Fave dei Morti—literally “broad beans of the dead”—are small almond cookies traditionally baked across Italy around All Saints’ Day (November 1) and All Souls’ Day (November 2). Their name and shape echo ancient rituals: roasted fava beans were offered to the dead in ancient Rome and believed to carry the souls of ancestors. Over centuries, the practice evolved into sweet, bean-shaped biscuits made with ground almonds (sometimes with pine nuts), sugar, egg whites, flour, and often flavored with cinnamon, lemon zest, rum, or amaretto

"Fava dei morti" is the Italian term for "beans of the dead." However, despite the name suggesting the inclusion of beans, these cookies are actually devoid of any such ingredient. Found in Italy, these almond-based fava dei morti cookies are traditionally consumed from mid-October until All Saints Day on November 1. This period is dedicated to honoring and remembering those who have departed.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Servings: 28 cookies
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1½ cups blanched almonds
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp Amaretto or grappa liqueur
  • 1 zest of lemon
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp Cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp red food coloring
  • 1 tsp green food coloring

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grind the almonds and sugar together using a grinder until they form a fine powder. After achieving the desired consistency, add the egg and butter to the mixture and combine well. Then, gradually incorporate the flour into the mixture.
  2. Lastly, incorporate the lemon zest, cinnamon and amaretto or grappa into the dough mixture. Once combined, set the dough aside in the refrigerator for a duration of 15 minutes.
  3. Shape the dough into a loaf, ensuring that it has a slightly sticky texture without being overly soft. Once formed, divide the dough into three equal parts.
  4. Incorporate Cocoa powder and liqueur into one part of the dough, and in another part, add red or green food coloring and liqueur. Mix each ingredient thoroughly into its respective portion of the dough. By doing so, you will create fava dei morti cookies in different colors.
  5. Take small portions of the dough and roll them into small balls. Place the formed balls onto a baking tray, ensuring they are evenly spaced apart.
  6. Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for approximately 15-20 minutes, or until they reach a stage where they start to exhibit a light golden brown color. Once baked, carefully transfer the cookies from the baking tray to wire cooling racks to cool down.