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Italian Fig Cookies (Cucidati)

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Italian Fig Cookies, traditionally known as Cucidati, have become a new Christmas tradition this year.  These are the fanciest, most delicious not-too-sweet fig cookies that will wow your guests this holiday season.

Make Italian Fig Cookies and your home will smell like Christmas!

This giveaway has been sponsored by Valley Fig.  I was sent a California Fig Care Package purpose creating this recipe, but all opinions are my own. #ad #VFigFeed #ValleyFigHolidays #12DaysofChristmas #giveaway

While I never met her, I’ve heard many stories about my great grandmother Florence who used to make do with very little. At Christmastime, she would make very simple cookies using a raisin filling wrapped in pie dough called Brambles.  My great aunt Muriel passed them down to other members of the family and they are part of the Gile family lore, but not often made as they are a labor of love.

This recipe for Italian Fig Cookies remind me of Brambles in a way, but the flavors are more elaborate since the filling is loaded with figs, dates, golden raisins, almonds, honey, orange marmalade and cinnamon.  The dough for Cucidati is so lovely to work with and it’s tender to the bite, too.  I was afraid the thick fruit filling would ooze out of the cookies and make a mess in the oven and was pleasantly surprised to see that wasn’t the case.  Baking these cookies is guaranteed to make your home smell like Christmas!

Eating two cups of fruit each day is recommended for a healthy diet, and figs are an excellent choice.  They are loaded with dietary fiber, potassium and calcium.  Plus, figs are also an incredible source of antioxidants that are believed to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer. (Check out this “Eating for a Healthy Heart” article from the FDA.

Italian Fig Cookies for Christmas

When I’m putting together my Christmas cookie spread, I choose several simple to make recipes such as Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies, Funfetti Crinkle Cookies, or Chocolate Peppermint Cookies. Then, I select one more challenging but impressive recipe, like these Italian Fig Cookies.  These are a bit time consuming, but so worth it!

Italian Fig Cookies (Cucidati) Shopping List

From the pantry: all-purpose flour, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, baking powder, salt, ground cinnamon, powdered sugar

Items you may also need:

  • Stand Mixer
  • Mixing and Prep Bowls, Liquid and Dry Measuring Cups
  • Food Processor
  • Baking Sheets and Silpat or Parchment Paper
  • Plastic Wrap
  • Spoonula, Rolling Pin, and Pastry Brush

For a list of some of my favorite items to use when cooking, please visit my Kitchen Resource page.

How to Make Italian Fig Cookies

  1. Prepare the dough ahead of time and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
  2. Chop the figs in half and remove the hard stem.
  3. Add the filling ingredients to the food processor and pulse until combined.
  4. Roll out the dough into rectangular strips.
  5. Spoon the filling down the center of the dough strips.
  6. Roll up and place on a cookie sheet seam side down.
  7. Cut into 1-1/2 pieces.
  8. Bake at 350-degrees F for 15 minutes until golden brown.
  9. Make the icing with fresh squeezed orange juice and powdered sugar.

Pro Tip: If the figs are sticking to your knife, run it under hot water every now and then.

Italian Fig Cookies

Make Italian Fig Cookies a part of your Christmas tradition this year! Don’t let the number of ingredients and steps deter you from making these Italian Fig Cookies.  Make the dough ahead of time to shorten the process (it’s easier to work with when it’s cold anyhow).  The filling all goes into your food process and comes together easily.  These goodies are worth the time and effort!

4.86 from 14 votes
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Italian Fig Cookies

Not too sweet but loaded with all the wonderful flavors of Christmas!

