tsp. cream of tartar

Juice of 1 large lemon

Milk enough to make a moderately thick consistency

Food coloring

Nonpareil sprinkles

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Sift five and a half cups of flour with baking powder in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, beat together sugar, butter, eggs, milk, vanilla, and zest of lemon, and lemon juice until creamy. Add to the flour mixture. Mix with hands to form a smooth dough. Let the dough rest for 15-20 minutes. Flour your hands to help roll cookies if the dough is sticky. Take approx. 2 tbsp. dough to form a 5-6inch rope approx.1/4”-1/3” wide. Form the cookies into a knot shape. Place cookies on the baking sheet approximately one inch apart. Bake 20-25 minutes or until bottom of cookie is lightly browned. Place cooked cookies on cooling racks. As they are cooling, prepare the glaze. In a bowl, mix the confectioner’s sugar and cream of tartar. Whisk in lemon juice and slowly add the milk to make the glaze the constancy of honey, not too thick, but not too runny. You can separate the glaze into different bowls and add assorted pastel colors of food coloring in each one. Dip the tops of the cookies into glaze, sprinkle with nonpareils.

These cookies originated in the Calabria region of Italy. Historically, people crotched, knotted threads   of fiber and hung them on palm branches during Palm Sunday and Easter to symbolize the joy and arrival of spring. These knotted cookies are a reminder of this tradition as we celebrate these same holidays and the coming of our Lord’s resurrection.

I remember going to Ferraro’ s Bakery as a child in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn to get these cookies with my mom. They were lemony, lightly sweet, and soft. I can still taste them. They accompanied us at our Easter and springtime meals. They were a refreshing and finishing touch to our dinners after the heavy foods of winter. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.