Mustacciuoli

These chocolate-glazed cookies are a Christmas staple in Naples and throughout Campania, but similar varieties can be found in other parts of southern Italy. Mustacciuoli are usually prepared with a combination of honey, sugar, flour, citrus zest, and spices such as cinnamon, cloves, coriander, star anise, and nutmeg. The dough is traditionally cut into diamond-shaped pieces that are later coated with dark chocolate. Modern variations may opt for a white chocolate glaze or icing sugar, as well as the addition of candied fruit, while some regional variations add a splash of Strega liqueur. Mostaccioli take their name from the tradition of using mosto (grape must) as a sweetener when sugar and honey were unavailable. During Christmastime, these spiced cookies are a staple at numerous pastry shops.