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Recipes » Courses » Dessert » Homemade Sicilian S Cookies Recipe

Homemade Sicilian S Cookies Recipe

Posted on December 11, 2020 By Chef Billy Parisi

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Bring my Sicilian grandma right to your kitchen with this generations-old easy to make S cookie recipe that is guaranteed to produce smiles!

I love sharing my family recipes and if you’re a huge Italian or Sicilian food fan then definitely check out my  Spaghetti sauce or Cannoli’s.

bowl full of glazed S cookies

S Cookies

If you’ve ever been to an Italian or Sicilian get together, no matter if it’s a holiday or just a back-yard party, you will inevitably be exposed to S cookies in some fashion.  They are as classic as it gets in the world of Italian cookies, probably because they’re so easy to make.

My family has been making S cookies for generations.  My grandma’s mom made them, my grandma made them, and now all of my aunts and mom make them.  It’s a very simple recipe and incredibly inexpensive to make, and also not to mention it’s great to make with the kids.

What Type of Cookie Is It?

When making the s cookie you may recognize that some of the procedures are very similar to making homemade pie dough.  In fact, when you taste it, it will sort of be like eating the lightest, fluffiest, butter-filled pie dough you’ve ever eaten.

The dough is a basic butter cookie accept you aren’t creaming the butter, you cut it in with the dry ingredients.  While just messing around with the original recipe, I tried creaming the butter and the cookies came out super flat, so don’t do it.  These are the absolute perfect cookie to enjoy in the morning with coffee.

How to Make S Cookies

Follow these very easy to make procedures for making my homemade S cookie recipe:

Cut the butter into flour, sugar, and baking powder in a large bowl until it resembles a meal and the butter is the size of couscous.

cutting butter with flour in a bowl using a pastry knife

Next, in a separate bowl whisk together the eggs and vanilla until completely combined.

whisking together eggs in a bowl

Transfer the dry ingredients onto a clean surface and form a well in the center.

making a well in flour

Pour in the wet ingredients to the center of the dry ingredient well.

adding whisked eggs to the center of a flour well

Knead the dough for 4-6 minutes or until it becomes a soft cookie dough and then let it rest in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.  You may need to add water to the dough while kneading if it’s too dry.

kneading cookie dough on a countertop

Take about 2 tablespoons of the dough and roll it out on a clean surface and bring in the ends to form an S.

raw s shaped cookie dough

Bake the cookies on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper at 350° F on the bottom rack for 5 minutes and then on the top rack at 350° for 5 minutes and then cool.

baked s cookies on a sheet tray with parchment paper

While the cookies are cooling, whisk together some powdered sugar and milk together in a bowl.

whisking together powdered sugar and milk in a bowl

Dip the cookies or brush them with the powdered sugar glaze and serve.

dipping baked s cookies into powdered sugar glaze

Recipe Chef Notes + Tips

Make-Ahead: You can make these up to 2-3 days ahead of time.

How to Store: Keep these in plastic bags at room temperature for up to 6 days or in the refrigerator for up to 8 days.  These freeze extremely well in plastic bags for up to 3 months.  Thaw at room temperature and serve.

Be sure the butter is softened before trying to cut it into the dry ingredients.

My Aunt Pam swears that if you use ½ Blue Bonnet margarine, the cookies will taste better.  I used all unsalted butter, but it’s up to you.

If butter is too expensive you can use 100% margarine, which is what my grandma did.

My family also adds up to 4 tablespoons of vanilla, but that’s too much for me.

To fast track this recipe, cut the butter into the dry ingredients in a food processor and then transfer to a stand mixer with the hook attachment and knead in the wet ingredients.

glazed baked s cookies on a rack

More Amazing Dessert Recipes

  • Chess Pie
  • Apple Galette
  • Rice Pudding
  • Chocolate Mousse
  • Churros

Be sure to follow me on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest, and if you’ve had a chance to make this then definitely drop me a comment and a rating below!

