Occhio di Bue / Italian Sandwich Cookies
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
10 mins
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Chilling Time
1 hr 20 mins
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Total Time
25 mins
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Servings
27 cookies
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Calories
110 kcal
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Course
Dessert, Snacks, Baked Goods
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Cuisine
Italian
Occhio di Bue / Italian Sandwich Cookies
Description
Occhio di Bue / Italian Sandwich Cookies consist of a buttery, slightly sweet dough rolled and cut into small circles about 1.5 inches in diameter. Half of the cookie circles remain whole, while the others have small shapes cut out of their centers, such as hearts or stars, allowing the filling to peek through once assembled. After chilling, the cookies are baked at 350°F (180°C) until just lightly golden, preserving a tender texture rather than a crisp one.
The filling combines Nutella with jam of your choice, offering a balance between rich hazelnut-chocolate and bright fruit flavors. Once cooled, the cookies are sandwiched together with a generous layer of filling and lightly dusted with powdered sugar for an elegant finish.
These cookies are ideal for occasions where a refined, small bite is appreciated. They pair well with warm beverages and can be stored in airtight containers or frozen for longer shelf life.
Chilling both the dough before rolling and the cut cookie shapes before baking helps maintain their shape and prevents spreading, ensuring consistent thickness and neat edges.
Ingredients
COOKIE DOUGH
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup butter cold, chopped
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- ¼ cup sugar 88 total grams, 3 tablespoons, granulated
- 1 pinch salt
FOR THE FILLING
- ½ cup Nutella (more or less)
- ¼ cup jam more or less, of choice
- 2-3 tablespoons powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
COOKIE DOUGH
- Using either a (food processor, stand up mixer or by hand) add the flour and salt to the bowl, make a well in the flour and add the egg and yolk, lightly mix (pulse, with a fork or beat just to wet the flour), add the sugar and mix, then add the chopped butter and mix to form a smooth compact dough, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for an hour.
- Remove the dough from the fridge and knead a few times to soften up the dough. Using a small round cutter (1.5 inches / 4 cm) or glass, form the cookies slightly thicker than pie dough (1/8 inch see photo). Leave half the cutouts whole and the other half cut out a small form in the middle (heart, round shape, star etc*).
- Pre-heat oven to 350F (180C). Line 2-3 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Place cut out circles whole and cutouts on prepared cookie sheets* and refrigerate approximately 15-20 minutes while the oven is heating.
- Bake for approximately 10-15 minutes or until very lightly golden. Let cool completely. Place 1 teaspoon more or less of desired filling on the whole cookie and cover with the cut out cookie. Dust the the cookies with icing sugar if desired before serving. Enjoy!
*Be sure to bake the small cut out forms on a separate cookie sheet because they only take about 5-6 minutes to bake.
Notes
- Store baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days to preserve freshness.
- Frozen baked cookies can be kept for up to three months in an airtight container.
- Unbaked dough can be tightly wrapped and frozen for up to three months; thaw before rolling and cutting.
- Chilling the dough and cut cookies before baking helps retain shape and texture.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 27cookies
Amount Per Serving
Calories 110 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 110kcal | 6% |
| Carbohydrates | 13g | 4% |
| Protein | 1g | 2% |
| Fat | 5g | 8% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Cholesterol | 22mg | 7% |
| Sodium | 37mg | 2% |
| Potassium | 35mg | 1% |
| Sugar | 6g | 12% |
| Vitamin A | 125IU | 3% |
| Vitamin C | 0.2mg | 0% |
| Calcium | 11mg | 1% |
| Iron | 0.7mg | 4% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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