Daisy Shaped Italian Butter Cookies (Canestrelli)

Canestrelli could best be described as an Italian shortbread cookie shaped in the form of a daisy. These cookies are unique because instead of adding raw eggs to the dough, you use hard boiled egg yolks. It sounds a bit unconventional by modern day standards, but northern European bakers have incorporated them into their recipes for centuries to create deliciously tender and crumbly baked goods.

While there are several different versions of Canestrelli throughout Italy, their origins can be traced back to the 1200s, in Torriglia, a small town on the outskirts of Genova. At one point, these cookies had become so popular that the daisy appeared on Genoese currency.

Canestrelli were often given as a gift, or made to celebrate special occasions. My grandmother made these at Christmas time every year. This is her recipe with one minor revision. As I did my research, I noticed that most modern day recipes include cornstarch, so I experimented and I found that the cornstarch made for a lighter, crumblier texture which I really liked, so I made some adjustments. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Bring a pot of water to a boil and lower the eggs into the pot. Boil the eggs for 8-10 minutes, then remove the eggs and put them in an ice bath to cool. Once they have cooled, peel off the shells and separate the whites from the yolks. Set the whites aside to use for another purpose.

Next, sift the flour, cornstarch and powdered sugar into the bowl of a food processor. Add a pinch of salt and the lemon zest and pulse the mixture until the ingredients are combined.

Press the egg yolks through a fine mesh sieve and add to the bowl of the food processor. Then, add the cubed butter and vanilla extract.

Blitz the mixture until the dough is almost combined. Then, transfer the dough to a large work surface and knead until it comes together. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and allow it to rest for an hour before continuing.

Once the dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F. Then, place the dough on a lightly floured, work surface. Place a piece of parchment paper over the top of the dough, and using a rolling pin, roll it to about 1/3″ in thickness.

Use a flower shaped cutter to cut out the cookies and use a small round cutter to make the hole in the center.

Lay the cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 350°F for about 10 minutes. Do not allow the cookies to brown.

When they are done, allow them to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes and then transfer to a drying rack to cool completely.

Dust with powdered sugar and enjoy!