Christmas sweets in Umbria

As in the rest of the peninsula, the most authentic traditions of Christmas in Umbria can be found in the kitchen and especially in typical sweets. In addition to panettone and pandoro, there are numerous sweet recipes linked to the Christmas period.

What are the Christmas sweets in Umbria? Let’s discover them together!

The pampepato

The king of Christmas sweets in Umbria is the pampepato (or panpepato). Its presence in the region is concentrated in the Terni area, its birthplace, and in some municipalities in the province of Perugia. It is a baked product with a round, flattened shape, whose ingredients vary according to the area of production but usually include chocolate, honey, candied fruit, walnuts, almonds, pine nuts, hazelnuts, nutmeg, cinnamon and pepper. Its origins date back to the 16th century, if not to the ancient Romans. In the past, it was brought as a gift accompanied by a sprig of mistletoe. In 2020, Terni pampepato obtained IGP (Protected Geographical Indication) recognition.

The tozzetti

Typical of Christmas tables and beyond, tozzetti are dry almond pastries similar in appearance to the most famous Tuscan cantucci. There are several variations but what distinguishes the Umbrian tozzetti is the addition of anise seeds, which give them an unmistakable aroma and scent. They are particularly widespread in the Bevagna area, in the province of Perugia. We recommend trying them accompanied by a glass of fortified wine such as sweet Sagrantino from Montefalco or Vinsanto from Trevi.

The rocciata

Another traditional Umbrian dessert that is consumed during the Christmas holidays, but also on All Saints’ Day, is the rocciata. The name comes from the term “arrocciare”, which means to twist. Its preparation and ingredients closely resemble apple strudel. It is in fact a thin sheet of pastry wrapped in a delicious filling made up of cooked apples with walnuts, almonds, pine nuts, dried figs, sultanas and chocolate. The characteristic pink color is given by alchermes. Its recipe, typical of Foligno, Assisi and Spello, is included in the Umbrian list of traditional agri-food products.

The pinoccate

Pinoccate, also called pinoccati or pinocchiati, are typical Christmas sweets from the province of Perugia that are little known outside the borders of Umbria. They come in the shape of small diamonds, about 5-6 cm long each, and can be white, vanilla-flavored, or black, chocolate-flavored. The basic ingredient, which also gives the dessert its name, are pine nuts. Wrapped in delicious colored paper, they are prepared with a mixture of water and sugar, boiled until a thick syrup is obtained, in which the pine nuts are then immersed. It is a recipe with ancient origins, in fact it has been known since the 14th century.

The torciglione

Another dessert that is never missing on the table during holidays is the torciglione. It takes its name from its shape, that of a coiled snake with its tongue hanging out. It is prepared with a mixture of almonds, sugar and egg white. Its origins date back to the Middle Ages and it seems that the nuns of the Isola Maggiore del Trasimeno were the ones who created it. According to legend, some papal emissaries arrived at the convent on a lean Friday and the nuns, having no fish available, decided to use what they had in the pantry to create this dessert with the typical shape of an eel. Regardless of its history, it is widespread throughout the regional territory.

Sweet macaroni

Among the Christmas desserts of Umbria we also find sweet macaroni. Yes, you understood correctly, it is actually a pasta dish, usually tagliatelle, but the sauce and cheese are replaced by sugar, nuts, honey, breadcrumbs and cocoa powder. This delicacy is traditionally prepared on the occasion of two important eves, All Saints’ Eve and Christmas Eve. Also in this case there are different versions. The origin seems to date back to the Etruscan age.

The pammelati

We conclude this roundup of traditional Umbrian Christmas delicacies with pammelati, sweets with a rounded but elongated shape (like supplì) made with grated bread, walnuts, cinnamon, honey, orange peel and pine nuts (optional). The ingredients are mixed over a low heat in a saucepan; the mixture is then rolled by hand, cut into pieces and shaped. They are typical of the municipalities of Deruta and Torgiano.

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