Whatever you want to call them one thing is for sure, these deliciously moist, tender and sweet, fruit-filled cookies have been part of Italian weddings, Christmases, and other special occasions for many Italian households for centuries.For the Dough: 2¾ cup flour 1 Tbsp baking powder 1½ cups powdered sugar ¼ tsp salt 6 Tbsp butter, cold & cubed 2 eggs 2 tsp vanilla 1 Tbsp cold water For the Filling: 12 oz dried figs ¼ cup almonds 3 Tbsp apricot preserves 2 Tbsp orange juice For the Glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar 2 Tbsp milk or water ½ tsp vanilla.

Place all of your dry ingredients in a food processor and pulse the cut-up butter until you get a coarse meal. Add the eggs, vanilla, and water and continue to pulse until the dough forms into a ball. Remove the dough from the food processor and knead it a bit on a floured surface.Once your food processor is clean again add the almonds and figs. Pulse until roughly chopped. Add in the apricot preserves and orange juice and mix until finely chopped. It will resemble a thick fig jam. Place in a bowl, wrap it up and refrigerate in order for the flavors to blend.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough in a rectangle shape, you can decide how big or small to make your fig cookies, it all depends on how big or small you make your rectangles. Scrape the filling onto a lightly floured surface and knead to shape into a log. Place the filling in the center of your rectangle, fold the side over and seal them on the other side of filling. Gently roll into a smooth log.Wrap it in plastic and refrigerate until firm enough to slice. Continue rolling until all of your dough and filling is finished. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Cut cookie log into 1-inch bite-size cookies. Repeat with all the dough.

Place the cookies onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. They don’t grow so you can put them pretty close together. Bake for 14 mins or until just lightly golden.

Cool completely. For the icing, mix together the powdered sugar, vanilla, and enough milk to achieve the desired consistency. You’ll want the icing to be thick enough not to be runny, but still easily spreadable. Ice the tops of the cookies and decorate with sprinkles, if desired. Let the icing set completely.