Course Dessert
Cuisine Italian
Keyword Italian Fig Cookies
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Rest Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 57 minutes
Servings 36 cookies

Ingredients

For the dough:

  • 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 4 ounces unsalted butter, chilled and cut into pieces
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the fig filling:

  • 1 cup dried diced Calimyrna or Mission figs stems removed
  • 1 cup chopped pitted dates finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup golden raisins
  • 1/2 cup orange juice, fresh squeezed about 1 orange
  • 1/4 cup orange marmalade
  • 1/3 cup unblanched almonds
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons dark spiced rum

For the glaze:

  • 1 cup powdered sugar sifted
  • 2 to 3 teaspoons orange juice, fresh squeezed just enough to make a glaze you can slowly drizzle
  • Sprinkles for decoration if desired

Instructions

For the dough:

  1. Add the flour, baking powder, sugars, and salt into a food processor fitted with a metal blade.  Pulse to mix.

  2. Add a little of the butter at a time, pulsing in between to combine.

  3. Add the eggs and vanilla and pulse until the dough forms a ball.

  4. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and divide in half.  Wrap each piece in plastic and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight.

For the filling:

  1. Toast the unblanched almonds in a skillet for a couple of minutes until you smell their nuttiness.  Remove from the heat.

  2. Remove any hard stems from the figs and cut into a quarters.

  3. Into the food processor, add the prepared figs, pitted dates, toasted almonds, orange marmalade, golden raisins, candied orange peel, honey, dark rum and cinnamon.

  4. Preheat the oven to 350-degrees F.

  5. Roll the dough into a large rectangle and add the fig filling down the middle.

  6. Roll the dough into a long log, placing it seam-side down.

  7. Cut the dough into 1-1/2" pieces and place onto a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet.

  8. Bake for 15 minutes until the bottoms are golden brown.

  9. Remove to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.

For the glaze

  1. In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, add the powdered sugar and orange juice. Whisk until the glaze is thickened.  If it is too thin, add a little more powdered sugar.  If it is too thick, add a little more milk.

  2. Brush the top of each cooled cookie with the glaze.  Add nonpareils or other sprinkles onto the top and let the glaze harden.

Tips for Storing and Making Ahead

  1. Once the glaze has hardened, store the cookies in an airtight container.  Use parchment paper to layer the cookies.

  2. The dough can be made a day or two ahead, if desired.  Be sure the dough is wrapped well in plastic wrap before refrigerating.

  3. Finished unglazed cookies can be frozen for a couple of weeks, but the glaze should be put on after they thaw.

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Variations for Italian Fig Cookies

I found many variations for Christmas Fig Cookies, Cucidati, and Sicilian Fig Cookies when I was doing research online. Because we test all our recipes, we recommend that you make them once just as it is without substitutions or changes. Sometimes variations can go awry. Making our Italian Fig Cookies as we have tested them will yield the best results. If you really want to get creative, here are some ideas for variations that might work well. (Please note, we have not tested these variations).

  • If you prefer a less sweet cookie, omit the honey in the filling recipe.
  • Instead of orange juice, use lemon juice, along with the zest, to play up the citrus notes in the cookies.
  • If you do not want to use the rum, substitute it for more orange juice, but add some additional spices.  Taste the mixture to see if you need to adjust and add other spices such as nutmeg and allspice or additional cinnamon to make up for the flavor.

Italian Fig Cookies for Christmas

California Fig Care Package Giveaway

About California Valley Figs

Some of the items below contain affiliate links; I am a participant a variety of affiliate programs, including in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. However, I only promote things that I love and think you will love, too. For more information, please see our Disclosure Policy.

Did you know that California produces 100% of US dried figs? California farmers started growing figs commercially in 1885 and today Golden Figs and Mission Figs are the two most popular varieties grown in the state. There are so many ways to use heart-healthy figs! Check out the Valley Fig website for more recipes ideas.

California Valley Fig Care Package

This awesome prize package will contain the following items:

Valley Fig 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway - Juggling Act Mama

Official Rules and Conditions: One winner will receive a California Fig Care Package from Valley Fig. No cash value. Open worldwide to adults 18+. One (1) winner will be chosen. Prize must be claimed within 48 hours of announcement or a new winner will be drawn. Prize will be delivered by Valley Fig; bloggers are not responsible for delivery of the prize. All entries will be verified. This giveaway is in no way associated with Amazon, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram, Rafflecopter, or any other entity unless otherwise specified. Giveaway ends 12/22/2018. Enter using the widget below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to check out all the 12 Days of Christmas Giveaways!

