I told my husband I wanted a Christmas cookie recipe from his side of the family to share with you all for this huge cookie hop Dometically Speaking was hosting (be sure to sift through all the cookies at the very end of this post). Within minutes, he had our Aunt Frannie texting him the ingredients to his grandmother’s “Italian Horn Cookie Recipe”. Man oh man, those Italians don’t mess around. I asked him, “What the heck are Italian Horns?” He said they are little pastries shaped like horns stuffed with sugar & nuts. I said, “Okay, I’m in!” So began, our Italian Horn adventure…
My family (who’s mostly Polish, Irish, & German) make something similar for Christmas, but they are called pockets, and they are stuffed with preserves. If interested you can find that recipe here: “Apricot Pockets“.
Where did this recipe come from?
Before I go any further, I must give my husband most of the credit for the cookie baking. He did the majority of the filling work while I stood by helping here & there while I was cooking dinner. He takes his grandmother’s recipes VERY SERIOUSLY and he truly enjoys eating, I mean making them with me 😆. I also want to thank Aunt Frannie for texting the recipe to Rick!
How do they taste?
When the first batch of cookies came out of the oven I couldn’t take it anymore, and I grabbed one right off the cookie sheet without even rolling it in confectionary sugar.
WOW. OH. MY. GOODNESS. I was instantly HOOKED. Why had we never made these before in 25 years of marriage???
The dough was soft and fluffy, and the filling was sweet, nutty, and oh, so delicious. I actually like these better than the pockets, shh. You did not hear that here.
The only words that come to mind right now when I see these photos, are:
STOP, DROP, & ROLL. 😂
Seriously, these cookies are my new favorite Christmas cookie. That is a big deal. All you need is a big glass of milk, and a pillow to sleep with after. I hope you try them, and even better, share them with your loved ones.
How do you make Italian Horn Cookies?
Italian Horn Cookies
A soft puff pastry dough filled with a sweet nutty filling rolled into a horn shape and covered in powdered sugar.
Ingredients
- Dough:
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 yeast packet (3/4 ounce size)
- 2 sticks butter (not softened)
- 1 cup whole milk
- Filling:
- 16 ounces walnuts chopped finely
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- warm milk
Instructions
- Preaheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Pour flour, salt, and yeast into large mixing bowl.
- Mix well.
- Cut butter into dry ingredients, and then add milk to form dough.
- Set dough aside and make filling.
- For filling combine finely chopped walnuts, sugar, and a little warm milk until you form a paste.
- Roll dough out on floured surface until approximately 1/4 inch thick.
- Cut 3 inch circles with a glass.
- Spread 1 tablespoon to 1-1/2 tablespoons of filling into center of dough circle.
- Roll, and press to seal shaping them into horns.
- Place seam side down on non-stick cooking sheet or on parchment paper.
- Bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees.
- Allow to cool and then roll in confectionary sugar.
- Store in refrigerator for 2 weeks in sealed container or freeze (they freeze well).
Nutrition Information
Yield
30Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 249Total Fat 17gSaturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 11gCholesterol 18mgSodium 75mgCarbohydrates 22gFiber 2gSugar 8gProtein 5g
Monday’s Cookies
Christmas M&M Peanut Butter Cookie Bars
Santa’s Whiskers Christmas Cookies
Tuesday’s Cookies
4 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookie
Wednesday’s Cookies
Easy No Bake Peppermint Gingersnap Cookies
Easy Spritz Cookies (not pictured)
Thursday’s Cookies
Christmas Surprise Cookie Recipe
White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
Friday’s Cookies
Tags: cookie
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These cookies look amazing and I love that it is a family recipe. I am adding this to my “must try” Christmas cookie list.
Yahoo! Thank you, Paula!
[…] Italian Horn Cookie Recipe […]
You always share recipes that I LOVE! These look so good and I have never made them before so I cannot wait to try them.
Thank you, MB! They are keepers for sure!!
