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Baci di Dama Cookies

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Baci di dama, traditional Italian cookies, are made from eggless dough enriched with almonds and hazelnuts. They are made of two cookie domes sticked together with melted chocolate.

Just follow our step-by-step recipe and have fun while making baci di dama cookies. This recipe uses a combination of hazelnuts and almonds, both toasted to intensify the flavour, which pairs well with rich dark chocolate.

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About baci di dama

Italians are famous for delicious cookies and baci di dama are among the most iconic ones. These elegant cookies from Piedmont in Italy's north are just what you'd expect from cookies, sweet and delicate.

You will find them in Italy often packaged in beautiful tins and boxes for giving as gifts around Christmas. See our gift guide for Italian food lovers!

Baci di dama literally means "lady's kisses" as they look like two lips holding together a chocolate kiss.

If you love Italian cookies, we suggest you to try our soft amaretti cookies or one of biscotti cookies - classic almond, chocolate hazelnut or gluten-free version with almond flour.



What you'll need for baci di dama

For these delicious Italian cookies you will need a short list of ingredients:

  • FOR THE DOUGH: plain flour, granulated sugar, hazelnuts, almonds and butter. The cookies consist of a simple shortbread dough enriched with nuts. The original baci di dama recipe uses hazelnuts but we opted for a combination of hazelnuts and almonds. This mix gives amazing nutty flavour accented by toasting them.

  • FOR THE FILLING: quality dark chocolate - use good quality dark chocolate with at least 60% cocoa. Use any brand you trust and usually use in your chocolate cookies and desserts.


Making the dough for baci di dama

Making the dough is fairly easy and simple once you have all the ingredients ready. Just combine all dry ingredients in one bowl, cut room temperature butter and form a compact dough.

First the texture will be like coarse crumbs then as you squeeze the butter will start to incorporate into the dry ingredients. Next step is forming 4 logs from the dough and keeping them the fridge to firm up.

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Shaping baci di dama

For shaping baci di dama you don't need any special equipment. Just take the logs and cut using a sharp knife slices (around 10g each), then roll into small balls.

These balls will spread during the baking so arrange them on the baking sheet leaving some spaces between (3-4 cm).

Bake cookies until they are just slightly brown on the top and bottom - they should still be soft once taken from the oven. Don't touch cookies until they are enough firm to handle (they will be very soft and fragile). Cool them completely on the wire rack.



THE BEST WAY TO MELT THE CHOCOLATE

Melting the chocolate is so easy.  Break the chocolate bar into smaller pieces and place in a heatproof bowl, over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir until completely smooth and melted. Leave to cool for a few minutes.

Be sure to use quality dark chocolate with a minimum of 60% cocoa for an intense chocolate flavour.

Assembling cookies

Place a dollop of melted chocolate onto the flat side of one cookie and place another cookie on top. Place the cookies on a wire cooling rack until the chocolate is firm. To speed up the hardening of the chocolate, place the cookies in the fridge for about 20 minutes. 



Storing baci di dama

Baci di dama cookies should be stored in an airtight container, separated one layer from another with baking paper, for up to 1 week.

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Baci di Dama Cookies

MAKES: 24 cookies
COOKS IN: 1 hour 40 minutes
LEVEL: Moderate

INGREDIENTS

For the cookies

  • 120g plain flour (1 cup)
  • 100g granulated sugar (1/2 cup)
  • 70g hazelnuts (1/2 cup)
  • 50g almonds (1/3 cup)
  • 126g butter (9 tbsp), at room temperature and cubed

For the chocolate ganache

  • 100g dark chocolate 60-70% (3.5 ounces), coarsely chopped


INSTRUCTIONS

  1. FOR THE DOUGH, first toast the hazelnuts in the oven at 160°C/320°F for about 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and rub them in a kitchen towel until the skin comes off. Toast the almonds in the same way. Cool both nuts completely and grind them finely in a food processor. 

  2. Line the baking sheet with baking paper.

  3. Transfer the nuts into a medium bowl and combine with the flour and sugar. Add butter and first rub into the dry ingredients, then squeeze the mixture with your hands until all butter is incorporated and you get a compact dough.

  4. Divide the dough into 4, form logs from each piece and place on a plate. Cover with cling film and place in the fridge for about 1-2 hours or for 20 minutes in the freezer.

  5. Preheat the oven to 160°C/320°F and line baking sheet with baking paper.

  6. Take the dough logs, cut off the log into even pieces using a knife, then roll them into balls (2 cm in diameter) between the palms of your hands. Arrange the balls on the baking sheet, leaving some space between. 

  7. Bake for about 12-13 minutes. The cookies will be very lightly baked and extremely fragile at this point so let them cool completely before touching them. Once cooled, they harden enough to handle.

  8. FOR THE CHOCOLATE GANACHE, place the chocolate in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir gently until melted and completely smooth. Let it cool for a few minutes or until it becomes thicker. 

  9. Place half a teaspoon of chocolate ganache onto the flat side of one cookie and stick another cookie to it to form a little sandwich. Place cookies on a wire cooling rack until the chocolate is firm.

Handy equipment:

Mixing Bowl
Pastry Mat
Baking Sheet
Cookie Spatula
Saucepan
Heatproof Bowl




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