5 from 3 votes

Italian Sesame Cookies - Reginelle

Originally from Sicily, Reginelle cookies are popular Italian sesame cookies with a delicious nutty flavor and a lovely crumbly texture.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Resting time30

Total Time30

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Serving: 40

Calories: 91kcal

Author: Andrea Soranidis

Ingredients

150 g butter, softened
480 g all purpose flour
150 g sugar
2 eggs, slightly beaten
zest of one orange
4 tablespoon milk
2 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon sea salt
150 g sesame seeds

Instructions

In a large bowl mix the softened butter and ⅔ of the flour until you have a crumbly and sandy mixture.
Make a well in the center and add in the eggs, sugar, orange zest, milk and baking powder. Stir the ingredients, and slowly incorporate the remaining flour until you have a smooth slightly sticky dough, you won't probably need to add all the flour.
Transfer the dough to a bowl, cover with cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180°C/360°F. Arrange the oven tray onto the middle shelf, and line a cookie baking tray with parchment paper.
Place the dough on a work surface, and divide it into small dough balls.
Roll each ball to form a 3cm/1.2-inch wide rope. Cut each rope into about 5 cm/2-inch long pieces, then press the palm of your hands on each piece to slightly flatten it. Arrange it on a baking tray, repeat the process with the remaining dough.
Arrange a small bowl of water and place the sesame seeds in another bowl. Dip very briefly each cookie in water and then roll it in the sesame seeds making sure is nicely covered. Then arrange them back on the baking tray.
Bake the cookies for 20 minutes or until nicely golden on top. Remove the tray from the oven, allow the cookies to cool then serve.

Video

Notes

Do not add all the flour immediately, in some cases this could result in a tough hard-to-work dough. Start with ⅔ of flour and slowly add the remaining flour after you have incorporated the other ingredients.
If you want, replace the orange zest with lemon zest, 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, or a pinch of ground saffron.
For extra crisp cookies, substitute baking powder with an equal amount of baker's ammonia.
When kneading a small piece of dough, seal the remaining dough in cling film so it won't dry out.
Let the cookies cool completely on a cooling rack, this will help to set the cookies, and results in a crunchy outside and a soft and chewy inside.

STORAGE TIPS

Store the baked cookies in an airtight container or sealed jar. Keep them in a cool spot in your kitchen or in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

FREEZING TIPS

How to freeze unbaked cookies:

Place them on a baking sheet for an hour, then transfer them to a ziplock bag and freeze them for up to one month.

To bake them after freezing, let them thaw for 2-3 hours in the refrigerator, then bake them.

How to freeze baked cookies:

Place them on a baking sheet for an hour, then transfer them to a ziplock bag and freeze them for up to two months.

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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.