Last updated on September 8th, 2024.
Sfratti are stick-shaped cookies made of tender, soft dough filled with walnut honey filling. These traditional Italian cookies are not your typical walnut cookies; they are an old-world treat full of tradition, history, and most of all, flavors and textures, and the classic cuisine of the Italian Jews.

The Jewish Italian History
Sfratti cookies, a traditional Jewish treat, have a rich history that dates back to the Italian-Jewish community of Pitigliano, a Tuscan village often referred to as “Little Jerusalem.” Sfratti is the Italian word for evicted, symbolizing the eviction notices delivered by landlords to Jewish tenants during the Renaissance period in Rome and other big cities around Italy. However, the eviction notice was not politely given in the form of a letter; it was legal and customary to evict with a stick.
So, the Jews of Rome found a safe haven in Pitgliano. True to Jewish tradition and similar to the Hamentashen cookies, which remind us of the victory over Persian Haman, and the Sofganiyut, which remind us of the Greeks’ failure, these cookies, shaped like sticks, are a sweet reminder of the resilience and perseverance of the Jewish people, and in particular, the Italian Jewish community, and of course the Jews of Tuscany.
The cookie’s main ingredient is sweet honey, making it the perfect recipe for the Jewish New Year (I recommend it with a warm cup of Moroccan Mint Tea). Right next to these Honey Cookies this moist, tender Honey Cake, and this Honey Apple Cake.
BTW, Sfratti is plural to Sfratto. (just like Cornetti is plural to Cornetto).
Ingredients
The complete recipe, including measurements, is on the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
For the Dough
- All-purpose flour.For this recipe bleached or unbleached will work fine, so use what you have on hand.
- Sugar. The dough is not very sweet, but the sugar does add a nice crispy texture and sweetnnes.
- A pinch of salt and baking powder.
- Unsalted cold butter (cut into 1/4 inch pieces) and olive oil. Many Sfratti Di Pitigliano recipes, like the famous one by Edda Servi Machlin, only use olive oil. However, I wanted to add flavor and flakiness to the cookies, so I combined the two.
- White wine or water. The original recipe uses white wine, which is noticeable, so if you are not a fan, use water. (I did not care for the wine flavor).
For the Filling
- Honey
- Walnuts, chopped.
- Orange peel or orange zest. The addition of citrus zest brings the cookies an extra layer of flavor. If you prefer, you can use lemon zest instead.
- Spices: cinnamon, clove, nutmeg. (a pinch of black pepper if you want to go the extra mile with this recipe).
Step-by-Step Instructions
Prepare the Pastry Dough
The dough can be made using a stand mixer, a large bowl, or a food processor.
- Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
- Add the cold, cubed butter and blend using a pastry cutter, the paddle attachment, or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Mix the water with the oil and add it to the flour mixture.
- Mix until the dough comes together.
- Divide the dough into three equal portions, wrap each with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes.
Make the Filling
- In a medium saucepan, heat the honey, orange peel, and spices over medium heat until it begins to bubble.
- Stir in the chopped walnuts, reduce heat to low, and cook for an additional three minutes while stirring over a steady low boil.
- Remove from heat and let cool to lukewarm.
Assemble the Cookies
- Roll out each piece of dough into a 12×6-inch rectangle on a lightly floured clean surface.
- Place a spoonful of the filling along the center of each rectangle.
- Roll the dough around the filling to form logs, pinching the seams to seal.
- Place the logs seam-side down on a prepared baking sheet lined with parchment paper
Bake the Cookies
- Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely before slicing.
Tips
- Finely Chop the Nuts: Finely chopped nuts ensure a smoother filling and better texture. Consider grounding 1/4 of the walnuts as a “filler” between the nuts pieces.
- Seal the Edges: Seal the edges of the dough well to prevent the filling from leaking during baking.
- Allow the filling to cool before assembling to avoid melting the dough. As the honey filling cools, the filling will get hard and sticky, so I recommend spraying your hands with oil spray for an easy handle.
Storage and Yields
Sfratti cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. For more extended storage, keep them in the refrigerator for up to two weeks or freeze them for up to three months. This recipe yields about 32-36 scratch cookies, depending on the thickness you cut the logs.
Sfratti Cookies Recipe
Honey walnut filled cookies, a traditional Jewish Italian cookies recipe.
Ingredients
For The Dough
- 2 1/2 Cups All-purpose fllour (300g)
- 1/4 Cup Sugar (50g)
- 1 teaspoon Baking powder
- 7 Tablespoons Unsalted butter cold and cut into 1/4-inch pieces (100g)
- 2 tablespoons oil (30ml)
- 1/4 Cup White wine cold or cold water (60ml)
For The Honey Walnut Filling
- 1 Cup Honey (360g)
- Zest or peel of one orange
- 2 teaspoons Cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoons Ground Clove
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
- 3 Cups Chopped Walnuts (360g)
Instructions
Make The Dough
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In a large bowl or a bowl of a food processor, mix the flour and baking soda.
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Add the butter pieces and use the paddle attachment or a pastry cutter (or process) to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until it is like coarse sand.
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Mix the olive oil and with the water and pour it over the flour/butter mixture.
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Mix, or process until you have a smooth dough.
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Divide the dough into three equal parts (approx 175g each), wrap each with plastic wrap, and refrigerate while you make the filling.
Make The Filling
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In a medium sauce pan, pour the honey, orange peel (or zest) and spices, and bring to a full boil over medium heat.
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Reduce heat to low and add the walnuts.
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Using a wooden spoon, stir the walnuts and honey while cooking for three minutes.
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Transfer the filling to a large bowl and set a side to cool for 45-60 minutes.
Assemble and Bake
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Preheat the oven to 350F (180C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Remove one part of the dough from the refrigerator and roll it to a 12×6 rectangle over a lightly floured, clean surface or between two pieces of parchment paper.
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Shape 1/3 of the filling into a log over the dough, about 1/4-inch away from the edge.
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Gently roll the dough, starting from the side of the filling, over itself, and seal the edges.
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Place the log on the prepared baking pan and repeat with the other two parts of the dough.
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Bake for 30-35 minutes (or 25-30 minutes if using a dark pan) over the medium oven shelf until the dough is lightly brown.
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Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before slicing the logs into 1 inch thick cookies.
Recipe Notes
- Store the cookies at room temperature for up to one week or refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
- To Freeze: wrap the cookies (or logs)Â in plastic wrap, then place them in a frozen bag or an airtight container and freeze them for up to three months.
- The longer you cook the nuts with the honey, the sticker the honey will set as it cools. Make sure to reduce the heat to simmer and cook for no more than three minutes.
- The wine’s flavor is very noticeable, and replacing it with water is an option.