Butter, spices, and traditional family recipes bring us together in the simplest—and most meaningful—ways. This is a cookie my mother baked at Easter time.
The lemon sugar crust is delicious... perfect with coffee or tea.

Italian Genetti Cookies

Italian Genetti cookies are a traditional Easter celebration cookie, known for their light, cake-like crumb and simple anise-forward flavor.

We make these cookies with eggs, butter, and baking powder rather than heavy creaming, they reflect classic Italian home baking—delicious, simple, and for sharing at holidays, weddings, and family gatherings.

Often finished with a thin sugar glaze and festive sprinkles, Genetti cookies are more about texture and aroma from the wonderful, local lemons than richness.

The subtle licorice notes from anise (or anise extract) give them their distinctive character, while the soft interior makes them ideal for serving with espresso or after-dinner coffee. 


Genetti Cookies


Prep Time: 20 min

Cooking Time: 30 min

How to Prepare Genetti Cookies

Yield: 30 cookies (depends on the size)

Ingredients                                          

6 ea                 Eggs

1 Cup              Sugar

1 Cup              Butter, lightly salted; melted

1 Tbsp            Lemon zest

1 Tbsp           Orange zest

                        Anise extract can be used instead of citrus for flavor

4 1/2 Cups      AP Flour, sifted

8 tsp.              Baking Powder


Frosting 

1 Cup              Powdered Sugar

1 tso.              Water


Simply blend together the sugar and water to make a sweet frosting to drizzle over the genetti after baking

Step 1  Making the dough

Place the sugar and eggs into the mixing bowl with the paddle attachment, paddle at low speed and blend to incorporate (about 3 minutes) 









Add the melted butter and zest of lemon and orange; mix for 2 minutes to incorporate.

See Beginner's Blog: Zesting Citrus if necessary.



Add the sifted flour and baking powder together in a bowl and whisk to blend together.

Add to the sugar, eggs and butter a little at a time; blend at low speed to create a soft cookie dough-be careful not to overwork. (about 2 minutes at low speed). Scrape several times during this process with the mixer turned off.





















Place into the refrigerate to cool for 20 minutes.



Step 2  Portioning

Place the bowl of dough onto the counter and carefully spoon/scoop small balls of the dough onto a sheet pan, lined with parchment.

I use a tablespoon as the scoop size but slightly larger works well also- personal preference.

Step 3 Baking

Bake in a preheated oven at 375 °F for 8--10 minutes, when cookies begin to brown on the bottom, take them out to cool.


As soon as the cookies are warm to the touch, spoon the sugar glaze onto each genetti; add sprinkles if you like.

Enjoy.

Beginners recipe: Vegetable Stock

By Tom Griffiths • January 16, 2026
I recently volunteered to prepare vegetable paella for a church Bible group potluck. I was very excited to develop a delicious, new paella recipe and spent time preparing fresh vegetable stock with flavors of the Mediterranean. I always prepare vegetable and fish stocks fresh, as I intend to use them. I’m not a fan of bases or frozen stocks but I sometimes add a small amount of quality base to my stocks.  A vegetable stock with mirepoix, cabbage, mushrooms makes sense in certain applications, for certain recipes—but why would we use a mushroom or cabbage-forward stock in a paella? It doesn’t make culinary sense. Paella is a Mediterranean dish originating in the Valencia region of Spain as a humble meal cooked on an open fire. I’ve enjoyed wonderful paella meals in Valencia prepared with water-not stock, prepared with rabbit, snails and local beans. While traveling through Spain this spring I researched and sampled many styles of paella… no mushrooms, no carrots, no celery and no cabbage.

Beginners recipe: Breakfast Burritos

By Tom Griffiths • January 16, 2026
I still remember cooking breakfast burritos with my son Daniel, for volunteer workers at church events—simple, hearty, and made to fuel a long day of service. The workers were always so appreciative. Years later, I served a crowd favorite, nicknamed “The Bacon-ator,” a breakfast superstar inspired by the over-the-top spirit of fast-food indulgence. We had a popular food booth at the local country fair, where we cooked hundreds of breakfast burritos each day-stuffed with Mexican cheeses, extra bacon, fluffy scrambled eggs, and fresh salsa—nothing pre-made, nothing rushed. Every burrito was warm, fresh, and full of flavor. When food is made with love, even the most straightforward breakfast is memorable.

