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Rich Filled Cookies (Celli Pieni)

An heirloom Italian cookie recipe passed down through five generations, delicate dough filled with rich grape jam, chocolate, nuts and citrus zest.

Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 9 minutes
Servings 5 dozen
Calories 121 kcal
Author Rachel Galletta (Mastrangelo)

Ingredients

Rich Filled Dough

  • 5 cups Flour Sifted
  • 2 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1 tsp Baking Soda
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1 cup Butter original recipe calls for shortening
  • 2 cup Granulated Sugar
  • 2 Eggs un1beaten
  • 1 tsp Vanilla
  • 1 cup Sour Cream

Cookie Filling

  • 2 LB Grape Jam I have used Strawberry jam as well
  • 6 oz Mini Chocolate Chips
  • 1 cup Walnuts Chopped
  • 1/2 cup Toasted Almond chopped
  • 1 Lemon Rind Grated
  • 1 Orange Rind Grated
  • 1 cup Graham Cracker Crumbs enough to make a firm texture

Instructions

Dough Prep

  1. Sift 5 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt set aside

  2. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy

  3. Add eggs, one at a time, followed by vanilla and sour cream

  4. Gradually add the flour mixture, one cup at a time, until a soft dough forms

  5. If the dough feels to sticky or tender, add up to one extra cup of flour

  6. Place in a bowl, cover with plastic and refrigerate over night or at least 4 hours

Prepare Filling

  1. Toast Almonds and chop

  2. In a medium bowl, combine grape jam, chocolate chips, almonds, walnuts, lemon and orange rind, and graham cracker crumbs

  3. Stir until thick and well blended; refrigerate if you are waiting on the dough

Shape the Cookies

  1. Take a portion (approximately 3/4 cup or what you feel comfortable working with) roll chilled dough on a floured surface to about 1/8 inch thickness.

  2. Cut into circles-3 inch for a standard cookie or 2 inch for a smaller one (for cookie trays) You can choose the size you would like this is just a suggestion

  3. Place a bottom circle on an uncreased baking sheet, add about 1 teaspoon (for larger cookie) of filling, and top with another dough circle

  4. Seal the edges with your finger or a fork

  5. Bake in a 350° oven for 8-10 minutes until the bottoms are golden and edges are lightly brown