Canestrelli

Canestrelli are simple, yet delicious Italian butter cookies of ancient origin – they have been prepared since the Middle Ages, often used as a gift on festive occasions such as weddings or religious feasts. The origin of the name is unclear, but it might come from the word canestro, referring to a straw basket in which they were left to cool down after baking. They are made all over Italy using significantly different recipes, but the cookies are most commonly associated with Liguria, where the most recognizable variety is made - the pale, flower-shaped shortbread cookie with a hole in the center. Other popular varieties include hard, waffle-shaped canestrelli traditionally prepared all over Piedmont, or those from Biella, made with two thin chocolate wafers connected with chocolate hazelnut cream.