Beginners recipe: Stuffed Peppers

By Tom Griffiths • January 15, 2026
Chefs often share a bond that transcends politics, religion, and borders. While working in Saudi Arabia with a diverse group of chefs, I experienced this firsthand on my final day. To mark the occasion, they prepared special dishes representing their home countries—a generous feast rooted in tradition and pride. At the center of the table was a beautiful tray of stuffed peppers, zucchini, cabbages, squash, and other vegetables, each prepared with care and respect. As we shared the meal, the chefs beamed with pride, and the room filled with a sense of genuine camaraderie. It was a powerful reminder that food remains one of the most universal languages we have.

Beginners recipe: Cutting Zuchini

By Tom Griffiths • January 15, 2026
I remember a chef teaching me to carefully slice the center seeds from a zucchini and then prepare beautiful dices for a ratatouilli. The seeds and center area get soft and mushy before the outer 'meaty' section of the squash cooks.

Macaroni and Cheese

By Tom Griffiths • January 15, 2026
Lobster macaroni and cheese is my all time favorite version of Mac and Cheese... I make it by preparing a classic lobster sauce, (flambé and all) and blending it with Béchamel sauce, macaroni and sweet, tender chunks of freshly poached lobster. Macaroni and cheese with pancetta

Culinary Basics; The Art of Stocks-Vegetable Stock

By Tom Griffiths • January 13, 2026
Culinary Basics: The Art of preparing Stocks

Paella

By Tom Griffiths • January 13, 2026
Paella is a Mediterranean dish originating in the Valencia region of Spain. It is a humble meal, originally cooked on an open fire. I’ve enjoyed many wonderful paella meals in Spain. In Valencia I had a local paella with rabbit, snails and local beans. Short-grained rice is always used to prepare Paella, there are several great Spanish varieties like Bomba and Calasparra , prized for absorbing the delicious, flavorful stock and flavors of the ingredients without getting mushy. This is important for creating the dish's signature, crusty bottom layer called the socarrat. Paella is all about the rice!

Copy of Beginners Recipe: Breakfast Burrito

By Tom Griffiths • January 7, 2026
I still remember cooking breakfast burritos with my son Daniel, for volunteer workers at church events—simple, hearty, and made to fuel a long day of service. The workers were always so appreciative. Years later, I served a crowd favorite, nicknamed “The Bacon-ator,” a breakfast superstar inspired by the over-the-top spirit of fast-food indulgence. We had a popular food booth at the local country fair, where we cooked hundreds of breakfast burritos each day-stuffed with Mexican cheeses, extra bacon, fluffy scrambled eggs, and fresh salsa—nothing pre-made, nothing rushed. Every burrito was warm, fresh, and full of flavor. When food is made with love, even the most straightforward breakfast is memorable. 

Tenderloin Steak

By Tom Griffiths • January 6, 2026
Beef Wellington is a restaurant classic! Chefs prepare whole tenderloins, wrapped in pastry as well as individually portioned Wellingtons. Culinary historians widely agree that Beef Wellington evolved from French preparations such as filet de bœuf en croûte, which paired beef tenderloin with mushrooms and pastry—techniques well established in French haute cuisine.

Zesting and cutting Orange Supremes

By Tom Griffiths • January 4, 2026
Oranges are fantastic in Baking & Pastry. I developed a delicious dessert for the CMC exam (Healthy Cooking) challenge featuring Orange Creamsicle Sorbet with Roasted, Candied Pineapple and Fruit Strudel... with plenty of guidance from the amazing CIA Pastry Instructors! Types of Oranges: There are several distinct varieties of oranges, each with unique characteristics and flavors. The most common type is the Navel orange , recognized for its seedless, sweet flesh and thick, easy-to-peel skin. Valencia oranges are another popular variety, primarily known for their juiciness and are often used for making orange juice. Other notable types include Blood oranges , which have a deep red interior and a distinct berry-like flavor, and Cara Cara oranges , characterized by their pinkish-red flesh and sweet taste. Additionally, Seville oranges , known for their bitterness, are mainly used in making marmalade and flavoring liqueurs.