Contucci Di Prato (Nut Cookies)
Traditional Tuscan twice-baked nut cookies studded with whole almonds and hazelnuts. Crunchy, fragrant, and built for dunking in Vin Santo or espresso.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
40 minREADY
2 hrsThese crunchy Tuscan cookies are close cousins of the biscotti you know and love, hailing from the medieval city of Prato in central Italy.
The dough comes together with flour, sugar, eggs, and a generous hit of almond extract, then gets loaded with whole unblanched almonds and hazelnuts for that signature nutty crunch in every bite.
Shaped into logs, baked until golden, cooled, then sliced on the diagonal and baked again. That double baking is the whole secret to their satisfying snap.
In Tuscany, these are the cookies you dunk into a glass of sweet Vin Santo after dinner. But they’re equally at home alongside your morning espresso or a cup of strong black tea.
Pro Tips
- Use a serrated knife with a gentle sawing motion to slice the cooled logs so they don’t crumble
- Let the logs cool a full hour before slicing, or they’ll fall apart on you
- Dried cake crumbs add subtle tenderness. No cake crumbs? Use fine dry breadcrumbs as a substitute
- Store in an airtight container and they’ll keep for weeks, getting even crunchier over time
Ingredients
Directions
Butter a piece of brown paper cut to fit a large cookie sheet.
Preheat to moderate (375 degrees).
Sift flour, sugar and baking powder into a large bowl; stir in cake crumbs.
Beat eggs, the egg yolk, almond extract and vanilla in a small bowl until frothy; add to flour mixture.
Beat unti thoroughly combined and mixture is moistened.
(Take a little bit of the cookie mixture between your fingertips and pinch; if the dough holds together you have beaten it enough).
Add almonds and hazelnuts.
With your hands, work nuts into dough until mixture begins to hold together.
Turn out onto a piece of wax paper.
Divide mixture in half.
Shape each half into a log, 2 inches in diameter and about 12 inches long.
Place logs on prepared cookie sheets.
Beat egg white in a small cup until foamy; brush over logs.
Bake in preheated 375℉ (190℃) oven for 30 minutes or until golden.
Remove logs with paper to wire racks. Cool 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃).
Cut logs into ½ diagonal slices with a serrated knife using a sawing motion.
Place cookies on large ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake in preheated moderate oven (350 degrees) for 10 minutes or until centers are dry, turning once.
Cool on wire racks.
Store in a covered container.
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