“As a kid I spent Christmases tearing around my grandmother’s house, rattling dish cabinets and nerves, fists full of green-tinted, crumb-trailing buttery spritz cookies,” says Chris Morocco. “Cookies were my grandma’s version of a Christmas bonus: doled out to, or withheld from, family and friends. Even after she passed away, nobody dared mess with her recipes, least of all the pizzette, an Italian classic with fudgy texture, piercing bittersweet chocolate, almonds, citrus zest, and a heady undertone of cinnamon and clove. But perhaps a bit dry? A touch too much clove? My first attempt at an overhaul fell flat and I scrapped it, fearing angry Nonna vibes. But this year I didn’t hold back. I made the dough more like brownie batter, used butter instead of oil, and took out the coffee. Buttery, rich, and balanced…who could be mad about that?”