The cookies are made as a symbol on the Catholic holiday on November 2 in rememberance of all lost soul's.
All Soul's Day is a Roman Catholic day of remembrance for friends and family who have died. It is celebrated with church services and festivals in honor of the dead.
Mom would serve these cookies to relatives and friends when we had company with a cup of espresso and sambuca which is the perfect accompaniment.
The cookies are chewy spice cookies with a hint of cocoa in them that are one of our family's favorite fall cookies in flavor.
Through the years we have tried many styles from hard as a rock to "bone-like" are they are referred to as bones of the dead, to these soft chewy cookies from my mom and grandma's Regions in Italy, Bari, and Rome.
The cookies can be plain or rolled into powdered sugar and make a nice addition to any cookie tray to honor the memory of lost family members..
This is the Rome, Italy version of traditional cookies baked every year in our family and the cookies can be shaped into bones, logs, or any shape you like.
As another tradition mom would have, she would make this cookie to send when family or friends have lost a loved one on the funeral day.
This recipe for the cookies is delicious and easy to make, just scroll down to the printable recipe card at the end for the instructions.
The Cookie Itself
The cookie is a spice cookie and chewy but there are many versions and recipes for different Regions in Italy and the textures.
It's really a different taste compared to most cookies we usually make and bursting with fall flavors.
The raisins in them are something our family adapted and their addition is a perfect match.
These cookies have a fascinating story behind them.
They're in the shape of bones, for bones of the dead, however not hard as a bone-like cookie.
Mom and Grandmom always made these cookies every year in remembrance to lost family members and it really was a tradition in our home.
Catholic Traditions
All Souls' Day, sometimes called the "Day of the Dead," is on November 2 and follows All Saints' Day which is November 1st.
A Roman Catholic day of remembrance for friends and family who have died. It is celebrated with church services and festivals in honor of the dead.
Many customs are associated with All Soul's Day celebrations. Throughout Italy, cafes and pastry shops begin to sell special cookies in late October.
Among the many variations of these tasty cookies are these chewy spice cookies from Milan, ossa dei morti ("bones of the dead") cookies flavored with cloves from Sicily, aversion from the Piedmont made with almonds and hazelnuts, and one from the Veneto Region made with cornmeal.
Sweet treats like these are meant to bring some cheer to compensate for the sadness of the November 1 and 2 holidays.
If the living gets closer to the dead on All Souls’ Day, it’s also the time for the dead to get closer to the living.
Some believe that the spirits of those departed return to earth on this day.
To welcome them, one common Italian tradition was to set an extra place at the table or even put out a tray of food for invisible visitors.
Ingredients for this recipe needed(for exact measurements scroll down to the printable recipes card.
- butter
- eggs
- orange zest
- cinnamon
- honey
- flour
- cocoa powder
- baking soda
- walnuts
- raisins
- salt
- powdered sugar for garnish
Interesting Back Round of Events
All Souls Day is from being a somber affair, for many people the graveside vigil is an occasion to thank their ancestors, a celebration of their lives, and a chance for adults and children alike to chat to them as if they were still here.
In Rome where Grandma is from, there was even a custom to eat at a picnic graveside.
This was a way of sharing a meal with dead loved ones.
In other Regions, people left lanterns lit and fires burning overnight as their tradition.
In Cremona in Lombardy, it was customary to get up early on All Souls’ Day and make the bed to allow wandering souls to find rest.
In Sicily, those who return bring something with them.
Children who’ve been good and remembered dead relatives in their prayers all year long are rewarded with gifts of toys and sweets, sometimes hidden around the house on the morning of November 2nd.
In another area, it was customary for the living to give gifts.
In Sardinia, children go from house to house on All Souls’ Day collecting treats of cakes, nuts, and dried fruit in exchange for a prayer for the deceased.
All Saints Day All Souls Day
"All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day are related, but they are two separate celebrations.
"On All Saints' Day, there's a call to live as saints, to remind us how we're supposed to live.
On All Souls' Day, we're talking about all souls and asking God's mercy for them.
We're talking about those people who have died before us, and their process of getting to heaven, through Christ."
Tips and Additions
- top them with raisins
- craisins
- coconut
- nuts
- chocolate chips
- shape into logs, bones, football shapes
- cookies freeze well plain, roll in powdered sugar after thawing
- cool before rolling into powdered sugar
- the dough should be stiff add more flour when rolling if they are sticky
- to reduce spreading refrigerate the dough before baking for around 1 hour
- altitudes may affect the shape of the cookies the middles should look dry in the center when completed cooking. Liquids evaporate faster, so amounts of flour, sugar, and liquids may need to be changed to prevent batter that is too moist, dry, or gummy.
All Souls Day Cookies Mom's Recipe Pin for later
More Traditional Recipes
One Stop Cookie Shop
25 Holiday Cookies
Struffoli
Pizzelles
Mom's Ricotta Pistachio Cookies
Spice Cookie
Even if you don't celebrate All Souls Day or are Catholic, these chewy spice cookies are wonderful.
A great little easy recipe to try and great with any hot beverage to go along with them..
This cookie is always a cherished blessed time of the year to remember our loved ones long past and a continued tradition in our home.
All Souls Day Cookies Mom's Recipe
Yield: 30
Prep time: 10 MCook time: 12 MTotal time: 22 M
these are cookies made on All Souls Day and Catholic traditions for baking these cookies. All Souls Day cookies are spice cookies with powdered sugar on them.
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup butter, room temperature
- 1 cup of sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2-1/4 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- Pinch of sea salt or kosher
- 1/2 cup raisins a mixture of golden and dark
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- powdered sugar for garnish
Instructions:
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. You will need 2 parchment-lined cookie sheets set aside.
- In a large bowl combine all wet ingredients and mix together.
- Add the dry ingredients and stir the raisins and walnuts last.
- Shape the cookies into 2-inch logs and place them on baking sheets.
- Slightly flatten the logs, placing two inches apart, I add a few more raisins to the sides and top if not enough.
- Bake for 12 minutes on 350 degrees.
- When completely cooled, place the powdered sugar in a zip lock bag and shake the cookies gently into the sugar.
- You can freeze these up to 6 months and they are also sturdy cookies for mailing during the holiday season.
Calories
79
79
Fat (grams)
11
11
Sat. Fat (grams)
3
3
Carbs (grams)
20
20
Net carbs
5
5
Sugar (grams)
32
32
More Cookie Recipes
Grandma's Wedding Cookies
Cowboy Cookies
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All Souls Day Cookies Mom's Recipe Pin for later
Disclosure: This recipe was originally shared in 2012. It was edited and re-published in 2019
