5 from 2 votes

Italian Pear Cookies

Easy Italian pear cookies made with just 6 ingredients! Buttery pasta frolla and pears make the perfect holiday cookie or tea-time treat.

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Resting time1

Total Time20

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Serving: 20

Calories: 163kcal

Author: Andrea Soranidis

Ingredients

170 g butter
120 g sugar
zest of 1 organic lemon, (or orange zest)
2 egg yolks, medium
1 egg, medium
330 g all purpose flour , + 1 tbsp
2 pears, peeled, cored and finely chopped

Instructions

Place the butter, sugar and lemon zest in a stand mixer, and using the whisk attachment whip them until creamy and lightly foamy, for about 3-4 minutes.
Add one egg yolk at a time, until each is fully incorporated, followed by the whole egg. Continue to mix until you reach a creamy texture, for about 2 minutes.
Add in all the flour, and then mix everything with the hook attachment or by hand with a spatula.
The dough will still be sticky at this point, dust it with 1 tablespoon of flour and form the dough into a ball without over-working it.
Transfer the ball onto a sheet of cling film, flatten it into a disk and wrap it well. Let the dough rest in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
Once ready, transfer the dough on a clean and lightly floured working surface. Dust the rolling pin lightly with flour and roll the dough to about 3–4 mm thick (around ⅛ inch) before cutting the rounds.
Cut the dough into rounds about 5–7 cm (2–2.7 inches) wide. Place a spoonful of pears in the center. Fold the cookie over the filling to form a half-moon shape, trim off any excess pastry from the sides, then gently roll it between your hands until you have a neat ball.
Arrange the cookies on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 15–18 minutes, or until lightly golden at the edges.
Let the cookies cool on a wire rack, then dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Notes

The less you work the dough with your hands the better, because their warmth will make the butter soften faster.
If the pastry is too crumbly, it means you have overworked the dough. Add a teaspoon of cold water, mix everything quickly, if necessary, with a pinch of flour and immediately place in the fridge!
Dust your counter and your rolling pin lightly with flour before rolling the dough.
Alternatively, place the dough between two sheets of baking paper, so it won’t stick to the counter or rolling pin.

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Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.