This is a very old recipe and simply perfect for serving with any hot beverage.
Many times you will see these S-Shaped Cookies in small bakery shops along the waters when they serve these with espresso.
Here you will find two versions one from Burano and the other is Greek style with powdered sugar and buttery flavored with a tender crunch.
These are both delicious and hard to choose, try them both and let me know which one you love!
Scroll down and print off the recipes at the end.
A Little History
These cookies are traditional to the Island of Burano in Venice. They are sold unfrosted in bags.
Some folks these dip them in sweet wine. A perfect accompaniment for coffee here in America or with espresso.
Originally these cookies were only baked on Easter Sunday now they are available in Burano all year round.
The Greek cookies are have a little clove and spice in them buttery and crunchy rolled into powdered sugar.
Easy Versatile Dough
The dough is very easy to work with.
The S is the is simply rolled into a rope then shaped into an S shape. These cookies traditional have either anisette in them or lemon.
Depending on the Region in Italy making them.
Most Italian households make these around Christmas time now as a tradition cookie on the tray.
Being Italian American we surely always have these on our tray around the Holidays but not just for Christmas for Easter as well.
Many women in that village would make the dough and bring them to the local bakeries to be baked and packaged to be sent off with their husbands that would be gone for long periods of time fishing and out to sea.
Glazed or Plain?
These cookies hold up and travel well.
They come in various shapes not only S-shaped. Basic simple biscotti in ring-shaped also with a nice crunch to them.
They are never sold frosted in Burano.
I chose to add a glaze and sprinkle as it gave it a nice bit of sweetness.
Original cookies do not have frosting. They are not sweet cookies, a light frosting will compliment them. This became a favorite of ours.
Ingredients You Will Need to Make Italian S Cookies
scroll down to the printable recipe card for exact measurements
- sugar
- unsalted butter
- egg yolks
- flour
- vanilla or lemon
- freshly grated lemon peel
Shaping and Baking
After you shape the cookies, place them on parchment paper so they evenly brown on the bottom.
Plus they are easier to remove without them breaking.
Butter Greek Cookies
These are a butter Greek version with powdered sugar. They melt in your mouth and traditional Greek cookies made around the holiday. We love these also. Both recipes are below for you to try.
I would love to hear which one you like the best. Feel free to leave a message. Thanks for reading.
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Rugelach
Yield: 30
Italian S Cookies or Greek Butter Cookies
These are Italian S shaped cookies. We make these all year round they are delicious cookies. I have two recipe versions for you to try here.
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 10 MinTotal time: 25 Min
Ingredients
- Delicious Venetian Cookies
- (Bussola Buranello Cookies)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- Beat together until light around 3 minutes.
- Add to the butter mixture:
- 4 large egg yolks
- 2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons vanilla (I love lemon so I use 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 teaspoon lemon extract) or of course you can skip lemon all together and use anise flavoring that's what my grandmother loved to use and traditional flavor
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon peel
Instructions
- Mix all together until the dough blends together in a ball. If the dough is too dry add a few drops of cream or water. All moisture comes from the eggs.
- Wrap in plastic for 1 hour. Roll dough out into S shapes, making long ropes and bending the dough to shape into S forms.
- Place of the greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 13 to 17 minutes. Leave plain or frost with a mixture of powdered sugar and water glaze then use sprinkles on top if you like.
- Version 2
- GREEK RECIPE BUTTER COOKIE
- 1 cup butter softened
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract or anise extract
- 2 1/4 cups flour
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg
- Powdered sugar for garnish
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Cream the sugar in a large bowl with butter until light. Add all the rest of the ingredients except powdered sugar until the ball forms.
- Using around 2 teaspoons of dough roll into a log then form S shapes placing on cookie sheets.
- For Greek Cookies roll into balls and bake the same at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, Cool roll in powdered sugar.
- For S-Shaped cookie dough:
- Bake until slightly browned edges form on the sides around 10 minutes. Cool completely then make a powdered sugar and water-thin glaze. Dip each cookie in the glaze and sprinkle with colored candies.
https://www.whatscookinitalianstylecuisine.com/2016/04/italian-s-cookies-or-greek-cookie-recipe.html
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More Cookies To Try:
25 Kinds of Cookie Recipes
Girl Scout Cookie Copycats
24 One Stop Cookie Shop
Disclosure: This recipe was originally shared in 2016. It was edited and re-published in 2019.