Copycat Plain Chocolate Italian Cookies

Growing up in Utica, New York, Grandma always had a package of these cookies on the table.

Then, as time went on we never found them again.

After several tries, I finally got the right consistency and taste, and these brought back a ton of memories for me.

Soft, not too sweet chocolate cookies that looked like rock cookies, that's what I called them as a kid.

They really are quite soft and spongy compared to a rock, but since they looked like one in color, that's all I knew them by.

This recipe has been made many times until I could duplicate it in my memory, and this is as close as I could get them to taste like the originals I remembered as a child.

One thing that I realized after several tries, that cocoa is a key ingredient for the most authentic tasting cookies.

I loved these cookies then and now, and happy to make a copycat version.

They came in a clear plastic bag and had very thin icing on them, and these are very similar, especially in shape, size, and taste.

If you are from the Utica, New York area and loved a chocolate cake rock rock-looking cookies, you just found a great likeness to your childhood memory.

Utica is famous for Tomato Pie, Italian Greens, Italian Lemon Ice, Pizza Fritta, Chicken Riggies, Manny's Cheesecake, Oscugnizzo Pizza, Pusties.

Scroll down for the recipe card, if you're not interested in the history behind this delicious cookie, and print it off.

Bakeries in Utica

My first memory was these are dark in color, a chocolate cookie with thin icing that came from a bakery in Utica, New York on Bleeker St. The cookies were light and airy, rich dark chocolate with a thinly glazed icing on top.

I have made several recipes over the years, and these came the closest ever!

They are not chocolate meatball cookies that most of us made around Christmas time.

My grandmother always made a cinnamon spice chocolate glazed cookie not to be confused with this one.

These have no spices in them, a hint of almond flavor or vanilla, a light chocolate cookie, that's is a truly decadent delight! These are NOT meatball cookies.

Molded into Shape

The cookies were in an oval form.


They were also all irregular in style, shape, bumpy, and not uniform.


I loved the lightness inside and almost spongy texture.


My grandmother, Victoria Colenzo Ferraro,  always walked from our Lansing St. home and would come home with a package of these cookies from a store on Bleeker St.

Utica Has Some of the Best Italian Restaurants and Bakeries

I always encourage everyone to visit my hometown, Utica, New York; you're missing out on some great Italian authentic foods.


They are famous for Chicken Riggies, Half Moon cookies, Cannoli, Tomato Pie, Sausage and Peppers, Pizza Fritta, and so much more!



I travel back home just to have their Pusties and Fried Haddock!


I really love everything about my hometown and the food that comes from there. It was a wonderful childhood and the best of times we all grew up with.


The 1960s were full of so much love, pride, and family time, and even school was a fun time.


Utica,, New York, still has the best of the best Italian foods passed down from generation to generation.

You won't want to miss trying out the foods they're famous for at least once!

Copycat Plain Chocolate Italian Cookies Pin for later

Try Some Of my other Copycat Recipes From my Hometown!

Chocolate Meatball Spice Cookies Grandma's Recipe

Utica Greens

Lemon Ice

Manny's Cheese Cake

Copycat O'scugnizzo Pizza

chocolate cookies, copycat chocolate cookies from Utica, Rosato cookie recipe, Utica New York cookies

cookies, chocolate cookies, baking, iced chocolate cookies

italian

Yield: 18Author: Claudia Lamascolo

Copycat Chocolate Italian  Cookies

prep time: 10 min cook time: 15 min total time: 25 mins

These are a childhood Italian cookie recipe that looks like a molded oval chocolate rock that is covered with thin icing.I grew up in the Utica New York area. This is a copycat recipe and not an original. It's as close as it gets.

ingredients:

• 1/2 cup shortening mixed with melted 2 - 1-ounce squares of the unsweetened chocolate ( I use Bakers semi or dark chocolate squares.) make sure they are 1  ounce each 
• 1 tablespoon of  Dark Cocoa or Hershey's unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup brown sugar,
• 1  whole egg with 1 egg white,
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla or almond extract I used almond,
• 1/2 cup milk with 2 teaspoons of red wine vinegar let sit to sour for 10 minutes.
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups flour (depending on humidity and area the dough sometimes takes more flour)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder,
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• pinch of salt 

instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl combine all ingredients and blend together to form a thick dough. The dough will come away from the bowl when correctly blending is completed so add more flour if it seems too thin until it gets nice and thick.
3. Form and mold into egg shapes with floured hands.
4. Bake at 375 degrees for almost 10 minutes until middles are dry-looking. Around 10 to 12 minutes varies by the oven and where you set the racks. They will puff up and be dry in the middles. Keep an eye on them at 10 minutes.
5. Cool and frost.
6. For Frosting: I mix 2 cups of powdered sugar with water a little at a time, to make a thin glaze.
7. Dip the top of the cookies into the glaze, it should cover the tops.

