I Remember my Grandmother and Mother making these cookies. Somewhere along the line, I lost the recipe. I have tried to find a recipe with “that” taste I remember so well. Then I saw “this” one, and, for a moment, it brought back not only my childhood but also my mother and grandmother.
YIELD
36 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
15 minREADY
45 minItalian S Cookies, also known as Sicilian S Cookies, are a traditional Italian pastry enjoyed for generations.
These cookies are characterized by their S-shaped appearance and delicious buttery flavor.
The cookies’ unique S shape is believed to represent the Italian word “semplici," meaning “simple," reflecting the simplicity of the ingredients used in the original recipe.
While the exact origin of these cookies is unknown, they are believed to have originated in Sicily, Italy.
The cookies were traditionally made during festive occasions such as Christmas, weddings, and holidays and were often served alongside coffee or tea.
Over time, the recipe for these cookies has spread throughout Italy and the world, and they have become a beloved treat for people of all ages.
Today, Italian S Cookies are still enjoyed by many and continue to be an important part of Italian culinary tradition.
Ingredients
Directions
With an electric mixer, beat shortening (we use butter) and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time and continue to beat until fluffy. Add vanilla and beat well.
Add the flour and baking powder and mix by hand until well combined, and turn it out onto a lightly floured working area.
Divide and roll the dough into ‘S’ shapes.
Brush tops with egg yolk and bake at 350℉ (180℃) for 15 minutes.
You can dust these with confectioner sugar if desired.
Comments
hello my name is laura i would like to thank you for posting this on the website. i hope these are the cookies my grandmother use to make.
tomorrow i will try them and i would like to thank you again,
enjoy your holdiays
laura
You are welcome, Laura. Hope you have enjoyed these cookies. Happy Holidays :)
I have been searching for years for our family's lost "S" Cookie recipe. I'm really hoping these are it! Can't wait to try it and see.
Just another person with happy memories of S cookies. I've asked a few relatives for the recipe, but lost it and too embarrassed to ask again. Now they're sadly gone so I cannot thank you enough. This is probably it since I remember lots of eggs & this recipe calls for more than the others posted.
Happy Easter to all
Roseann
Glad that you found this long-time lost recipe on our site, and hope you will enjoy these delicious holiday cookies. Happy Easter :)
this is not the same recipe for "S Cakes" our family uses, but I bet this recipe rolls into S shapes easier. Our recipe is less flour, more eggs, butter and juice and rind of lemon.
Your pictures are wonderful!!! Of the cookies and the scenery of Bend. Beautiful! I love that you added one of your kooky lady dolls to the picture too! I love those!!!
These are not the Italian S cookies my grandmother was famous for. Hers had anise extract...a glaze and multicolored sprinkles on top. The recipe has been handed down through 5 generations and we still make (and get requests) these cookies all through the year.
My Grandmother used to cook her icing. Do you have the recipe for cooked sugar icing?
Are these cookies a bit hard rather than cake-like? My grandma used to make these and we loved them.. she didn’t use a recipe and I always meant to watch her. Unfortunately, I didn’t and we haven’t had them since she’s been gone.. it would be so nice to make them and surprise my dad..
Glad that you have found a long-lost recipe, and I'm sure that your dad will be so happy to enjoy these memory-loaden cookies. The texture of the cookies are not too hard or too soft. It is kind in between, which is quite nice. Hope that you will bring back some of the sweet family memories. Happy Holiday, and Happy Baking :)
We always made these in a meat grinder with an attachment. My recipe has butter. Will these do well in the meat grinder? Can I substitute butter for Crisco?
Not sure that whether it does well in the meat grinder or not because we have never done that. But you can definitely substitute butter for Crisco, that's what I did. The cookies turned out buttery and delicious. Hope this helps, and happy baking :)
This is the recipe I have been searching for. I knew it the second I saw it because of the crisco, 6 eggs and 6 cups flour. My Nana always flavored all her desserts with Sambuca, but I think that’s an Italian regional thing. I want to thank you so much for posting this. I can’t wait to make them tomorrow.
So happy to see that you have found your long-lost recipe here especially it brings back the memory with your Nana. I hope that the cookies come out as delicious as your Nana made. Happy Baking :)
This is also my grandma’s recipe I too knew as soon as I saw the 6 cups of flour. My grandma separated the dough & added baking cocoa to one batch we called them doodoo’s & sesame seeds to the other batch. Does anyone else remember this ? And what are the equations. Thanks
How many cookies does this recipe make?
OMG thank you...…….. I was the only one who had my Nonnas recipe for these and I misplaced it years ago...….. just Skyping with my mum and sisters during COVID isolation in Australia and feeling nostalgic so I went on the search and I am pretty sure this was them as I remember her rubbing the lard into the flour, only other thing is we used lemon so I will add that.....mouth is watering thinking about them.. fingers crossed
My Italian mother n law made these for years, but has a bit of dementia, and has forgotten how.
She used flour, shortening, baking powder, eggs, sugar, salt, vanilla and anise seeds..can anyone put ingredients together in measurements?
Look up Italian cookie recipe
Can make dough..put in fridge and make tomorrow?