Esse-shaped cookies are a true classic of Italian pastry. You can find them in every bakery across Italy, often enjoyed for breakfast or as a sweet afternoon treat.
Many regions claim to have invented them, from Friuli in the North to Sicily in the South. The most famous are the Esse cookies from Monreale, near Palermo, and the Squisiti from Modica, also in Sicily. In Friuli, the Esse di Raveo are equally beloved. In truth, these cookies are baked all over Italy, each region giving them a slightly different touch.
Making them at home is quick and easy. The dough is made with simple, wholesome ingredients - butter, flour, vanilla, sugar, and egg yolks - and it’s based on a special type of whipped shortcrust pastry. Unlike the classic shortcrust, this one is beaten with an electric or stand mixer, which makes the dough soft, airy, and perfect for piping into the signature S shape.
After baking, you can leave them plain or dip the ends in melted chocolate for an extra touch of indulgence. Crispy on the outside and melt-in-your-mouth soft inside, Esse cookies are simply irresistible.
Thanks to their simplicity, they’re perfect for breakfast with a cappuccino, or as a little treat with your afternoon tea or hot chocolate.
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Ingredients
Prep Time: 20 Min | Chilling Time: 30 Min | Cook Time: 15 Min | Servings: about 20 cookies
- 140 g (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 115 g (1 cup) powdered sugar
- 1 vanilla bean (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 220 g (1 ¾ cups) all-purpose flour
- 2 medium egg yolks, at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 100 g (3 ½ oz) dark chocolate, for dipping
Kitchen Tools and Equipment
Here’s what you’ll need to make these Biscotti a Esse at home:
- Stand mixer (or hand mixer): for whipping the butter, sugar, and eggs until light and fluffy, giving the dough its soft and airy texture.
- Rubber spatula: to fold in the flour, lemon zest, and salt, and to scrape the sides of the bowl.
- Fine grater or zester: for finely grating the lemon zest, which adds a delicate citrus aroma to the cookies.
- Piping bag with a large star tip: to pipe the dough into the traditional “S” shape.
- Parchment paper: to line the baking tray and prevent the cookies from sticking.
- Saucepan and heatproof bowl (for double boiler): to gently melt the chocolate without burning it.
Instructions
Make the Dough
Step 1) - Place the softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
Add the powdered sugar, egg yolks, and vanilla. If you’re using a vanilla bean, slice it open and scrape out the seeds; otherwise, use a teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Step 2) - Whip everything together on medium speed until the mixture becomes light, creamy, and fluffy. This step gives the dough its soft and airy texture, typical of whipped shortcrust pastry.
Stop the mixer and fold in the grated lemon zest and a pinch of salt using a spatula. Mix well to combine.
Gradually add the sifted flour, a little at a time, stirring gently. The dough should remain soft and not too firm. If it becomes difficult to mix with the spatula, you can briefly switch to the dough hook for about one minute, just until fully incorporated.
Step 3) - Transfer the dough into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip (about ⅜ inch / 9 mm)
Shape the Esse Cookies
Step 4) - Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and pipe out S-shaped cookies (biscotti a esse) about 5-6 cm (2 inch) long. Space them well apart to prevent sticking.
Refrigerate for about 30 minutes before baking. This step helps the cookies keep their perfect shape and makes them extra crisp on the outside.
Bake, Dip and Serve
Step 8) - Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F). Bake the cookies for about 15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Remove from the oven and let them cool completely.
Step 9) - Melt the dark chocolate in a double boiler. When the cookies are completely cool, dip one end of each Italian S cookie into the melted chocolate.
Place them on a wire rack and let the chocolate set completely before serving.
Arrange your Biscotti a Esse on a serving plate and enjoy them for breakfast with coffee, or as a sweet afternoon treat with tea or hot chocolate.
Storage
Store the Biscotti a Esse in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll stay fresh and crisp for up to 7 days.
If you’ve dipped them in chocolate, make sure the chocolate has completely set before storing, and place a sheet of parchment paper between layers to prevent them from sticking together.
These Italian S-shaped cookies are also perfect to make ahead. Their texture and flavor stay delicious for days, making them ideal for breakfast or as a sweet snack any time of the week.
Tips
Make sure all the ingredients are at room temperature. The butter should be very soft and the eggs not cold from the fridge. This helps create a smooth, creamy mixture that’s easy to pipe into shape.
