Tiramisu Cookies, full of mascarpone cheese, espresso, rum, and cocoa powder just like the tasty Italian dessert that inspired these cookies. These simple cookies are almost like a cross between a sugar cookie and shortbread and packed with flavor. Great for holiday and Christmas cookie platters and cookie exchanges!
These bite-size Tiramisu Cookies are a little piece of heaven and surprisingly taste like Tiramisu! After my Cannoli Cookies became so popular, I thought I’d try my hand at creating these fun and delicious cookies inspired by another popular Italian dessert.
These will make a great addition to my Italian Christmas cookies list! They’re a tasty little cookie. No, they don’t taste EXACTLY like Tiramisu. Only Tiramisu tastes EXACTLY like classic Tiramisu. But they are quite tasty and have all the flavors of Tiramisu.
If sprinkles are more your thing, check out these fun Italian Anise Cookies or Italian Sprinkle Cookies!
No, these Tiramisu Cookies are not an authentic Italian cookie so no need to leave nasty messages. You won’t find these at your local Italian bakery. They’re still a good homemade cookie and just a fun twist on the popular Italian dessert that would make a great Christmas cookie for cookie platters and cookie exchanges.
Like I mentioned above, these cookies are not exactly a sugar cookie and not exactly a shortbread cookie. I think the flavor and texture is kind of in-between. If you’re looking for an ooey-gooey chocolate type cookies, this is NOT them.
They’re more like a crumbly slightly dry cookie that would be great to dip into a hot coffee or espresso almost like a biscotti. Although they are really delicious all on their own too with tastes of espresso, mascarpone, rum, and cocoa powder just like Tiramisu.
What is Tiramisu?
If you’ve never had traditional Tiramisu or not familiar with it, it’s a delicious layered Italian dessert. There are many variations. It generally consists of ladyfingers dipped in espresso or coffee, then layered with a creamy mixture of sugar and mascarpone cheese, and sprinkled with cocoa powder. Tiramisu may also contain alcohol such as rum, Marsala wine, coffee-flavored liqueurs, etc.
A few of these ingredients you may not already have around such as the mascarpone, instant espresso powder, or rum extract but you should be able to find them all at any major grocery store. Or check them out here, here, and here!
Tiramisu Cookies Ingredients
- Flour
- Instant espresso powder
- Salt
- Butter
- Sugar
- Egg yolk
- Rum extract
- Vanilla extract
- Mascarpone cheese
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
How to Make Tiramisu Cookies
- In a small bowl whisk together flour, espresso powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl beat together softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft and creamy. Beat in egg yolk, then beat in rum extract and vanilla extract until well combined, then beat in mascarpone cheese until just combined.
- Beat in flour mixture to butter/sugar mixture until just combined. Scoop dough onto a large piece of plastic wrap, flatten into a large rectangle, and cover with wrap. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Roll out chilled dough with a rolling pin to about 1/4-inch thickness or so. Use a 1 1/2-inch square cookie cutter to cut out dough. Place cutout dough onto prepared baking sheets. The dough does not spread much while baking, so you can place fairly close together.
- Sprinkle a little unsweetened cocoa powder on the top of each cookie and spread with your finger to cover tops of each cookie.
- Bake cookies about 10-12 minutes or until golden brown underneath. Cool slightly then place on wire cooking racks to cool completely.
(Full printable recipe card is at bottom of post.)
Serving Suggestions
- Serve these cookies at room temperature. Although my husband loves frozen cookies straight out of the freezer.
- These cookies would be delicious with an espresso or coffee, or even a cocktail or liqueur like Amaretto.
- For another fun treat, crush these cookies over ice cream, pudding, or other desserts.
- You can also serve with a sweetened mascarpone frosting for a fun dip for the cookies! (My neighbor Roseanna’s idea!)
Quick Tips for Best Results
- Be sure your butter is soft before mixing with the sugar to prevent lumps.
- Use INSTANT espresso powder. I didn’t dissolve it any liquid and loved the little speckles in the cookies.
- Chill your dough thoroughly like at least an hour or even overnight.
