Gluten-Free Sicilian Tetù (Clove-Scented Cookies)

Tetù are Sicily’s All Souls’ Day cookies — dark, cocoa-and-clove scented domes under a crackly sugar glaze, traditionally dunked in morning coffee. The old recipes lean on nuts and spice more than wheat, so the gluten-free translation keeps every bit of their character.

Yield: About 30 cookies · Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• 2 cups (280 g) gluten-free all-purpose flour blend with xanthan gum
• 3/4 cup (75 g) almond flour
• 1/3 cup (30 g) cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup (150 g) sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon + 3/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) neutral oil
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) strong coffee, cooled
• 1 egg
• Glaze: 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar + 2–3 tbsp milk

Directions

1. Whisk all the dry ingredients together.
2. Stir in the oil, coffee, and egg into a firm, oily-looking dough — that’s correct.
3. Roll walnut-sized balls and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 12–14 minutes.
4. Cool completely.
5. Dip the tops in glaze and let it set to a crackly shell.

Pro tip: The glaze should be thick enough to coat opaque in one dip — it dries into the signature cracked white cap.

Gluten-Free Notes

As always on this site: ingredient formulations change, so verify the gluten-free label on every packaged product you use — especially anything milled, malted, or made in a shared facility.

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Browse more in Cookies & Bars, or explore our gluten-free breakfast recipe database and hot cereal guide.