Figolla is Malta’s popular Easter cookie – two lemon infused sugar cookies surrounding a soft, almond paste center. The cookie is decorated for Easter with frosting and a chocolate egg (which is sometimes left in the foil wrapper – a sparkling nugget of goodness).
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 2 lbs of dough | 10-20 minutes |
| Cook Time | Passive Time |
| 20 minutes | 45 minutes |
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Figolla is Malta’s popular Easter cookie – two lemon infused sugar cookies surrounding a soft, almond paste center. The cookie is decorated for Easter with frosting and a chocolate egg (which is sometimes left in the foil wrapper – a sparkling nugget of goodness).
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Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup butter , cubed
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 lemon , zested and juiced
For the filling:
- 7 oz almond paste , room temperature
- 4-5 Tbsp orange juice
- orange zest , optional
Servings: lbs of dough
Units:
Instructions
- Add the flour, sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla extract, lemon zest to the bowl of standing mixer. Combine on lowest speed to form a happy, crumbly mass. Scrape sides.
- Increase the mixer’s speed and stream in a bit of the golden lemon juice, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough can be pressed together with the hands, just like sugar cookie dough. It shouldn’t be sticky, nor should it be crumbly. Chill 30 minutes.
- Meawhile, mix the almond paste with fresh orange juice and a bit of zest (for extra oomph, if desired) until a smooth, loose paste forms. You can mash it together with your fingers or smoosh it around with a spatula… it gets easier as you go along.
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Roll out the dough and cut out two of each shape. Nothing says spring like butterflies, eggs, and flowers.
- Add some filling to half the cookies, leaving a lip around the edge. Dab a bit of water along that edge and place second cookie on top. Press together all around the edges to seal. For best results, place cookie sheet in freezer for about 15 minutes to flash-chill the cookie again (this will keep them from spreading too much).
- Bake at 350F for 10-20 minutes (depending on thickness and shape). Remove from oven when they just barely begin to turn golden on the edge. Most standard cookies will be done by the 10 minute mark.
- Let cool and then frost. I like to do a layer of white “flooded” icing, let it set and then decorate on top with colored icing. And, to make your cookies totally Maltese, be sure to finish them off with a chocolate egg.
- P.S. If you can stand waiting, try these cookies the day after making them (just keep in an airtight container). They’ll soften up just a bit.