If the dough feels too stiff to squeeze out of the piping bag, it usually means the butter wasn’t soft enough or the mixture wasn’t whipped long enough. It can also happen if you added too much flour, so be sure to incorporate it gradually.
After dipping the cookies in chocolate, let them rest for about 1 to 2 hours until the chocolate is completely set. You can place them in the refrigerator to speed up the process.
Since this recipe uses only egg yolks, don’t throw away the egg whites: use them to make delicious Pasta di Mandorla (Sicilian almond cookies) or some Brutti ma Buoni cookies.
More Italian Cookies Recipes You'll Want to Try
- Canestrelli
- Italian Christmas Cookies (made with pasta frolla)
- Baci di Dama Cookies
- Amaretti Cookies
Variations of Italian S-Shaped Cookies (Biscotti a Esse)
Although Biscotti a Esse are found all over Italy, several regions claim their own version of these traditional Italian S-shaped cookies. From Friuli-Venezia Giulia in the north to Sicily in the south, every area has its unique take on the classic recipe.
The base is always a simple shortcrust or whipped shortcrust dough made with butter, sugar, eggs, and flour. What changes is mainly how the S shape is formed and the flavorings used. Some bakers pipe the dough using a pastry bag with a star tip, while others roll small cylinders by hand and twist them into the traditional S shape. Depending on local traditions, the cookies may be flavored with lemon or orange zest, vanilla, anise seeds, or even a touch of cinnamon.
Let’s take a look at the most famous regional varieties of Esse cookies:
- Esse di Raveo (Friuli-Venezia Giulia): simple and traditional Italian butter cookies made with flour, butter, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Invented in 1930 by Emilio Bonanni, they have become a beloved symbol of Carnia.
- Biscotti a “S” di Monreale (Sicily): classic Sicilian S-shaped shortcrust cookies, often decorated with white icing made from sugar and egg whites. These cookies from Monreale, near Palermo, are crisp and aromatic.
- Gli Squisiti di Modica (Sicily): traditional Sicilian S-cookies from the Modica and Ragusa area. Crumbly and delicately flavored with lemon, they’re perfect for dunking in milk, coffee, or tea. Some versions include the famous Modica IGP chocolate for an extra touch of richness.
- Esse di Palazzolo (Lombardy): typical of the area near Brescia, these whipped shortcrust cookies are often flavored with mandarin zest and sometimes include a small amount of baking powder for extra lightness. Passed down from generation to generation, they’re a true Lombard specialty.
Recipe Card
Biscotti a Esse (Italian S-Shaped Cookies)
Ingredients
- 140 g unsalted butter, at room temperature - 10 tablespoons
- 115 g powdered sugar - 1 cup
- 1 vanilla bean - or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- lemon zest from 1 lemon
- 220 g all-purpose flour - 1 ¾ cups
- 2 medium eggs yolks - at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 100 g dark chocolate - 3 ½ oz, for dipping
Instructions
Make the Dough
- Place the softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
- Add the powdered sugar, egg yolks, and vanilla. If you’re using a vanilla bean, slice it open and scrape out the seeds; otherwise, use a teaspoon of vanilla extract.
- Whip everything together on medium speed until the mixture becomes light, creamy, and fluffy. This step gives the dough its soft and airy texture, typical of whipped shortcrust pastry.
- Stop the mixer and fold in the grated lemon zest and a pinch of salt using a spatula. Mix well to combine.
- Gradually add the sifted flour, a little at a time, stirring gently. The dough should remain soft and not too firm. If it becomes difficult to mix with the spatula, you can briefly switch to the dough hook for about one minute, just until fully incorporated.
- Transfer the dough into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip (about ⅜ inch / 9 mm)
Shape the Esse Cookies
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and pipe out S-shaped cookies (biscotti a esse) about 5-6 cm (2 inch) long. Space them well apart to prevent sticking.
- Refrigerate for about 30 minutes before baking. This step helps the cookies keep their perfect shape and makes them extra crisp on the outside.
Bake, Dip and Serve
- Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F). Bake the cookies for about 15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Remove from the oven and let them cool completely.
- Melt the dark chocolate in a double boiler. When the cookies are completely cool, dip one end of each Italian S cookie into the melted chocolate.
- Place them on a wire rack and let the chocolate set completely before serving.
- Arrange your Biscotti a Esse on a serving plate and enjoy them for breakfast with coffee, or as a sweet afternoon treat with tea or hot chocolate.
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