  1. $300 Amazon Gift Card
  2. Farberware Cookware Set
  3. Kindle Fire HD
  4. Boston Entertainment Package
  5. Hamilton Beach Air Fryer
  6. Goliath Games Package
  7. Plaid Crafting Prize Pack
  8. $100 Usborne Books & More Prize
  9. Instant Pot

More Delicious Cookies:

Here are some of our favorite cookie recipes that are perfect for the holidays:

 

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Comments

  3. I have never used California Figs before. I don’t know why because my husband and I love them and I would really like my grandchildren to enjoy them too! I want to make these cookies. They look so much like a fig newton that my husband loves. He would be so surpised if I brpught out a plate of them to him!

    Reply

  20. I’ve never used California figs before. I would definitely be making these cookies if I won. They look delicious! 🙂

    Reply

  22. I have not ever used them before but I think I would make a fig pudding if I”m lucky enough to score this amazing prize pack!

    Reply

  24. I never used figs in a recipe, only to eat for a snack. After seeing these yummy Italian fig cookies…now I want to bake them soon!

    Reply

  25. I have never used California Figs before, but these pastry like cookies look so good. I love figs in baked goods, so I would definitely try this recipe.

    Reply

  26. I have never used California figs before. I would like to make some type of cookie like these out of them. My grandmother used to make Fig Cookies years ago!

    Reply

  27. I love Fig Newtons… but never thought about making my own. Would love to give it a try- thanks for sharing the recipe!

    Reply

  29. So many things have been scratched out as now not in the prize pack.
    What is in it ..whats the prize..thanks. Confused.

    Reply

  32. I’m a huge fan of figs and would use them in baking and I also saw a recipe for an anise pork with fig and apples that I’ve been wanting to try.

    Reply

  34. I love figs: eaten straight from the bag, in cookies or salads. But the favorite way I’ve cooked them is on a pizza with caramelized onions, bacon and blue cheese. It was SO GOOD.

    Reply

  40. I’ve definitely had them–figs are so good! I love pressed fig and almond cake–it’s so delicious and a “healthy dessert!”

    Reply

  42. I have never used them in a recipe before, but I really wanted to try your recipe now! I can’t wait to see how my family likes it. 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing!

    Reply

  50. I think I have eaten them before. I would love to make a twist on baklava rolls and use shopped figs and walnuts.

    Reply

  51. I have not used them before. I think I would eat them right out of the bag as a snack. I would also make them into a jam & use for thumbprint cookies.

    Reply

  57. Haven’t used that brand but I would use them in my oatmeal cookies. Also save some for my husband who loves figs with his peanut butter!

    Reply

  58. No I have not used the California figs but they sound delicious and I would be open to any recipe that sounds good, thanks!

    Reply

  59. I have ate figs but have never baked with them. I would love to try a cookie bar with figs in them. I wonder if brownies would be good with them? I know they are really good just eating them plain.

    Reply

  62. Since I haven’t used figs in any of my recipes, I would try making them in a recipe I found online called Cuccidati. It’s a type of a Sicilian cookie that also includes raisins and dates too.

    Reply

  64. I’ve never used this brand before. I would make this recipe because it’s an Italian tradition in my family.
    We make big batches to share with everyone.

    Reply

  67. I’ve had fig jam, which I loved, but I’ve never cooked with figs myself. I think it’s about time I tried, though! I think I would like to try using figs in a batch of protein bites.

    Reply

  68. I have used Californian figs before in a manner of speaking, I eat them straight up. Honestly after seeing your recipe I really want to give it a try.

    Reply

  71. My favorite are the Calimyrna. I always have a bag of Sun-Maid in the pantry. Crostini with Honey & Gorgonzola & Figs is a quick app in a pinch.

    Reply

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