Oh these look so good! They would be perfect with a cup of tea!
Yhaaas! I was thinking that too, Kristin!
I love anything rolled in confectioner’s sugar…I bet these melt in your mouth! I could definitely indulge in a few of these with a glass of milk followed by a nap 🙂 Thanks for sharing your family recipe, Julie. I’m so happy to join you this week for the hop!
Thank you, Rebecca! I was going to tell you how much I love your blog name!
Thanks so much for sharing this decadent Christmas cookie recipe. Family recipes are the BEST! I am excited to add these to my Family Christmas cookie list this year.
Pinned, for sure!
These look amazing and sound like they’d be perfect with my nightly cup of tea. Love that they are a family recipe.
These cookies look like a cookie my grandmother made when I was a kid. I will have to give these a try for a cookie swap we do every year. Thanks for sharing and happy to be on the cookie hop with you.
Julie these cookies sound delicious! So pretty for a Christmas cookie too!
Oh excuse me, I seem to have just licked the screen here and now I am drooling a little too! Well I cannot help myself, I am admittedly a “cookie monster”, phew there I said it!!! I think this recipe will make the cut for our traditional family cookie baking weekend! This cookie looks so good for those like my hubby, who like more European style cookies. Thank you for sharing the recipe. Oh geez, looks like I’ve got to dry off my keyboard too, ha ha ha
These look so good! I can’t wait to give these a try over the Christmas season. Thanks for sharing a family recipe!
You are welcome, Carrie!
[…] Italian Horn Cookie Recipe […]
[…] Italian Horn Cookie Recipe […]
[…] Italian Horn Cookie Recipe […]
[…] Bake Cookies / Easy No Bake Peppermint Gingersnap Cookies Italian Horn Cookie Recipe / Easy Spritz Cookies (not […]
I’ve never heard of these before but they look delicious!! And even sweeter that your husband made them! 🙂
I love it that your husband helped you with these. The cookies look amazing and there is nothing better than an heirloom family recipe. Thank you for sharing!
xo Trish
[…] Italian Horn Cookie Recipe […]
[…] Italian Horn Cookie Recipe […]
[…] Italian Horn Cookie Recipe […]
They look delicious!! My husband is Lebanese and we make alot of his mother’s family recipes! I know how much work goes into them, but the rewards of eating are so worth it!! We have her on video on u tube so that anyone from the family can learn to make them! I love that your husband helps! I have just one question how long do you rise the dough? In some of our recipes it has to double in size. Thanks for the recipe, I will be trying this for sure!
Great idea to put her on a YouTube channel! I bet she could become rich if you monotize it!! Great question that I asked about, too! No rising required for these. I think the yeast just adds a tinge of puffy. You could always try and let the dough sit for a bit though.
If my hubby is around when I make these, they would never make it into a container. They would be gone in a heart beat. He has to have balance when he walks, which means he has to have 2 in each hand at a time. :}
Thanks for sharing the recipe
Hysterical, Colleen!!! It’s great to hear from you… you always have great comments!
Julie – this recipe is almost exact to my husband’s grandfathers’ recipe, from Bari Italy. We have always been too intimidated to try to make them. Now, we’ll give it go!
That is so cool! I’m curious what was different 😉
I’ve never made this type of cookie before, but now I can’t wait to give them a try! I love that this is a family recipe! Thank you for sharing. Pinned!
Oh my. These sound heavenly. I’ve never had them before but will definitely be making them soon. Nothing like a family recipe, is there? Thanks for sharing this treasure!
[…] Italian Horn Cookie Recipe […]
[…] Italian Horn Cookie Recipe […]
These sound amazing! I have a question about the yeast. You don’t have to “activate it with warm water or milk and a little sugar? Seem a little off to me. I’m gonna give it a go…..
I just verified with my husband. You do not have to activate it.
[…] Italian Horn Cookie Recipe […]
[…] Italian Horn Cookie Recipe […]