Quaresimali – Florence’s Traditional Lent Biscuits

In the weeks between Carnival and Easter, unusual chocolate-brown letters begin appearing in Florentine pastry shops. These are Quaresimali, traditional Lent biscuits shaped like the letters of the alphabet and made with cocoa, egg whites, sugar, flour and hazelnuts.

For travellers visiting Florence in late winter or early spring, Quaresimali are one of the city’s most distinctive seasonal sweets. Their alphabet shapes immediately attract attention, but behind their playful appearance lies a tradition connected with Lent, religious fasting and a surprisingly uncertain origin story.

What Are Quaresimali?

Quaresimali are small cocoa biscuits that Florentine bakers traditionally prepare during Lent. They are particularly associated with Florence and nearby Prato. Their defining characteristic is immediately visible: instead of circles, squares or conventional biscuit shapes, they form the letters of the alphabet.

The traditional dough combines egg whites, sugar, flour, finely ground hazelnuts and unsweetened cocoa. Some recipes add orange zest for a subtle citrus aroma. The result is relatively light and crisp, quite different from richer butter-based biscuits.

The name comes directly from Quaresima, the Italian word for Lent. Their ingredients and season therefore belong together. Florentines developed Quaresimali as a sweet suited to a period traditionally associated with dietary restraint.

Why Are Quaresimali Connected with Lent?

Lent is the approximately forty-day period of preparation before Easter in the Christian calendar. Historically, Christian fasting and abstinence rules limited certain foods, particularly meat and animal fats. The exact practices varied considerably according to period and place.

Florentine Quaresimali reflect this tradition in their ingredients. Classic recipes contain no butter and no egg yolks. Egg whites provide structure, while hazelnuts and cocoa add flavour without the richer fats found in many pastries.

This gives Quaresimali a distinctive place in Florence’s seasonal food calendar. Carnival ends with rich festive foods such as Schiacciata alla Fiorentina and cenci. Quaresimali belong to the more restrained weeks that follow, while Easter introduces another group of religious and culinary traditions.

For a broader overview of how Florentine and Tuscan sweets change throughout the year, see our Traditional Tuscan Desserts: Sweet Specialties.

Why Are Quaresimali Shaped Like Letters?

The alphabet makes Florentine Quaresimali instantly recognisable. Bakers traditionally pipe the mixture into individual letters rather than cutting the biscuits with moulds.

One frequently repeated explanation connects the shapes with the written word of the Gospel. According to this tradition, nuns in a convent created the biscuits and chose the alphabet as a symbolic reference to Scripture during Lent.

This is an appealing explanation, but historical evidence does not confirm it. We do not know the precise origin of either the biscuits or their unusual alphabet shapes.

Did Quaresimali Really Originate in a Convent?

Two different stories compete to explain their origin. One places their creation in a convent during the nineteenth century. According to this version, the absence of butter and egg yolks suited the dietary restrictions of Lent, while the alphabet shapes honoured the words of the Gospel.

A second explanation dates their development considerably later. It links Quaresimali to a Florentine confectionery business at the beginning of the twentieth century. Visit Tuscany considers this commercial origin more probable, although the older convent story remains deeply embedded in Florentine tradition.

The uncertainty is itself interesting. Bakeries, families and oral tradition often preserved everyday food culture without documenting when or where a particular recipe first appeared.

For that reason, it is more accurate to preserve both explanations than to select the more romantic story and present it as historical fact.

What Do Quaresimali Taste Like?

Despite their dark appearance, Quaresimali are not intensely rich chocolate biscuits. Unsweetened cocoa adds a gentle bitterness, while sugar and finely ground hazelnuts create a balanced, nutty sweetness.

The texture is light and crisp rather than buttery or crumbly. Individual bakeries produce slightly different versions, so some biscuits are more delicate while others have a firmer bite. Their restrained character distinguishes them from the richer sweets of Carnival.

Some recipes also include orange zest. Its citrus aroma works particularly well with cocoa and hazelnuts, although not every traditional recipe uses it.

When Can You Find Quaresimali in Florence?

The weeks of Lent are the traditional season. Because Easter changes date each year, the exact period also moves through the calendar. Florentine pastry shops generally begin selling Quaresimali after Carnival and continue as Easter approaches.

They are therefore particularly relevant for visitors travelling to Florence in February, March or early April, depending on the year. Outside the traditional season, you may struggle to find them, especially in bakeries that still follow Florence’s seasonal baking calendar.

If your visit coincides with Easter itself, food is only one part of the city’s traditions. On Easter Sunday, the extraordinary Scoppio del Carro takes place in Piazza del Duomo. During this centuries-old religious and civic celebration, Florence’s historic Brindellone stands in front of the cathedral for its spectacular ritual.

