Pignolata al miele (Italian Honey Cookies)
~45 minutes • Servings: About 6
Let's remake the beloved Pignolata al Miele (aka Struffoli in southern regions) — a traditional Italian holiday dessert — using Dilettoso’s Vava Vanilla mix to make it gluten-free and naturally sweetened, while staying true to the authentic Sicilian flavor. This recipe reimagines the traditional Pignolata al Miele, the beloved Italian honey-glazed cookie clusters from Sicily, using Dilettoso’s Vava Vanilla mix for a gluten-free twist. These little golden dough balls are crisp on the outside, tender inside, and tossed in warm honey for that nostalgic holiday sparkle. Finished with festive sprinkles and a touch of citrus zest, they're perfect for Christmas, Easter, or any celebration where you want to bring a bit of southern Italian sweetness — without refined flour. Authentic, fun to make, and absolutely irresistible.
What you need
- For the Dough:
- 2 cup Dilettoso Vava Vanilla mix
- 2 eggs
- 2 tbsp olive oil (or melted butter)
- 1 tbsp milk of choice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- Neutral oil, such as avocado or sunflower, if frying instead of baking the cookies
- For the Glaze:
- ⅓ cup honey
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- For Garnish:
- Optional: Festive sprinkles or chopped almonds or candied citrus peel
How to do it
- MIX Vava Vanilla mix, lemon zest in a bowl.
- CREATE a hole at the center then add eggs, oil, and milk. STIR to form a soft, pliable dough.
- KNEAD briefly with your hands, then cover and let rest for 20 minutes.
- DIVIDE dough into 4 pieces and ROLL each into thin ropes (~½ inch thick).
- CUT ropes into small pieces (like gnocchi) and ROLL each into a tiny ball.
- FRY or BAKE: the original recipe calls for a deep fry; alternatively you could bake them at 350°F for 20 min, until golden brown.
- HEAT oil in a deep saucepan (350°F / 175°C).
- FRY the dough balls in small batches until golden (2–3 minutes). DRAIN on paper towels.
- WARM honey, orange zest, and lemon juice in a saucepan until just bubbling.
- TOSS the cookies in the warm honey mixture until well coated.
- PILE into a wreath or mound shape on a serving plate.
- SPRINKLE with nonpareils or chopped almonds, and let cool to set.
Did you make it?
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Did you know?
Pignolata takes its name from “pigna” (pinecone), as the clusters resemble pinecones — a symbol of festivity and abundance in Sicilian tradition.
