Italian Chocolate Spice Cookies Recipe
Updated Feb 28, 2025, Published Nov 29, 2022
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Italian Chocolate Spice Cookies Recipe is an easy one-bowl chocolate cookie that is soft and cake-like with plenty of chocolaty flavor and a hint of warm spice. This is an old family recipe you will love.
Why you’ll love this recipe
Italian chocolate spice cookies are one of our favorite cookies to make for a Christmas cookie tray or any time during the holiday season. These aren’t just Christmas cookies- we make them for any special occasion.
One of our family’s favorite cookies for a reason, these little cookies are irresistible. They have a chewy chocolate cake center and a soft yet crisp outside. If you visit a European Christmas market around Christmas time, you will see variations of these chocolate spice cookies in many shapes, flavors, and forms.
If you love classic Italian cookies try these recipes: Soft AMARETTI Cookies and Basic Italian Biscotti, Italian Ladyfinger (Savoiardi), Lemon Ricotta Cookies (Italian Recipe), or Italian Butter Cookies. Happy baking!
Table of Contents
Simple Ingredients
There aren’t many ingredients in this recipe, so it’s important to use high-quality products. I prefer to use European butter for extra flavor in all our pie and cookie recipes. You likely have all of these other basic ingredients on hand.
- All-purpose flour
- Cocoa powder
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Nutmeg
- Cinnamon
- Vanilla extract
- Eggs
- Granulated sugar
- Milk
- Butter
- Bittersweet chocolate
- Orange Zest
- Powdered sugar for rolling cookies
See the recipe card for quantities.
Baking and Making tools
You don’t need any special equipment to make these cookies. A stand mixer or hand mixer will do. If you have a cookie scoop that works well to make the cookies the same size. If not, just use a spoon!
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How To Make Italian Chocolate Spice Cookies
Making Sicilian chocolate spice cookies is fun and easy. The dough comes together in one bowl and then you simply roll them into balls and cover them in powdered sugar before baking. They look so pretty with the crinkle top look from the icing sugar.
In a large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the eggs on medium-high speed until nice and frothy (about 3-4 minutes). Slowly add sugar. Continue to whisk until well combined and slightly thickened. The mixture will be pale yellow and light.
Add the milk, butter, melted chocolate, vanilla extract, and zest (if using). Mix until well combined. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer.
Sift in the flour mixture/dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and spices) over the mixture of wet ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until well combined.
At this point, the dough will be soft. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Take the dough out of the fridge and scoop the dough with a medium-sized cookie scoop. Roll the dough into a ball with floured hands.
Roll each dough ball into a smooth ball and then roll in a small bowl of confectioner sugar (icing sugar).
Place the dough balls onto the waxed paper lined cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Continue to roll until all of the dough is used.
Bake for about 8-10 minutes or until firm to the touch. Transfer to a wire rack and cool. Enjoy slightly warm, or room temperature.
Variations
These Italian chocolate cookies recipe is rolled in powdered sugar and resemble chocolate crinkle cookies. They are simple drop cookies that are perfect for adding, or mixing in your favorite flavors.
- Simple glaze. I like these cookies with powdered sugar on top, but you can certainly add a simple glaze to the tops of the cookies like the ones in this Italian Wedding Cookies Recipe.
- Nuts. Mix in nuts of choice, such as walnuts or chopped almonds.
- Melted chocolate. To make these into extra-chocolate cookies, dip them in a chocolate glaze, as I do in this Italian Classic Almond Biscotti recipe (Cantucci).
- Sprinkles. To make these cookies festive, add some candy sprinkles after adding a simple white or chocolate glaze.
- Chocolate Chips.
Another variation of this that you would enjoy is our chocolate crinkle cookies!
FAQ’s
Yes! I recommend freezing the raw dough balls and baking them when ready to serve. Freeze raw balls of cookie dough in an airtight container in a single layer.
Separate each layer with a wax or parchment paper sheet; cover, label, and freeze. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator when ready to use, then roll in powdered sugar and bake.
Top Tips
Use room ingredients
Using room temperature ingredients (especially butter and eggs) for the Italian chocolate spice cookies ensures a soft and uniform cookie dough. They will also bake more evenly this way.
Chill cookie dough before baking
Make sure to chill the cookie dough before baking to make sure the cookies hold their shape.
Do not over-bake
You’ll need to keep an eye on them to ensure they don’t get too dark. This is sometimes tricky for chocolate cookies since they are already dark in color.