Video

bowl full of glazed S cookies
Print Recipe
5 from 8 votes

Homemade Sicilian S Cookies Recipe

Bring my Sicilian grandma right to your kitchen with this generations-old easy to make S cookie recipe that is guaranteed to produce smiles!
Prep Time30 mins
Cook Time10 mins
Resting Time20 mins
Servings: 50 cookies
Calories: 73kcal
Author: Chef Billy Parisi

Ingredients

For the Cookies:

  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/3 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons baking powder
  • 2 ½ sticks softened unsalted butter
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • water

For the Glaze:

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons whole milk

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°.
  • Add the flour, sugar, and baking powder to a large bowl and using a pastry knife cut in the butter until the mixture becomes like a meal or is very small like couscous. Set aside.
  • In a separate bowl whisk together the eggs and vanilla until completely combined.
  • Transfer the dry ingredients to a clean surface and form a well in the center. Pour the wet ingredients to the center of the well and knead the dough for 4-5 minutes or until it forms a smooth cookie dough.
  • If the dough is dry add 1 tablespoon of cold water at a time while kneading until the dough is soft. Do not add too much or the dough will become too wet and sticky.
  • Add the dough to a bowl and chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
  • Take the dough out and take about 2 tablespoons of dough and roll it out on a clean surface until it’s about a ½” to ¾” in diameter and 5”-6” in length.
  • Curl up each end to the center to form an S shape and then add to a cookie sheet tray lined with parchment paper about 2” apart from one another. Use the dough until it is all gone.
  • Bake the cookies on the bottom rack of an oven for 350° for 5 minutes and then the top rack at 350° for 5 minutes or until very lightly browned around the bottom edges.
  • Cool completely.
  • While the cookies are cooling whisk together powdered sugar and milk in a small bowl until combined then dip the top part of the s cookie in the glaze and set on a rack until the glaze has formed to the cookie. You can also brush the glaze on if you’d like.

Notes

Chef Notes:
  • Make-Ahead: You can make these up to 2-3 days ahead of time.
 
  • How to Store: Keep these in plastic bags at room temperature for up to 6 days or in the refrigerator for up to 8 days. These freeze extremely well in plastic bags for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature and serve.
 
  • Be sure the butter is softened before trying to cut it into the dry ingredients.
 
  • My Aunt Pam swears that if you use ½ Blue Bonnet margarine, the cookies will taste better. I used all unsalted butter, but it’s up to you.
 
  • If butter is too expensive you can use 100% margarine, which is what my grandma did.
 
  • My family also adds up to 4 tablespoons of vanilla, but that’s too much for me.
 
  • To fast track this recipe, cut the butter into the dry ingredients in a food processor and then transfer to a stand mixer with the hook attachment and knead in the wet ingredients.

Nutrition

Calories: 73kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 4mg | Potassium: 63mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 21IU | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg
Homemade Sicilian S Cookies Recipe was last modified: December 12th, 2020 by Chef Billy Parisi

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Diane Ilardi says

    January 29, 2021 at 8:58 am

    5 stars
    Guessing what Aunt Pam likes about Blue Bonnet is the salt.
    I’m making my second batch this week and for the sake of self preservation, have shaped and frozen half. 50 cookies is more than any one person should enjoy!
    Thanks again for sharing.

    Reply
  2. Diane Ilardi says

    January 26, 2021 at 9:35 am

    5 stars
    Thank you, thank you, thank you! I have been looking for an approximation of Stella D’Oro Breakfast Treats with only disappointing results. Your cookies are excellent. I replaced half of the vanilla with almond extract and since I did not plan to ice them, they were egg washed instead. These will go fast!

