Bocconotti are a beloved traditional pastry from Calabria, Italy. These small tartlets combine a tender, buttery shortcrust pastry with a rich chocolate-and-almond filling, often laced with a little cinnamon and a touch of dark rum for depth. They’re perfect as an after-dinner dessert, a teatime treat, or a special weekend breakfast.
These Bocconotti are an easy way to celebrate Calabrian baking traditions at home. The pastry is delicate and melt-in-the-mouth, while the filling is moist, slightly crumbly and intensely chocolatey. Serve them at gatherings, holidays or whenever you want a classic Italian sweet that’s hard to resist.
These Bocconotti are inspired by traditional Calabrese recipes and share the same comforting flavors as other Southern Italian sweets. My version features toasted almonds, good-quality dark chocolate, unsweetened cocoa powder, and a hint of cinnamon balanced by a splash of dark rum. The pastry is subtly flavored with lemon zest for a fresh note that complements the filling.
Table of Contents
- Ingredients
- Instructions
- Substitutions
- Variations
- Equipment
- Storage
- Tips for Success and FAQ’s
- Serving Suggestions
- Bocconotti Recipe (Printable)
Ingredients
- Butter – unsalted is recommended for the pastry; omit added salt if you use salted butter.
- Sugar – granulated white sugar (superfine/caster sugar is ideal if available).
- Eggs – large eggs, room temperature; one whole egg plus one yolk for the pastry, additional egg and egg white for the filling.
- Flour – all-purpose (plain) flour.
- Baking powder – a small amount to lighten the shortcrust.
- Lemon zest – finely grated, avoid the bitter white pith.
- Almonds – raw almonds with skin on, toasted for the filling.
- Dark chocolate – good-quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped.
- Cocoa powder – unsweetened.
- Ground cinnamon – a little adds traditional warm spice.
- Milk – whole (full cream) milk preferred.
- Dark rum – a tablespoon for flavor; optional and can be substituted.
- Salt – just a pinch to enhance the chocolate flavor.
- Powdered sugar – for dusting before serving.
See the printable recipe card below for exact quantities and servings.
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Prepare twelve mini tart pans (or a mini muffin tin) by greasing or spraying with non-stick spray and dusting with a little flour; tap out the excess.
For the pastry: Beat the butter until creamy, then add sugar and beat until combined. Add the egg and egg yolk gradually and mix until just combined.
Stir in most of the flour, the baking powder and lemon zest. Add remaining flour by hand if needed to form a soft dough.
Shape the dough into a ball, flatten slightly, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Prepare the filling: toast the almonds briefly, then process almonds with the dark chocolate, granulated sugar and cocoa powder until coarse crumbs form.
Warm the milk until just below simmering, remove from heat and stir in the almond-chocolate mixture along with the rum and cinnamon. Let cool slightly, then stir in the reserved egg yolk.
Whisk the egg white (and an additional separated egg white if indicated) with a pinch of salt to stiff peaks, then fold a few spoonfuls into the almond mixture to lighten it. Gently fold the almond mixture into the egg whites until combined.
Roll out the chilled dough between parchment sheets to about 1/8 inch (4 mm) thickness. Cut circles and line each prepared mold so the pastry reaches just above the rim.
Fill each pastry shell with the prepared filling. Use the reserved dough to cut lids, cut a small slit in each lid for steam, place over the filling and press the edges to seal. Trim any excess pastry.
Bake the filled bocconotti on a baking sheet for 15–18 minutes, until lightly golden and puffed. Allow to cool, then dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Substitutions
- Chocolate – Milk chocolate may be used for a sweeter filling.
- Nuts – Swap almonds for walnuts or hazelnuts for a different nutty character.
- Rum – Omit and use extra milk, or use a rum extract for alcohol-free flavor.
Variations
- Jam-filled – Replace the almond-chocolate filling with cherry, apricot, or mixed berry jam for a fruity Bocconotti.
- Nutella – Use Nutella for a quick, indulgent filling.
- Festive – Fill with a dried fruit, nut and spice mixture for a holiday-style pastry.
- Open-faced – Omit the pastry lid to showcase the chocolate-almond filling for a rustic presentation.