Where Should You Look for Quaresimali?

Traditional pasticcerie and bakeries are the natural places to look. During Lent, their distinctive alphabet shapes make Quaresimali relatively easy to recognise in display cases, even if you have never seen them before.

There is little reason to cross Florence simply to find one famous version. You may learn more about local food culture by discovering seasonal products in an ordinary neighbourhood bakery than by approaching them as culinary attractions on a checklist.

If you are staying in an apartment, Quaresimali are particularly easy to enjoy as Florentines might. Buy a small selection from a bakery and have them later with coffee or tea. Their small size also makes them convenient to bring home after a morning exploring the city.

To place them within the wider food culture of Florence, our Florentine and Tuscan Food – Complete Guide explores the breads, markets, street food, traditional dishes and sweets that shape the local table.

A Traditional Quaresimali Recipe

This recipe follows the classic Florentine character of Quaresimali: cocoa and hazelnut alphabet biscuits made with egg whites and without butter or egg yolks. Instead of rolling and cutting the dough, you pipe the mixture directly onto the baking tray. This gives the individual letters their characteristic handmade appearance.

Ingredients

• 3 egg whites, at room temperature
• 200 g sugar
• 50 g hazelnuts, finely ground to a paste
• 150 g type 00 or plain flour
• 50 g unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 pinch of salt
• Finely grated orange zest, optional

Preparation

1. Beat the egg whites until they form firm peaks.
2. Gradually add the sugar while continuing to beat until the mixture becomes glossy and light.
3. Fold in the finely ground hazelnuts. If you are using orange zest, add it at this stage.
4. Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the egg-white mixture.
5. Check the consistency. The mixture should be firm enough to hold its shape when piped. Transfer it to a piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle.
6. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Pipe individual letters of the alphabet, leaving enough space between them for slight expansion.
7. Bake in a preheated oven at 150°C for approximately 15 minutes.
8. Let the Quaresimali cool completely before removing them from the tray. Store the cooled biscuits in an airtight tin for several days.

From Carnival to Lent and Easter

Quaresimali become even more interesting when you view them as part of Florence’s seasonal calendar rather than as an isolated biscuit. Carnival traditionally represents indulgence before Lent. The weeks that follow emphasise restraint and preparation for Easter.

Food mirrors this progression. Rich Carnival sweets give way to the simpler Quaresimali, while Easter eventually brings its own breads, sweets and traditions.

The change goes beyond food. Churches, public ceremonies and the rhythm of the city also reflect the progression towards Easter. Traditional Florentine food therefore often makes more sense when you ask not only what people eat, but also when they eat it.

Why Quaresimali Are Worth Trying

Quaresimali are worth seeking out because few Florentine sweets communicate their season so clearly. Their ingredients reflect the restraint traditionally associated with Lent, while their alphabet shapes turn a simple cocoa biscuit into something immediately recognisable.

They also offer travellers a glimpse of Florence beyond the famous dishes available throughout the year. Finding Quaresimali in a neighbourhood pastry shop means encountering a food that appears because of the calendar rather than because visitors expect to find it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are Quaresimali?

Quaresimali are cocoa and hazelnut biscuits shaped like letters of the alphabet and traditionally eaten in Florence and Prato during Lent.

Why are Quaresimali shaped like letters?

Tradition associates the alphabet with the written words of the Gospel, although historical sources do not establish the precise reason for the shapes.

Why are Quaresimali associated with Lent?

The traditional recipe contains no butter or egg yolks. Its relatively simple ingredients reflect the dietary restraint historically associated with the period before Easter.

When can I find Quaresimali in Florence?

Florentine bakeries traditionally sell them during Lent, between the end of Carnival and Easter. The exact weeks therefore change from year to year.

Are Quaresimali only found in Florence?

The alphabet-shaped Tuscan version is particularly associated with Florence and Prato. Other Italian regions have different sweets also called quaresimali, but they differ from the Florentine biscuits.

Further Reading on Firenze Casa

• Traditional Tuscan Desserts: Sweet Specialties
• Florentine and Tuscan Food – Complete Guide
• Scoppio del Carro in Florence – The Exploding Cart Easter Tradition
• Local Life in Florence – Complete Guide
• Best Time to Visit Florence – Seasons & Months
• Understanding the Traditional Italian Meal

References

• Visit Tuscany – Quaresimali.
• Visit Tuscany – Easter in Tuscany: Traditional Sweets.
• Accademia Italiana della Cucina – studies and articles on Italian Lenten food traditions.
• La Cucina Italiana – articles on Quaresima and regional Lenten food traditions.
• Petroni, Paolo – Il grande libro della vera cucina toscana.