A True Italian Breakfast Classic 🇮🇹☕🥐
When you think of an Italian breakfast, there’s one iconic pairing that immediately comes to mind: cornetto and cappuccino.
Unlike the French croissant, the Italian cornetto has a slightly sweeter, softer, brioche-like dough that makes it less buttery but just as irresistible.
This homemade version gives you everything you love about Italian mornings—freshly baked, golden pastries filled with your favorite jams, creams, or Nutella. With this recipe, you’ll make 16 fluffy cornetti that are perfect for breakfast or a sweet afternoon treat.
And here’s a tip straight from Nonna: make a big batch, freeze them before rising, and bake them fresh in the morning for the most heavenly aroma to wake up your family.
📋 Ingredients (Makes 16 Cornetti)
4 cups (500 g) all-purpose flour
1 cup (250 ml) milk, at room temperature
½ cup + 1 tbsp (120 g) sugar
7 tbsp (100 g) butter, softened + extra melted butter for brushing
1 large egg
0.5 oz (15 g) fresh yeast or 1½ tsp (5 g) dry yeast
3 tbsp vegetable oil
A generous pinch of salt
Zest of 1 orange, finely grated
Optional for filling: jam, pastry cream, or Nutella
🕒 Cooking & Prep Time
Preparation: 1 hour 30 minutes (including first rise)
Rising time: 4 hours (or overnight)
Baking: 15 minutes
Total: 6 hours (including rises)
👩🍳 Instructions
Step 1 – Make the Dough
In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm milk. Stir in the sugar and half the flour.
Mix with a whisk or dough hook until smooth. Add the egg, oil, orange zest, and finally salt.
Gradually add the rest of the flour until a soft dough forms. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for about 1 hour.
Step 2 – Layer with Butter & Sugar
Roll the dough into a circle and cut into 8 wedges. Shape each wedge into a ball, then roll each into a thin disc (about 2 mm thick).
Stack the discs on top of each other, brushing melted butter between each one. On 2 of the layers (for example, the 2nd and 5th discs), also sprinkle sugar. Do not butter or sugar the final disc.
Roll out the stack into one large disc. Cut into 16 wedges (or 8 for larger cornetti).
Step 3 – Shape the Cornetti
Place a teaspoon of filling at the base of each wedge. Roll from the base to the tip, slightly widening the base as you roll to create the croissant shape.
Place on a parchment-lined tray, leaving space between them.
Step 4 – Rise & Bake
Let rise for 4 hours (or overnight, covered loosely in plastic wrap).
Sprinkle with granulated or brown sugar.
Bake in a preheated oven at 340°F (170°C) for about 15 minutes, until golden brown.
💡 Tips & Variations
Freezing: Shape the cornetti but do not let them rise. Freeze on a tray, then transfer to bags. Let thaw and rise overnight before baking.
Fillings: Classic choices are apricot jam, Nutella, or pastry cream. For a lighter version, leave them plain and dust with powdered sugar after baking.
Perfect Pairing: Serve warm with cappuccino, latte, or fresh orange juice.
🔢 Nutritional Facts (per cornetto, 1 of 16)
| Calories | Carbs | Protein | Fat | Sugar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 210 kcal | 33 g | 4 g | 7 g | 8 g |
CORNETTO: The Italian Croissant
Notes
Ingredients (Makes 16 Cornetti)
- 4 cups (500 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (250 ml) milk, at room temperature
- ½ cup + 1 tbsp (120 g) sugar
- 7 tbsp (100 g) butter, softened + extra melted butter for brushing
- 1 large egg
- 0.5 oz (15 g) fresh yeast or 1½ tsp (5 g) dry yeast
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- A generous pinch of salt
- Zest of 1 orange, finely grated
🕒 Cooking & Prep Time
- Preparation: 1 hour 30 minutes (including first rise)
- Rising time: 4 hours (or overnight)
- Baking: 15 minutes
- Total: 6 hours (including rises)
👩🍳 Instructions
Step 1 – Make the Dough
- In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm milk. Stir in the sugar and half the flour.
- Mix with a whisk or dough hook until smooth. Add the egg, oil, orange zest, and finally salt.
- Gradually add the rest of the flour until a soft dough forms. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for about 1 hour.
Step 2 – Layer with Butter & Sugar
- Roll the dough into a circle and cut into 8 wedges. Shape each wedge into a ball, then roll each into a thin disc (about 2 mm thick).
- Stack the discs on top of each other, brushing melted butter between each one. On 2 of the layers (for example, the 2nd and 5th discs), also sprinkle sugar. Do not butter or sugar the final disc.
- Roll out the stack into one large disc. Cut into 16 wedges (or 8 for larger cornetti).
Step 3 – Shape the Cornetti
- Place a teaspoon of filling at the base of each wedge. Roll from the base to the tip, slightly widening the base as you roll to create the croissant shape.
- Place on a parchment-lined tray, leaving space between them.
Step 4 – Rise & Bake
- Let rise for 4 hours (or overnight, covered loosely in plastic wrap).
- Sprinkle with granulated or brown sugar.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 340°F (170°C) for about 15 minutes, until golden brown.
💡 Tips & Variations
- Freezing: Shape the cornetti but do not let them rise. Freeze on a tray, then transfer to bags. Let thaw and rise overnight before baking.
- Fillings: Classic choices are apricot jam, Nutella, or pastry cream. For a lighter version, leave them plain and dust with powdered sugar after baking.
- Perfect Pairing: Serve warm with cappuccino, latte, or fresh orange juice.
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