Eat Together, Make Life Delicious...

Every holiday when I was a kid, my Sicilian grandmother Monga, Josephine Concetta or Josey, would prepare S-cookies for the entire family. I would help her in the kitchen and loved to pull a step-stool over to the counter to roll the cookie dough to form into fancy s's. Monga and I could easily spend several hours fulfilling all the requests for S-cookies. We would make several batches because these cookies had become a family favorite for dipping in coffee.

My grandmother's recipe did not use any butter, instead she used olive oil which made these cookies very dense and if overcooked, a bit dry. So when preparing Josey's version, bake them for 10 minutes and then test them. These cookies will last several weeks in a well-sealed tin.

In my house, S-cookies are not just a cookie, rather they symbolize family and good fun. These days, I prepare the tried-and-true Josey's recipe but also whip up another version and have a taste off. I have tried countless new S-cookie recipes and not surprisingly every year Josey's S-cookie always wins. Sure this recipe is simple but its flavor has lots of meaning--family recipes have a way being like that.

Give these recipes a bake, and start your own tasty holiday tradition.

Josey's S-Cookies
6 eggs
1 cup white sugar
1/2 olive oil
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
powdered sugar for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 350F. In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment whip the eggs and sugar until pale. Add in the olive oil and vanilla extract. In a separate bowl sift together the flour, baking power, and salt. Slowly add the flour to the egg mixture. When the dough forms, turn off the mixture. If the dough is try, add a few more drops of olive oil. Turn out the dough onto a floured surface. Roll some of the dough into thin cigars, a little smaller than 1/2-inch thick. Cut a piece about 2 inches long and form it into "S" making sure the ends of the "S" touch the body of the "S". Bake the S-cookies for 10 to 15 minutes or until your desired doneness. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

S-Cookies with Butter and Blood Orange Icing
2 stick unsalted butter (8 oz)
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup white sugar

Blood Orange Icing
juice and zest from 1 blood orange
powered sugar

In a mixer fixed with a paddle attachment, whip the butter, eggs and sugar until pale. Add in the vanilla extract. In a separate bowl sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Slowly add this into the butter mixture. Mix until well combined. Transfer the dough into the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350F. Remove some of the dough and roll it into thin cigars, a little smaller than 1/2-inch thick. Cut into 2 inch pieces and form into "S" making sure the ends of the "S" touch the body of the "S". Bake the S-cookies for 12 minutes. Makes about 5 dozen S-cookies. Prepare the Blood Orange Icing by combining the juice and zest from one blood orange and enough powdered sugar to create icing to your desired consistency. Spread the icing over the cookie following the S shape.

Labels: butter, Easy Desserts, easy holiday desserts, italian food