calories
170

fat (grams)
12

sat. fat (grams)
9

carbs (grams)
21

net carbs
11

protein (grams)
3

sugar (grams)
18

Created using The Recipes Generator

Copycat Chocolate Italian Cookies Pin for Later

Mom's Favorite Fig Cookies

Mom's Wedding tray favorite no-bake fig cookie and recipe:

• Packages of store-bought fig cookies, cut in half (she would use fig newtons). You will have to judge how many you need. She made enough to feed 300 people!
• Chocolate Chips melted (she would use semi-sweet chocolate chips)
• Crushed walnuts
• Wax paper
• Cookie sheet

Directions:

1. Cut the cookies lengthwise in half. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave until free-flowing.
2. Dip each cookie into chocolate using a fork, allowing the excess to drop off into the bowl.
3. Roll in coarsely chopped walnuts. Set on a wax paper-lined cookie sheet and allow to dry. You can also freeze these for them to set quickly.

Best Cannoli Pie

This is a cannoli pie that's creamy, addicting, and the best recipe for either no-bake or baked cannoli pie.

It is actually perfect for holidays, birthdays, picnics, family events, and gatherings, social dinner parties, or just because it's just so darn good!

The simplicity of this pie is astonishing, and anyone can whip this up in no time and the results are perfect every time.

The creamy baked filling in both cannoli pie recips has all the characteristics of the Italian pastry with this delicious flaky crust underneath the filling.

Don't wait to try this if you have a love for cannoli, this pie is out of this world delicious!

The no-bake version it's fast, super simple, and the perfect refreshing light summer dessert to make.

Either recipe is fabulous and will not disappoint you note: all photos below are of the "baked version"..

We love easy desserts like this one and another family favorite is Easy Red Raspberry Cobbler, it's super simple and another summer favorite.

Scroll down to my recipe card to print this off hit print and all the adds will dissappear for easier viewing.

Pork Breakfast Sausage Patties

Did you know that pork breakfast sausages were super easy to make homemade?

This homemade breakfast sausage recipe is fantastic and so darn easy!


Well, I am here to tell you, these are better than anything you will ever buy in a grocery store for sure!


They took about 5 minutes to mix up and viola you will have the best homemade breakfast pork sausage patties


I promise you will never buy them again!


I honestly was skeptical about making them my first time, I really thought they would be very difficult and I don't usually have all the ingredients.


I purposely keep all dried herbs and spices on hand needed to make these anytime and ground pork in the freezer.


I couldn't find dried savory so I looked up the substitutions that are recommended and it said to use dried basil, it worked perfectly.


Fresh buttermilk is a must-have in this recipe.


There are a few ingredients you may not have in the pantry, so check out my list below.


These are the best pork breakfast sausages I have ever eaten and you can adjust the heat or spiciness to how you like them.


Scroll down for the recipe!

Strawberry Buttermilk Skillet Shortcake

Strawberry Buttermilk Skillet Shortcake has been a long-time favorite family recipe and it's a baked strawberry shortcake.

If you've baked strawberry desserts with buttermilk then you know how tender and moist the shortcake is.

This shortcake leaves a lasting impression on anyone who is lucky enough to get a slice of this creative delicious dessert.

Our recipe was voted on and is also prize winning for it's stunning appearance and taste.

All easy pantry ingredients go into our recipe along with the best seasonal ripe berries.

The addition of streusel that is baked on top will give you a mouth watering experience to tantilize your taste buds.

The best part of the cake is, the strawberries are baked on top all inside a cast-iron skillet!

A slice of heaven when topped with whipped cream or even your favorite flavored ice cream swirled with a fresh strawberry puree topping!

We are big fans of cast iron and love our Mom's recipes for burgers cooked in them along with even a delicious Chocolate Skillet Cookie!

After one taste, I am sure you will be baking this recipe time and time again throughout the whole summer!

This recipe was also featured in the May 2020 edition magazine for Taste of Home.

Scroll down to the recipe card and to avoid adds and reading through this post just hit print!