I baked them for about 8-10 minutes to achieve a very soft, light golden brown on the edge. That way, they stay nice and soft. This is key to achieving the beautiful bakery-style cookie look ad taste.
Make Ahead & Storage Instructions
You can make the cookie dough up to 24 hours in advance and store it in an airtight container until you are ready to scoop and bake. You will need to let it sit for at least 10 minutes before working with the refrigerated dough.
These cookies will freeze for about 3 months in a freezer bag or airtight container. You can also store the chocolate spice cookies in a sealed container on the countertop for 1-3 days.
More Classic Italian Desserts
- Traditional Panettone Recipe (Italian Christmas Cake)
- Authentic Struffoli Recipe (Italian Honey Balls)
- Chiacchiere di Carnevale Recipe (Italian Fried Pastries)
- Italian Fig Cookies Recipe (Cucidati)
- BEST Italian Wedding Cookies (Anginetti)
- Italian Chocolate Spice Cookies Recipe
- Classic Pizzelle Cookies
- Homemade Chocolate Syrup
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Italian Chocolate Spice Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup butter, melted and cooled
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled
- zest of 1 orange, optional
- powdered sugar for rolling cookies
Instructions
- In a large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the eggs on medium-high speed until nice and frothy (about 3-4 minutes). Slowly add sugar. Continue to whisk until well combined and slightly thickened. The mixture will be pale yellow and light.
- Add the milk, butter, melted chocolate, vanilla extract, and zest (if using). Mix until well combined. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer.
- Sift in the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and spices) over the mixture of wet ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until well combined. At this point, the dough will be soft.Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Take the dough out of the fridge and scoop the dough with medium-sized cookie scoop. Roll the dough into a ball with floured hands.
- Roll each dough ball into a smooth ball and then roll in a small bowl of powdered sugar (icing sugar). Place on baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Continue to roll until all of the dough is used.
- Bake for about 10 minutes or until firm to the touch. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Enjoy slightly warm, or room temperature.
Video
Notes
Tips
Use room ingredients
Using room temperature ingredients (especially butter and eggs) for the Italian chocolate spice cookies ensures a soft and uniform cookie dough. They will also bake more evenly this way.Chill cookie dough before baking
Make sure to chill the cookie dough before baking to make sure the cookies hold their shape.Do not over-bake
You’ll need to keep an eye on them to ensure they don’t get too dark. This is sometimes tricky for chocolate cookies since they are already dark in color. I baked them for about 10 minutes.Storage
- The dough batter can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours before baking. These cookies will freeze for about 3 months in a freezer bag or airtight container. You can also store the chocolate spice cookies in a sealed container on the countertop for 1-3 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Have you tried making these vegan?
I am sorry, I have not tried to make them vegan, so I am not sure how I would alter the recipe.
Wonderful cookies with my favorite chocolate-orange combination. Our TGIF coffee group inhaled them. I used a hand mixer, and a teaspoonful of dough to roll; made 46 cookies. A few were baked without powdered sugar – I’m not a really sweet fan – and they were great, too. Thank you.
Happy you loved them!
Love this recipe, it’s our family’s favorite in the holidays. I make a batch with orange and one without it. Can’t wait to do it again
Happy you love them as much as we do!
Hi! Are you using salted or unsalted butter in this recipe?
Thank you!
Hi! I use salted butter in most baked goods (Kerrygold butter). This goes against popular opinion you should bake with unsalted butter when baking to control the salt amount. You can use either. I prefer salted and still a tad of salt. That is my preference :). Enjoy!
Splendid recipe. Enjoyed these cookies for Christmas and highly recommend making them.
They are easy and tasty. Happy you loved them!
Could I make this with a regular hand mixer?
Yes, absolutely!
These cookies are so delicious. A perfect amount of warm spices, chocolate, and citrus. Great mix for the season.
So happy you love them. Enjoy!
These cookies are full of flavor and super easy to make all in one bowl. Enjoy!
Elena, these cookies are easy and sooo chocolaty delicious!!!! 5 stelle ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reminds me of my mom’s cookies she used to make!!
Next time I will make these with walnuts 😁
Next on my list is the ricotta lemon cookies!!!
Thrilled you love the cookies! I love the idea of adding walnuts. My mamma does that. The lemon ricotta cookies are one of my absolute favorites! Enjoy. Let me now what you think.