Italian Recipes

Pencil-Shaped Biscuits with Colorful Glaze Decor

Published
Feb 21, 2025
Reading time
3 min
Collection
Italian Recipes
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Category: Desserts
Yield: 1 batch
Servings: 20-30 biscuits (depending on size)

Ingredients

Ingredient Quantity
All-purpose flour (00) 500g
Butter (cold, cubed) 250g
Powdered sugar 200g
Eggs 2
Lemon zest 1
Additional powdered sugar (for decoration) 100g
Water 2 tablespoons

Instructions

  1. Making the Biscuit Dough
    Start by preparing the dough for these charming pencil-shaped biscuits. Begin by placing the all-purpose flour and cold, cubed butter into a food processor. Pulse the ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, similar to breadcrumbs. This is the sabbiatura (sandy texture) stage, which helps create a tender biscuit.

  2. Incorporate the Rest of the Ingredients
    Next, add the powdered sugar and the eggs into the food processor. Continue mixing briefly until the dough starts coming together.

  3. Forming the Dough
    Transfer the dough onto a clean work surface and knead it briefly to form a smooth dough. Shape it into a flat disk, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate it for about 30 minutes. This resting period allows the dough to firm up and be easier to roll out.

  4. Rolling and Cutting the Dough
    After chilling, remove the dough from the fridge. Place it on a lightly floured surface and roll it out with a rolling pin until it reaches a thickness of approximately 0.5 cm. Use a pencil-shaped cutter, or a 7×4 cm rectangular cutter, to shape the biscuits. To achieve the pencil point, simply trim two small triangles from one end of each rectangle. If you don’t have a cutter, feel free to freehand the shapes with a sharp knife.

  5. Baking the Biscuits
    Arrange the cut biscuit shapes on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, ensuring they are spaced evenly. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for about 12-15 minutes, or until the biscuits are lightly golden at the edges. Remove from the oven and let them cool on the tray.

  6. Making the Glaze
    While the biscuits are cooling, you can prepare the glaze. In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar and water, whisking until you have a thick, smooth, and viscous consistency. The glaze should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

  7. Coloring the Glaze
    Divide the glaze into several small bowls, depending on how many colors you want to use. Add a few drops of food coloring to each bowl, mixing to achieve your desired hues.

  8. Decorating the Biscuits
    Once the biscuits are completely cool, it’s time to get creative with your decorations. Transfer the colored glazes into small piping bags or cones made from parchment paper. Use these to decorate the biscuits, applying colored glaze to create the pencil’s details, such as the wood, the lead, and the eraser.

Tips for Decoration:

  • You can make the biscuits look even more realistic by using different shades of pink or red for the eraser part of the pencil.
  • Feel free to experiment with other colors or even add edible glitter for a fun, festive touch.

Let the decorated biscuits sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes to allow the glaze to set. Enjoy these pencil-shaped biscuits as a fun and whimsical treat perfect for kids’ parties, back-to-school celebrations, or just as a delightful snack with a cup of tea!


This playful treat combines delicious homemade biscuits with a touch of creativity, making them the perfect edible craft for any occasion. Whether you’re baking for a special event or just for fun, these pencil-shaped biscuits are sure to impress with their charming look and sweet flavor.