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Pan dei morti are dense, spiced cookies from Milan, traditionally baked around November 2 for All Souls’ Day. They’re built from crushed amaretti, dried figs, raisins plumped in Marsala, and chopped almonds, all held together with a little flour and egg.
The name means bread of the dead, but don’t let that throw you. These are cookies, not bread, closer in texture to a spiced fruitcake bar than anything yeasted, like a homemade pandoro loaf.
I like them because they use up pantry dried fruit and don’t need a mixer. Just two bowls, a wooden spoon, and your hands.
One thing to watch: if your amaretti crumbs are too coarse or your dough sits too long before shaping, it can crumble instead of holding together. A splash more Marsala fixes that fast.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Uses up pantry dried fruit and nuts efficiently
- Keeps 5 to 7 days and tastes better with age
- No mixer needed, just bowls and hands
- Naturally dense and moist from amaretti and dried fruit
Ingredient Notes
- amaretti cookies: Crushed amaretti add almond flavor and help bind the dough. Swap in crushed savoiardi if you can’t find amaretti, though the flavor will be milder.
- dried figs: Soft dried figs chop easily and blend into the dough. If yours feel firm and leathery, soak them alongside the raisins to soften first.
- raisins: Soaking in Marsala plumps them and adds moisture the dough needs. Golden raisins work too, they just won’t darken the crumb as much.
- almonds: Toast whole almonds before chopping for a deeper, roasted flavor. Skipping the toast is fine if you’re short on time, the cookies just taste milder.
- Marsala wine: Adds warmth, moisture, and a faint boozy note that bakes off mostly. Sweet vermouth works as a swap, or use orange juice for an alcohol-free version.
- ground cloves: A little goes a long way here. Doubling it will overpower the cinnamon and dried fruit.
- baking powder: Gives just enough lift so the cookies aren’t dense as a brick. Don’t skip it even though this isn’t a leavened bread.
Pan dei Morti: Milanese Spiced Cookies with Figs
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oven to 170 C / 340 F and line a sheet pan (33 x 46 cm / 13 x 18 inch) with parchment.
- Put the raisins in a small bowl with 60 ml of the Marsala and let them soak for at least 15 minutes.
- Toast the almonds in a dry 26 cm / 10-inch skillet over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant. Cool slightly, then chop.
- Crush the amaretti in a food processor or in a zip-top bag with a rolling pin until you get coarse crumbs, not a fine powder.
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and cloves. Stir in the amaretti crumbs, chopped almonds, and chopped figs.
- Drain the raisins, saving the leftover Marsala. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg, melted butter, and remaining 20 ml Marsala plus any leftover soaking liquid.
- Add the drained raisins to the dry mixture, then pour in the wet ingredients. Mix with a wooden spoon or your hands until a sticky, shaggy dough forms that holds together when pressed. If it crumbles, add extra Marsala a tablespoon at a time.
- With slightly damp hands, shape the dough into about 14 rough oval mounds, roughly 50 g each. Space them 5 cm apart on the sheet pan.
- Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until pale golden and cracked on top but still a little soft in the center. They firm up as they cool.
- Cool on the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once fully cooled, dust generously with powdered sugar before serving.
Notes
- Crush amaretti to coarse crumbs, not fine powder, for texture.
- Soak raisins at least 15 minutes so they plump before mixing.
- Shape dough while slightly sticky, it firms fully as it bakes.
- Cookies look underdone at 20 minutes but set as they cool.
- Dust with powdered sugar only after cookies are fully cooled.
Tips for Success
- Toast almonds before chopping to deepen their flavor and dry out any excess moisture in the raw nuts.
- Crush amaretti to coarse crumbs, not a fine powder, so the dough keeps pockets of almond flavor and texture.
- Soak raisins in Marsala for at least 15 minutes so they plump instead of staying tough after baking.
- Wet your hands lightly before shaping the dough since the sticky mixture clings to dry palms.
- Dust with powdered sugar only after the cookies cool completely, or it melts into the warm surface.
Variations
- Swap Marsala for orange juice plus 1 tsp orange zest for an alcohol-free version with a citrus lift.
- Add 40 g chopped candied orange peel alongside the figs for a chewier, more traditional bite.
- Replace almonds with pistachios for a milder, slightly green flavor and a different color contrast in the crumb.
Storage and Reheating
Pan dei morti keep well because of the dried fruit and amaretti crumbs holding moisture. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 5 to 7 days, the flavor actually rounds out after a day as the spices settle into the fruit.
Freeze baked cookies up to 2 months in a freezer bag, layering parchment between them so they don’t stick. Thaw at room temperature for about an hour before serving.
There’s no need to reheat these, they’re meant to be eaten at room temperature. If a batch from the freezer looks dull, just dust it with fresh powdered sugar before serving.
Serving Suggestions
Serve pan dei morti with a small glass of Vin Santo or Marsala for dunking, the way Milanese bakers intended them for All Souls’ Day.
They also hold their own with plain espresso for an everyday snack, or alongside a soft cheese like mascarpone for a fall dessert spread that might include a classic vanilla panna cotta.
Pack a few into a tin for gifting, alongside a slice of no-bake salame di cioccolato. They travel well and don’t need refrigeration.
FAQ
Why did my pan dei morti turn out crumbly instead of holding together?
Crumbly dough usually means it’s too dry, since the amaretti and almonds soak up moisture fast. Add the reserved Marsala one tablespoon at a time until the mixture holds together when you press a handful into your palm. If it’s still dry after baking, your amaretti crumbs may have been too coarse.
Can I use dried apricots instead of figs in this recipe?
Yes, chopped dried apricots work in place of figs and give a brighter, slightly tangy note instead of the deep sweetness figs bring. Cut them to the same small dice so they distribute evenly through the dough. Prunes are another good stand-in if you want something closer to the traditional dark, jammy flavor.
How long do pan dei morti keep, and can I make the dough ahead?
Pan dei morti keep 5 to 7 days in an airtight container at room temperature, and the flavor rounds out by day two as the spices settle into the fruit. You can freeze the baked cookies for up to 2 months. I don’t recommend making the raw dough ahead, since the dried fruit turns it soggy if it sits unbaked.
What goes well with pan dei morti besides coffee?
A small glass of Vin Santo or another sweet dessert wine is the classic match, since Milanese bakers originally made these for dunking. Espresso works just as well for an everyday version. A soft cheese like mascarpone on the side rounds out the plate for an All Souls’ Day spread.
Are pan dei morti gluten free?
No, this recipe isn’t gluten free as written since it uses regular flour and standard amaretti, which can include wheat-based fillers depending on the brand. To make a gluten-free version, swap in a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend and check that your amaretti is certified gluten free, since recipes vary by producer.
What’s the difference between pan dei morti and biscotti?
Pan dei morti are softer and denser, with a cake-like crumb from crushed amaretti and dried fruit, while biscotti are twice-baked for a dry, hard snap. Biscotti are shaped into loaves before slicing and rebaking, but pan dei morti are shaped once and baked just until set, with warm spices in place of biscotti’s plain almond flavor.