A Family Tradition: Rich Filled Cookies “Celli Pieni”
If you love family history and traditional Italian baking, this story is for you. My family has been making Rich Filled Cookies (Celli Pieni) for more than 150 years, a cherished recipe passed down from mother to daughter since the mid-1800s in Bomba, Abruzzo, Italy. These sweet, crescent-shaped cookies are filled with a rich blend of grape jam, cocoa, almonds, orange zest, and a hint of espresso or rum—a true taste of Italian heritage. In this post, I’ll share how my mother, Rachel, re-imagined this old-world treat with her own special twist, creating a cookie that continues to grace our family gatherings, holidays, and celebrations to this day.