- Keep the dough chilled as much as possible. If it warms too much while you’re cutting out the cookies, re-chill. Cold dough tends to keep it’s shape better when baked and easier to cut out.
- You can roll the dough into any size thickness and cut into any shape, but you may need to adjust the baking time.
Tiramisu Cookies FAQ
How should I store these Tiramisu cookies?
Store the cookies in an airtight container.
Can I freeze these cookies?
Yes! Depending on how well they are wrapped, they should last a few months in the freezer.
How long will the cookies last?
They’re best within the first few days, but if well wrapped could last longer. If you’re not going to eat them for a while, wrap them well and freeze.
Substitutions?
Instead of rum and/or vanilla extract, you could use your favorite extracts or flavorings. I love the flavor the rum extract gives but you can certainly swap it out for more vanilla or something else if you’re not a fan of rum.
Can I use low-fat ingredients?
I would recommend using full-fat mascarpone cheese.
What else can I add to this recipe?
You could try adding chopped nuts or chopped chocolate for some easy additions. I haven’t tried it, but I bet it would be delicious!
Didn’t turn out, what went wrong?
Depending on what the problem is, I’d guess that your dough was not chilled enough or you made substitutions that didn’t work out.
Can I make this vegan/vegetarian/low carb/gluten-free?
Here are some suggestions, but I can’t guarantee results. Be sure as always to check particular brands and ingredients if you’re following a specific diet or have diet restrictions or allergies.
Vegan – This would be a tough one to make vegan but you can try using vegan ingredients including a cream cheese substitute and butter substitute. You’ll also need an egg substitute. Can’t say for sure how all the substitutes will affect the cookies
Vegetarian – It’s vegetarian. Be sure to check individual brands/products just to be sure though.
Low-Carb – You can try a sugar substitute, but would not recommend using a low carb flour such as a nut flour.
Gluten-Free -You can try a gluten-free flour substitute that has a 1:1 substitution.
Other Italian Dessert Recipes You May Enjoy
- Cannoli Cake – A fun twist on the Italian pastry. Delicious!
- Amaretto Mascarpone Cheesecake – made with amaretto liqueur and has a crunchy amaretti cookie crust.
- Cranberry Orange Biscotti – A holiday take on the classic Italian cookie.
Hope you enjoy this Tiramisu Cookie recipe. Tell me in the comments about what size and shape you cut them into!
You might also like these Mudslide Cookies and Mojito Cookies! Be sure to also check out my list of some of my favorite easy homemade gourmet cookies!
Tiramisu Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon rum extract
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8 ounces mascarpone cheese
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Instructions
- In a small bowl whisk together flour, espresso powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl beat together softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft and creamy. Beat in egg yolk, then beat in rum extract and vanilla extract until well combined. Beat in mascarpone cheese until just combined.
- Beat in flour mixture to butter/sugar mixture until just combined. Scoop dough onto a large piece of plastic wrap, flatten into a large rectangle, and cover with wrap. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Roll out chilled dough with a rolling pin to about 1/4-inch thickness or so. Use a 1 1/2-inch square cookie cutter to cut out dough. Place cutout dough onto prepared baking sheets. The dough does not spread much while baking, so you can place fairly close together.
- Sprinkle a little unsweetened cocoa powder on the top of each cookie and spread with your finger to cover tops of each cookie.
- Bake cookies about 10-12 minutes or until golden brown underneath. Cool slightly then place on wire cooking racks to cool completely.
Notes
(Nutrition data is provided when available for informational purposes only and calculated using an online nutritional calculator. For the most accurate information please calculate based on specific ingredients and brands you use as well as any changes you made to the recipe. I am not a certified nutritionist or registered dietician and any nutritional information provided should only be used as a general guideline and estimate.)
Anna-Marie Cartagena says
What kind of rum do you use?
Lisa Huff says
I used rum EXTRACT that can be found in the baking aisle near the vanilla at most grocery stores.
Maria says
Can the rum be left out of the recipe
Lisa Huff says
Yes definitely!