Description
Luscious Italian chocolate toto cookies bring pure Mediterranean sweetness to classic holiday baking. Rich almond-studded chocolate delights promise delectable crumbs that melt in your mouth, inviting warm memories of family gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Dry Ingredients:
- 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup (30 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 ½ cups (180 g) powdered sugar
Spices and Seasonings:
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients and Add-ins:
- ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon orange or lemon zest
- ½ cup (120 ml) milk
- 2–3 tablespoons milk or orange juice
- ½ cup (80 g) mini chocolate chips or chopped nuts (optional)
- Colored sprinkles
- Chopped nuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F (175C) and prepare baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats, ensuring even coverage and easy cookie removal.
- Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, aromatic spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves), and salt in a medium bowl, creating a uniform dry mixture.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream softened butter and granulated sugar until the mixture becomes light, airy, and pale in color, approximately 2 minutes.
- Incorporate eggs, vanilla extract, and citrus zest into the butter mixture, blending until thoroughly combined and fragrant.
- Gradually fold dry ingredients into the wet mixture, alternating with milk, ensuring a smooth, consistent dough. Gently fold in mini chocolate chips or chopped nuts for added texture.
- Using a tablespoon, portion and roll dough into uniform balls, placing them on prepared baking sheets with sufficient spacing to allow spreading.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, watching for a soft, cake-like texture and slight puffing. Cookies should appear set but not hardened.
- Allow cookies to rest on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack for complete cooling.
- Prepare glaze by whisking powdered sugar, milk or orange juice, and vanilla extract until achieving a smooth, pourable consistency.
- Once cooled, dip cookie tops into glaze or carefully spoon glaze over each cookie, immediately garnishing with sprinkles or chopped nuts.
- Let glazed cookies sit at room temperature until glaze hardens completely.
- Store in an airtight container, maintaining freshness for up to one week, or freeze for extended preservation.
Notes
- Experiment with different spices like cardamom or ginger to add unique depth and warmth to the traditional flavor profile.
- Swap out regular milk with almond or oat milk to create a dairy-free version that’s equally delicious and tender.
- Use dark cocoa powder for a more intense chocolate experience, which creates a richer and more robust cookie texture.
- Reduce sugar content by replacing half the granulated sugar with coconut sugar for a lower glycemic index and subtle caramel undertones.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 153
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 88 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 24 mg