If you love a sweet treat, this Italian cornetti recipe is for you!

This is my healthy twist on the classic Italian cornetti recipe. Many years ago I used to have breakfast at the bar near the office I was working. Me and my future husband always met early and enjoyed a nice cornetto. Many years have passed now and I realized I can still enjoy a good cornetto, but in a much lighter version.

Having breakfast outside everyday was not a good idea. When I became more health conscious (and actually older), I stared thinking about making a recipe that would still provide the flavor and comfort of a cornetto, but guilt-free. And in the end I came out with this recipe that contains less sugar and a reasonable amount of butter. Enough to make it crunchy and a bit fluffy.

What I usually do is prepare the cornetti the day before, then leave them in the fridge overnight to bake them in the morning. There is nothing like the smell of freshly baked cornetti !

Cornetti and croissant differences

The main difference between an Italian cornetto and a Fresh croissant is the ingredient list. The first contains egg and the other one does not. The taste of the croissant mainly depends on the quality of the butter, whereas the cornetto contains also vanilla. Cornetti in Italy are often filled with jam or chocolate.

Usually both cornetti and croissant contain a lot of butter that helps with the open fluffy crumb on the inside. They are both very light but also very rich.

Why you’ll love this light cornetti recipe

First of all I just want to say that this recipe is not comparable by any means to the classic Italian cornetti recipe. Since I like to have a treat every now and then for breakfast, I wondered what would happen if I tried to use less butter, sugar and eggs. Well I tried and the result is absolutely fantastic, plus this recipe is easy, and faster than the original.

Light and almost guilt-free

the ingredients indicated in the recipe are for 8 fairly large cornetti, meaning they contain around 18gr of butter each. However these are meant to be eaten in the morning, so you’ll have all day to burn the fat. And by the way these are definitely a treat  you want to have every once in a while, not every day for sure.

Easy to make

forget all the folds, the pre-dough, the waiting. the fridge and whatnot. This recipe is super easy, only one fold needed and then you’re set to shape the cornetti.

Fiber content

my recipe contains mostly whole wheat flour, meaning that a single cornetto contains around 5gr of fiber. For a sweet treat it’s not bad I would say. And if you want to add more, you can add linseed to the dough, so you’ll also be adding good fats.

Low sugar

the sugar content  for each piece is really low (7.5g ). If you are like me and have a limited added sugar consumption, these cornetti will taste fairly sweet. When paired with a jam made from 100% fruit you’ll be able to add also more fibers and good natural sugars.

Naturally leavened

the recipe I’m sharing is made with sourdough, so not only it tastes good, but will be also easy on your digestive system and godo for your microbiome. Pairing the fibers of the whole wheat flour with the bacteria from the sourdough will provide both pre and probiotics. Sourdough fermentation will also degrade part of the anti nutrients and the gluten in the wheat so these cornetti will also be easy to digest if you have trouble with gluten.

Personally I love to fill the cornetti with my home made hazelnut spread, that is made with 90% hazelnut, some cocoa and a bit of sugar. This is a great way to add good fats, fibers and minerals.

Classic Italian breakfast

I can definitely say that the most classic sweet breakfast Italian people love are
– cornetto and cappuccino (or coffee)
– bread, butter and jam
– ciambellone with coffee or cappuccino

I’ve already shared a couple of recipes for ciambellone and also for home made bread that is prefect for breakfast. But this cornetti recipe is a real treat for those who want to try a classic Italian breakfast recipe, with less guilt!

How to fold the butter into the dough

Folding the butter into the dough is not that difficult, you just need to know a few basic steps. The key is to have the butter and the dough at the same temperature. If the butter is cold and the dough is at room temperature, it will be very difficult to fold it.

Take the butter out of the fridge until it softens enough  to be spreader into a 4mm sheet. Spread it onto plastic wrap or wax paper. Then put both the butter sheet and the dough in the fridge for 30min. Just to bring them to about the same temperature. If you have time you can keep both longer.

Once they are cooled down, or firm enough to the touch:
1. spread the dough on to a floured surface.
2. shape it into a rectangle with the smaller side as wide as the butter sheet.
3. put the butter in the middle and fold the dough over the butter to encase it completely.
4. roll the dough gently (1/2 inch. thick) to spread the butter inside evenly.
5. fold the top part over the middle. Then fold the bottom on to it. Roll just a bit and let it rest for 10min.

IMPORTANT STEPS:
– Always roll the dough into a rectangular shape to make it evenly layered with butter.
– Do not roll the dough too thin, otherwise the butter will be incorporated into the dough you’ll loose the classic layering of butter and dough.

How to store home made cornetti

The best way to store these cornetti is freezing. I usually make double the recipe and make around 16 pieces. Then cook all the cornetti and freeze them into a ziplock bag. This way you’ll have your sweet treat ready in no time. When you want to have cornetti for breakfast you can take them out of the freezer the night before and re heat them for a few minutes in the oven to soften the butter in the dough and make them fluffier.

Print Pin

Light Italian cornetti recipe

Make a classic Italian recipe for breakfast, but with a super healthy twist. The reduced content of butter and sugar will make this treat almost guilt free!

Remember to use a high quality butter for this recipe. The taste of the butter is still very important for the good result.

Course Breakfast, Sweet treat

Cuisine Italian

Keyword cornetti recipe, easy Italian cornetti, Italian cornetti recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Resting time 6 hours hours

Total Time 6 hours hours 45 minutes minutes

Servings 8 cornetti

Ingredients

• 200 ml milk
• 160 gr butter 40g for the dough 120gr for folding
• 60 gr sugar
• 1 large egg
• 80 gr sourdough fed with whole wheat flour
• 300 gr whole wheat flour
• 100 gr bread flour
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract or 1/4 vanilla pod seeds

Instructions

• In a large bowl mix the milk, egg and sugar.
• Add the sourdough starter and mix well, then add 80% of the flour.
• Mix and check the consistency of the dough. If it is too wet add some more flour a little at a time until you get a soft and slightly sticky dough but not too wet.
• Add the salt and knead for one minute.
• Let it rest for 30/40minutes, and in the meantime shape the 120gr of butter into a rectangle sheet on a plastic wrap or wax paper.
• After resting the dough, incorporate the remaining butter.
• Knead for a couple of minute then put both the dough and the butter sheet into the fridge for 30/40minutes to cool down and firm up a bit.
• Take out the dough and the butter and shape the dough into a rectangle that has the short side as wide as the butter sheet.
• Fold the dough onto the butter, then gently roll it to create an even butter layer in-between the dough.
• Fold it again then let it rest in the fridge for 30min.
• Take it out again, roll it into a 1cm thick rectangle and cut it into 8 triangles.
• Roll the triangles starting from the wider part and closing the cornetti with the thinner end on the bottom.
• Let the cornetti rise until doubled in size (you can leave them to rest in the fridge overnight and cook them in the morning)
• Pre-heat the ove to 180/190°C, brush the top of the cornetti with milk or a mix of egg yolk and cream. Cook for 18/20min in the middle rack or until golden brown.