Cavallucci

What they are

Cavallucci are the soft, chewy counterpart to the crisp cantucci that define Tuscan biscuit culture. These irregular, pale pastries from Siena are studded with walnuts and candied orange peel, their flavour anchored by a strong aroma of aniseed, often with coriander and other warm spices. Unlike the hard, dry texture of other regional biscuits, cavallucci stay tender and moist for days after baking. They are usually dusted with flour, giving them a matte, dusty appearance.

The binding agent sets them apart from most European biscuits. There is no butter or egg in the traditional mix. Instead, a syrup of honey and sugar holds the flour, walnuts and spices together, creating a dense, chewy texture that resists crumbling. They are soft enough to break with a gentle press of the fingers, yet sturdy enough to travel well.

The name and its meaning

The word cavallucci is the diminutive of cavallo, meaning horse, but the origin of the name is uncertain. One explanation suggests that they were eaten by grooms and stable hands, or by workers at the post houses where travellers changed horses on the roads around Siena. Another holds that a small horse was once stamped onto each biscuit before baking.

None of these versions is firmly documented, and the truth remains in the realm of local tradition. The biscuits themselves are old: they are often traced back to the Renaissance, when a simpler version of flour, honey, sugar and aniseed was made, and walnuts and candied fruit were added over the centuries. Today they appear in Sienese pastry shops alongside ricciarelli and panforte during the winter months.

When they appear on the table

Cavallucci are bound up with the Christmas season in Siena. In December, Sienese pasticcerie fill their windows with trays of these pale biscuits, often arranged next to dark, dense panforte and almond-based ricciarelli.

The seasonality is practical as well as cultural. Thanks to their honey and low moisture, the biscuits keep well for weeks, which made them a good gift to send to family members far from Siena. Today they are available year-round in many shops, but their peak presence is in winter.

How they are eaten

The traditional way to enjoy cavallucci is to dip them into a glass of Vin Santo. This sweet, amber wine, made from dried grapes, complements the anise and honey notes of the biscuit without overwhelming them, and the soft biscuit absorbs the wine quickly.

They are rarely served as a standalone dessert. Instead, they appear at the end of a meal, with coffee or wine, or among the other Christmas sweets on the table. A pasticceria in Siena will typically sell them loose or in simple bags, ready for eating straight away or for taking home. Without a coating of sugar, they are not overly sweet, relying instead on the depth of the honey and spices.

Curious facts

• No egg, no butter. The binding syrup of honey and sugar is what keeps them soft; most other biscuits rely on fat or eggs for structure.
• A flour finish. They are usually dusted with flour rather than sugar, giving them a pale, dusty look.
• Good keepers. The honey helps the biscuits stay soft and edible for weeks if stored in a tin.
• Seasonal rhythm. While sold year-round now, they are most prominent in Sienese pasticcerie during the weeks leading up to Christmas.
• The horse story. The name means little horses, but whether this refers to an imprint on the biscuit or to the people who ate them remains unrecorded.

Where to try them

The best place to taste cavallucci is in a traditional pasticceria in Siena itself, where many shops have long made them alongside panforte and ricciarelli. During the winter months they are displayed among the other seasonal sweets, and pastry shops in the historic centre, around the Piazza del Campo, are a reliable place to find fresh batches of these chewy, anise-scented biscuits.