Spumoni Slices - Italian Christmas Cookies

Submitted by Steve_G

"These three colored cookies are pretty simple to make and add a nice touch of color to your gift platters"

 

• Ready In: 57mins
• Ingredients: 15
• Yields: 84 cookies
• Serves: 42

ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup shortening
• 1⁄2 cup butter
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 (1 ounce) semi-sweet chocolate baking square, melted and cooled
• 4 teaspoons milk
• 1⁄3 cup chopped candied red cherries
• 1⁄2 cup chopped pistachio nut
• 1⁄4 teaspoon rum flavoring
• 3 drops green food coloring
• powdered sugar icing (optional) or melted chocolate (optional)

directions

1. Beat shortening and margarine or butter about 30 seconds or till softened.
2. Add half the flour, the sugar, egg, 2 tablespoons milk, vanilla, baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoons salt.
3. Beat till thoroughly combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally.
4. Stir in remaining flour.
5. Divide dough into thirds.
6. Into one portion, mix chocolate and 2 teaspoons of the milk.
7. Into second portion, mix cherries.
8. Into third portion mix nuts, remaining milk, flavoring, and enough green food coloring to tint dough.
9. To shape dough, line bottom and sides of an 8 x 4 x 2 inch loaf pan with clear plastic wrap.
10. Press pink dough evenly in pan.
11. Top with chocolate dough.
12. Top with green dough.
13. Cover and chill for 4 to 24 hours.
14. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
15. Invert pan; remove dough.
16. Remove plastic wrap.
17. Cut dough into 1/4 inch thick slices; cut each slice crosswise into three pieces.
18. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
19. Bake in 375 oven 8 to 10 minutes or till edges are lightly browned.
20. Remove and cool on rack.
21. Drizzle with powdered sugar icing tinted green or with melted chocolate.

Reviews

[vanessalail]

I made these cookies last year and this year, and I tried to improve them this year. Last year I really liked the look, but the flavor was not intense enough. First, I wonder if any of the other folks who thought the flavor was lacking might have forgotten the salt. It is not listed under ingredients but does turn up near the bottom. Also, there is a discrepancy in the amount of milk needed at the top and in the directions. Read that carefully. What I did was add a tiny bit more vanilla, maybe another half tsp, increased the salt to a half tsp, added a tsp cherry extract to the cherry dough, and used about 2 tsps of rum in the pistachio dough. I also added a few finely chopped chocolate chips to the chocolate dough. That sounds like a lot of changing up, but they are more intense in flavor this time. I like them enough to do them this way yearly. Another tip I would really suggest is to lean toward the longer chilling time and sharpen your knife before slicing. I chilled them the entire 24 hours this year and have not had problems with the slicing at all.

 

[GingerlyJ]

These will make my Christmas table for sure this year

 

[PrissyMissy]

I had a lot of problems with this recipe. First I didn't know where to add the vanilla or the rum extract. I ended up putting the vanilla in the main dough and the rum in with the cherries. I doubled the recipe for I was trying to make enough cookies to share with friends and family. When I did I found 6 cups of flour to be way too much so only added 5. Even then the dough was very stiff and hard to mix. I found the dough with the pistachio nuts had a hard time staying cohesive and would crumble when I would try to slice it. I would suggest cutting the amount down at least by a third. In the midst of all these issues I was determined to make them work on account of cost I invested in the some of the items. In the end I was able to recoup and got them baked, but I don't really think they have a great deal of flavor.

 

[Just Call Me Martha]

These will make a great addition to a holiday cookie tray because of the colours. I added some red food colouring to the cherry portion of the dough. The flavour is a bit on the light side, so I think I would add a touch more rum flavouring next time. The cookies look good though and I am planning on dipping half the cookie in melted dark chocolate. They are sure to be a hit. Thanks Steve G.