    Reply
  3. Anna Pallante says

    December 30, 2020 at 8:56 pm

    Hi Bill, I’m grateful you posted your recipe. My grandmother used to make these, my mother made these and they have always been my favorite. I was a little upset though this year when I went to my parents house for Christmas, and to my surprise there were no S cookies. 🙁 So sad….I have been waiting all year for those…. Well… Thanks to you I am gonna make them myself. Im do excited
    God Bless

    Reply
  4. Wendy says

    December 24, 2020 at 5:41 am

    5 stars
    Chef Parisi, I’m so thankful to have found your recipe for your Italian grandmother’s Sicilian S cookies! I always make my own Italian family favorite anise cookies for Christmas and yesterday I decided to make yours as well. They were very easy to make and absolutely delicious! I’m enjoying one this morning with my coffee. Please don’t tell anyone about the THREE that I ate yesterday. Oooops! 😁

    Reply
  5. Colleen Lutes says

    December 23, 2020 at 1:52 pm

    I liked Claudia’s idea about the orange zest and cardamon, but added 1 t. orange zest, a dash of cardamon, and a pinch of salt to the glaze. Super good.

    Reply
  6. Antoinette says

    December 23, 2020 at 9:57 am

    5 stars
    My dough is chilling right now. The dough was not dry, in fact, it was a bit sticky. I kneaded in some extra flour, not a lot, but I hope they’ll be okay.

    Reply
  7. R says

    December 22, 2020 at 5:30 pm

    Are these cookies meant to be frozen or refrigerated before adding the glaze? Or, does it matter.

    Reply
    • Chef Billy Parisi says

      December 22, 2020 at 7:32 pm

      Just cool to room temp before glazing

      Reply
  8. Linda says

    December 21, 2020 at 8:29 am

    Can these cookies be made with anise flavor?

    Reply
    • Chef Billy Parisi says

      December 21, 2020 at 11:22 am

      You could but it would really strong anise flavor.

      Reply
    • Linda says

      December 21, 2020 at 12:48 pm

      Ok vanilla I will use. Thanks for your reply.

      Reply
  9. Lisa P says

    December 18, 2020 at 7:50 am

    5 stars
    First time making these and they were fantastic! And I am not much of a baker. My friend who is italian and such a baker gave them high praise! Going to try your bread recipe this weekend!

    Reply
  10. Jo Ann A Geanconteri says

    December 13, 2020 at 10:56 am

    Billy, I am so glad I found you on FB. I look forward to all your easy and well explain recipes . I am looking forward to making the S cookies !!

    Jo Ann

    Reply
  11. Rich Robbin says

    December 13, 2020 at 9:18 am

    Can the dough be made in a food processor?

    Reply
    • Chef Billy Parisi says

      December 14, 2020 at 6:04 am

      yes

      Reply
  12. Don Salyers says

    December 12, 2020 at 5:08 pm

    5 stars
    Oh my goodness!! I just made these and I don’t think I will stop eating them until all 53 that I made. Thank you Mr. Parisi for this great family recipe and for all of your other incredible recipes!!

    Reply
  13. Claudia Langley says

    December 12, 2020 at 3:12 pm

    I’m so excited about these! I kept the dough the same but to the eggs I added 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp orange zest, 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon and 1/2 tsp cardamom. It’s chilling and I’ll decide about the glaze when I’ve tasted one. It will be either orange marmalade and powered sugar or a dark chocolate drizzle…. maybe both! Thanks for all your recipes…. I love watching you cook!!

    Reply
  14. Carol says

    December 11, 2020 at 10:35 pm

    5 stars
    Thank you so much for sharing your family recipe! They look so elegant and I definitely want to try them.

    Reply
  15. Rehab says

    December 11, 2020 at 10:17 am

    5 stars
    So easy and looks yummy!
    Thanks.

    Reply

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ABOUT ME

I’m Billy Parisi and thanks for checking out my site! I’m a culinary school grad that spent 15 years in the restaurant industry as a line cook, sous chef and executive chef. Now I write recipes, take pictures of’em, shoot some video, occasionally hosting on TV, checking out the latest fashion, hangin with my wife and daughter and watching a whole bunch of college sports. Hope you enjoy my twists on classics as well as new innovations! Read More…

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