If you’re searching for new Christmas cookie ideas and love the cozy flavours of gingerbread, Mostaccioli Napoletani are the Italian holiday treat you need to know. These traditional Neapolitan Christmas cookies combine cocoa, warm spices and citrus zest, creating a texture and flavour that feels like a rich, chocolatey twist on classic gingerbread. Soft inside, lightly crisp on the outside and often finished with a glossy chocolate glaze, they’re a staple of Southern Italian holiday baking — and a delicious addition to any festive cookie box.

This recipe for Mostaccioli cookies comes from food writer, recipe developer, and self-confessed baking obsessive Ben Mims’ cookbook, Crumbs: Cookies and Sweets from Around the World. It contains 300 recipes across 100 countries, including his melt-in-your-mouth Canestrelli Italian Butter Cookies.

Mims writes: “Various cookies across Italy go by a similar name that’s based in the Latin “mostacea” or “mustum,” which refers to grape must, the concentrated grape juice that was a primary sweetener in Mediterranean cultures before processed cane sugar became the norm. The best-known version with the most consistent ingredients is the Neapolitan one, which is spiced with cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg—a mix that is often called “pisto” and is sold in grocery stores—and includes cocoa powder, candied citrus and honey.”

“Coffee or diluted espresso is often added to enhance the bitterness and colour of the cocoa and spices. It’s essentially a ‘chocolate gingerbread,’ and because of that, recipes have infinite variations; most are suited to more modern palates as they use sugar and honey instead of grape must (which is difficult to find outside of vineyards).”

Mostaccioli vs. Gingerbread: What’s the Difference?

Mostaccioli and gingerbread share the same warm, comforting holiday flavours, but they’re not the same cookie. Gingerbread is usually made with molasses and a blend of spices like ginger, cinnamon and cloves, and it tends to be either crisp (as in cookies) or soft and chewy (as in gingerbread cake).

Mostaccioli, on the other hand, are a traditional Neapolitan Christmas cookie made with cocoa, almond meal, honey and Mediterranean spices, often flavoured with orange or lemon zest. They have a soft, cake-like texture and are typically dipped in chocolate, giving them a richer, deeper flavour than classic gingerbread.

In short: gingerbread is spice-forward and molasses-based, while Mostaccioli are chocolatey, citrusy Italian holiday cookies with a tender bite.

FAQ

Are Mostaccioli traditional Italian Christmas cookies?

Yes — especially in Naples and Southern Italy, where they’re baked throughout the holiday season.

Do they taste like gingerbread?

Yes, but richer and more chocolate-forward thanks to cocoa, honey and spices.

Can I make them ahead?

Absolutely. They keep well for several days and are great for gifting.

How can I customize or decorate these cookies?

Mims offers two suggestions, based on the traditions of two Italian regions. In Italy’s Salento region, bakers often add olive oil and baker’s ammonia to the dough, skipping the chocolate coating altogether. Instead, cookies get dusted with cocoa powder. To make them in the style of the Naples region, brush the tops with orange marmalade while the cookies are still warm for an added freshness. Then, continue to coat in melted chocolate, and finish them off with chopped pistachios.

Mostaccioli Napoletani – Italian Chocolate-Gingerbread Cookies

Ben Mims

Also known as Mostaccioli Napoletani, these chocolate-dipped cookies are warmly spiced with cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. These would be perfect for holiday baking and gifting.

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Ingredients

1¼ cups blanched whole or slivered almonds
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup brewed coffee at room temperature
¼ cup honey, grape must or dark corn syrup
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
2 cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup natural cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp fine sea salt
450 g bittersweet chocolate roughly chopped
2 tbsp vegetable shortening or refined coconut oil

Instructions

Position racks in top and bottom thirds of oven, and preheat to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Spread almonds on one prepared pan and bake until lightly toasted, about 6 minutes. Let cool slightly. Transfer to food processor and pulse until finely ground.
In small saucepan, combine sugar, coffee and honey; stir over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and whisk in cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and orange zest. Let mixture cool to room temperature.
In large bowl, whisk together ground almonds, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add cooled syrup mixture and stir until dough just comes together and no patches of dry flour remain.
On lightly floured surface, roll out dough to ⅜ in (1 cm) thickness. Using a pizza cutter or chef’s knife, cut dough into strips that are 2 in (5 cm) wide, then cut each strip on an angle every 2 in (5 cm) to make diamond shape. Place diamonds on prepared pans 2 in (5 cm) apart.
Bake until edges are dark brown and tops are dry to the touch, 15 to 18 minutes.
Let cool on pans for 1 minute, then transfer to racks to cool completely. Place all cookies on one pan.
In large microwave-safe bowl or over a shallow pot of simmering water, melt chocolate and shortening until smooth.
Using 2 forks, dip each cookie into chocolate mixture, tapping forks on edge of bowl to remove excess. Transfer to clean parchment-lined pan. Refrigerate pan of cookies to set the chocolate before serving.

Notes

Tip: To make these cookies in the style of Italy’s Salento region, add ½ cup vegetable or olive oil (not extra-virgin olive oil) and 1 tsp baker’s ammonia to the dough. Using a 2 tbsp (1 oz) ice cream scoop, drop mounds of dough on parchment-lined baking sheets 2 in (5 cm) apart. Bake as directed. Do not coat in melted chocolate. Dust the cooled cookies with cocoa powder.

Tip: To make these cookies Naples style, make the Salento variation (above), but while the cookies are still warm, brush the tops with orange marmalade. Once cooled, cover in melted chocolate, as in the Neapolitan version, then sprinkle with chopped pistachios before the chocolate sets.

Keyword Chocolate Cookies, chocolate gingerbread, Christmas cookies, gingerbread cookies, Holiday Cookies, Italian Christmas Cookies

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