Equipment
Mini tart pans work best for authentic bocconotti. If you don’t have tart pans, a mini muffin tin will also produce small filled cookies (you may end up with more than 12 bocconotti when using a muffin tin).
Storage
Store bocconotti in an airtight container at room temperature for 3–4 days. For longer storage, freeze in an airtight container for 2–3 months. Thaw to room temperature before serving; reheat briefly in a low oven if you prefer them warm.
Tips for Success and FAQ’s
Use high-quality chocolate, fresh almonds and room-temperature butter and eggs for the best flavor and texture. Chill the pastry at least 30 minutes to make it easier to roll and handle. Roll evenly to about 1/8 inch (4 mm) thickness for the ideal pastry-to-filling ratio.
What does Bocconotti mean?
Bocconotti roughly translates to “small bites” or “bite-sized” in Italian, reflecting the compact, two-bite size of these tartlets.
Can you freeze Bocconotti?
Yes. Freeze bocconotti in an airtight container for up to 2–3 months. Thaw slowly at room temperature; to refresh them, warm briefly in a low oven.
How to prep bocconotti tins?
Grease the tart pans with butter or non-stick spray, then dust lightly with flour and tap out the excess. This prevents sticking and helps the pastries release cleanly.
Serving Suggestions
Bocconotti pair beautifully with a strong Italian espresso or a small cup of sweet dessert wine. They make a lovely finish to classic Italian meals and are excellent on dessert platters for gatherings.
Bocconotti Recipe
These Italian Bocconotti feature a rich buttery pastry dough and an intensely chocolate-almond filling.
Prep Time: 40 minutes • Cook Time: 18 minutes • Chilling Time: 30 minutes • Total Time: about 1 hour 28 minutes
Servings: 12 bocconotti • Author: Marcellina
Equipment
- 12 mini tart pans (or a mini muffin tin)
Ingredients
Pastry
- 4 ounces (115 g) unsalted butter
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated white sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 ¼ cups (282 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
- Pinch of salt
Filling
- ½ cup (70 g) almonds, skin on
- 2 ounces (60 g) dark chocolate, chopped
- ⅓ cup (66 g) granulated white sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup (60 ml) whole milk
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) dark rum
- 1 egg white (reserved from the pastry)
- 1 large egg, separated
- Pinch of salt
To serve
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
Pastry
- Beat butter until creamy, add sugar and beat until combined.
- Add the whole egg and yolk gradually; mix until combined but don’t overbeat.
- Mix in two-thirds of the flour with baking powder and lemon zest, then add remaining flour by hand as needed to form a dough.
- Form into a disk, wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Grease and flour 12 mini tart pans or use a mini muffin tin.
- Roll dough to 1/8 inch (4 mm) thickness, cut circles and line each mold. Trim edges as needed.
- Fill shells with the prepared filling. Roll reserved dough and cut lids; cut a small slit in each lid for steam and seal to the edges.
- Bake on a sheet for 15–18 minutes until lightly golden. Cool and dust with powdered sugar.
Filling
- Toast almonds at 350ºF (180ºC) for 8–10 minutes, then cool.
- Process almonds, dark chocolate, sugar and cocoa until coarse crumbs form.
- Heat milk until nearly simmering, remove from heat and stir in the almond-chocolate mixture, rum and cinnamon. Cool, then stir in the egg yolk.
- Whisk egg whites with salt to stiff peaks. Fold a few spoonfuls of egg white into the almond mixture to lighten it, then gently fold the almond mixture into the egg whites.
- Filling is ready to be used in the pastry shells.
Notes
- Mini tart pans (often sold as egg tart pans) measure approximately 2.75 × 1.96 × 0.94 inches (7 × 5 × 2.4 cm).
- If using salted butter, omit the added pinch of salt in the pastry ingredients.
- Whole milk gives the best texture, but 2% or suitable non-dairy milk can be used.
Tips for Success
- Use room-temperature ingredients for even creaming and mixing.
- Chill the pastry well to make it easier to roll and shape.
- Roll the pastry evenly so all tartlets bake uniformly.
Nutritional Estimate Per Serving
Calories: 294 kcal | Carbohydrates: 36 g | Protein: 6 g | Fat: 14 g
Nutritional information is an estimate provided by an online calculator; for precise values calculate based on your ingredients and brands.