Scarcelle pugliesi
- Vegetarian
- Energy Kcal 1158
- Carbohydrates g 190.8
- of which sugars g 95.35
- Protein g 24.9
- Fats g 32.8
- of which saturated fat g 6.57
- Fiber g 3.5
- Cholesterol mg 262
- Sodium mg 135
- Difficulty: Easy
- Prep time: 40 min
- Cook time: 55 min
- Makes: 4 pieces
- Cost: Low
- Note + 30 minutes of dough resting
PRESENTATION
Puglian scarcelle pop up every spring in southern Italy, especially in Puglia. And look, they're about as festive as it gets with traditional Easter pastries. These Italian Easter cookies? They're made with a pretty simple shortcrust pastry—just eggs, flour, milk, and oil—with lemon zest for a bit of tangy brightness. The thing is, every family has their own spin on shapes. You'll see tender bunnies or doves, classic rings, and sometimes baskets. And those little woven nests? So cute. In Puglia, topping each cookie with a hard-boiled egg isn’t just for show—it’s about the symbolism of rebirth and spring. Kids absolutely love finding a chocolate egg or one of those super decorated boiled eggs tucked in. No matter what, the dough bakes up moist and a bit crispy on the edges, then gets coated with a sweet egg white glaze and tons of colorful sugar beads.
In Puglia, the Puglian scarcelle tradition is a huge deal at Easter. And you know what? Everyone from grandparents to little cousins gets in on it. Rolling out dough, picking shapes—everyone’s playfully arguing about whose scarcella looks best. These traditional Easter pastries get compared to the ciaramicola from Umbria—a ring cake with meringue—but the Puglian version is more about fun shapes and that egg on top. There’s really something special about seeing a table full of these golden cookies, each one a bit different. All loaded up with sprinkles and good memories, you know? Folks in Puglia swear by their own family’s version of the scarcella recipe, and nobody’s shy about adding extra zest or making the glaze super sweet. These treats? They’re not just food—they’re a piece of Italian holiday baking history. And they always, always bring out that joyful, sharing spirit that makes Easter in Puglia feel so warm and inviting. Whether it’s the flavor or the family tradition, scarcelle are a really delicious way to celebrate the season.
INGREDIENTS
- Ingredients for the dough of 4 scarcelle
- Sugar ¾ cup (150 g)
- Type 00 flour 4 cups (500 g)
- Eggs 2.1 oz (60 g) - (about 1)
- Extra virgin olive oil ½ cup (100 g)
- Whole milk ½ cup (100 g)
- Baking powder 2 tsp (8 g)
- Lemon peel 1
- for the glaze
- Egg whites 3.3 tbsp (50 g)
- Lemon juice 1 tsp (5 g)
- Powdered sugar 1.67 cups (200 g)
- for decorating
- Colored sprinkles to taste
- Eggs 4
How to prepare Scarcelle pugliesi
To prepare the Pugliese scarcelle, start with the dough: pour the flour onto a work surface 1, add the baking powder for sweets 2 and granulated sugar 3.
Aromatize with the grated lemon zest 4 (keep the lemon aside for the glaze later), add the slightly beaten egg 5, and start kneading with your hands while gradually pouring in the oil 6.
and then the milk 7. Once you have a smooth and elastic mixture 8, shape it into a sphere 9, cover with a kitchen towel, and let it rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
In the meantime, prepare the hard-boiled eggs: place the eggs in a saucepan, cover with cold water, and let them cook for 9 minutes from boiling 10, then cool them under running water and set aside without peeling. Once the Pugliese scarcelle dough has rested, divide it with a dough scraper 11 into 12 portions of about 75 g each. At this point, using your fingertips 12, shape each piece into a log
about 12 inches long 13. Once you have 3 logs, pinch one end together 14 and start braiding them 15.
Once you have a single braid 16, join the two ends to give the Pugliese scarcelle a circular shape, like a donut 17. Proceed in the same way for the remaining pieces to make 4 scarcelle. Place them on a baking sheet 18
and place an egg in the center 19. Bake in a preheated static oven at 356°F for 50-55 minutes (you can try in a fan oven at 320°F for about 40-45 minutes) 20, if the shortcrust pastry darkens too much, cover with a sheet of aluminum foil. Once baked, transfer the scarcelle to a wire rack and let them cool 21.
At this point, start preparing the glaze: pour the egg whites into a bowl and start whisking them with a mixer while pouring in the lemon juice 22. Once you have a frothy mixture, start adding the powdered sugar little by little 24 to achieve a very creamy consistency 24.
Cover the scarcelle with the freshly prepared glaze 25 and decorate with colored sprinkles 26. Let the glaze dry and serve your Pugliese scarcelle 27.
to make other shapes...
If you prefer to create other shapes, after letting the scarcelle dough rest 1, use a rolling pin to roll it out on a lightly floured surface until you get a thickness of about 0.31 inches 2, then place the templates of the Easter subjects you have chosen 3
and using a small knife, cut the shortcrust pastry following the outline 4. Carefully transfer your shapes to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper 5 and place the boiled egg in the largest part 6.
Create two diamond shapes and lay them on each egg crossing them 7. You can decorate with colored sprinkles (alternatively, once baked, you can proceed as with the donuts, allowing to cool and then covering with the glaze, then decorate as you prefer!), Bake in a preheated static oven at 356°F for about 20-25 minutes; once ready, take them out 9 and let them cool on a wire rack.