Description
Sweet Chocolate Toto cookies blend rich cocoa and festive Italian baking traditions into delightful morsels of pure pleasure. Crisp exterior and tender crumb make these treats perfect companions for espresso or afternoon conversations.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup (120 ml/4 oz) milk
- 1 ½ cups (180 g) powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup (30 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup (80 g) mini chocolate chips or chopped nuts
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 3 tbsps milk or orange juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp orange or lemon zest
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp salt
- Colored sprinkles
- Chopped nuts
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Dry Mixture: Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt in a medium bowl to create a uniform dry blend.
- Butter Mixture: Cream butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, approximately 2 minutes.
- Wet Ingredients: Blend eggs, vanilla extract, and citrus zest into the butter mixture until fully incorporated.
- Dough Preparation: Gradually fold dry ingredients into wet mixture, alternating with milk, mixing just until combined. Optional: gently fold in mini chocolate chips or chopped nuts for enhanced texture.
- Shaping: Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough, rolling into uniform balls and placing them 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
- Baking: Bake in preheated oven until cookies are set with slightly crisp edges, ensuring a perfect Italian chocolate toto cookie texture.
Notes
- Balance Spice Carefully: Nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon can easily overpower the chocolate flavor, so measure these spices precisely and consider reducing quantities if you prefer a subtler taste.
- Prevent Overmixing Dough: Gently fold dry ingredients into wet mixture until just combined to maintain a tender, soft cookie texture and avoid developing tough gluten strands.
- Customize Texture Options: Experiment with mix-ins like mini chocolate chips, chopped almonds, or dried fruit to create personalized variations while maintaining the traditional Italian chocolate cookie structure.
- Room Temperature Ingredients Matter: Ensure butter, eggs, and milk are at room temperature before mixing to achieve smoother incorporation and consistent cookie texture, which helps develop better overall flavor and consistency.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 25
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 95 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 31 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg