Ossi dei Morti - Bones of the Dead

CookiesFesta dei MortiHolidaysBaking
Written By Salvatore Di Puma

Ossi dei Morti or Bones of the Dead Cookies

In Sicily, November doesn’t begin quietly. Instead, it opens with a trio of deeply meaningful feast days: Ognissanti (All Saints’ Day) on November 1st, La Festa dei Morti (The Feast of the Dead) on November 2nd, and throughout the island, families prepare one of the most symbolic sweets of the season: Ossi dei Morti — “Bones of the Dead.”

These crunchy, almond-scented cookies appear in bakeries only once a year. Their stark white, bone-like shapes are not meant to scare—they’re meant to honor, remember, and celebrate our loved ones who have passed on. In Sicily, especially in Palermo, Catania, and the Agrigento region, children wake on the morning of November 2nd believing that i morti (the deceased) have returned during the night, bringing sweets and small gifts. Among them, these cookies are the unmistakable sign of remembrance.

If Halloween is the eve of spirits, Sicily’s Festa dei Morti is the reunion. It’s joyful, familial, rooted in love, memory, and tradition — and nothing captures that spirit quite like these cookies.

Recipe

Yields 20-24 Cookies

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar

  • 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour

  • ½ cup (120 ml) water

  • Zest of 1 lemon (optional but traditional in many towns)

  • ½–1 tsp ground cinnamon OR ground cloves (optional — depends on the town)

Instructions

1. Create a Sugar Syrup

  • In a saucepan, combine the sugar and water.

  • Heat gently until the sugar dissolves completely.

  • You want a smooth syrup, not caramel.

  • Remove from heat.

2. Add Dry Ingredients

  • In a bowl whisk together the flour, lemon zest and cinnamon/cloves.

  • Pour the hot syrup into the dry ingredients and mix quickly.

  • You will get a very thick, sticky dough.

3. Shape the Cookies

  • Dust your hands and surface with flour.

  • Roll pieces of dough into 3-4 inch long logs about 1/2 - 3/4 inch thick.

  • Lay them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

4. Let them Dry

  • Let the cookies rest uncovered overnight (12-24 hours) in a cool, dry place.

  • This forms the signature cracked, bone-white top

5. Bake

  • Bake at 300°F (150°C) for 22–30 minutes

You’ll notice:

  • The tops stay white and hard

  • The bottoms darken and crack

This is exactly how authentic ossi should look.

6. Cool Completely

  • They will harden significantly as they cool.

  • Meant to be firm like biscotti, best to soften in a hot beverage.

  • ENJOY!

Salvatore Di Puma
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