• Home
  • RECIPE INDEX
  • EASY RECIPES
    • Easy Dinner
    • One-pot
    • Instant Pot
  • BY CUISINE
    • Asian Fusion
    • Chinese
    • Peranakan/Nyonya
    • CAMBODIA
    • LAOS
    • INDONESIAN
    • Indonesian Chinese
    • MALAYSIA
    • MYANMAR
    • SINGAPORE
    • Singapore Hawker Food
    • THAILAND
    • VIETNAM
  • BY COURSE
    • Breakfast
    • Dim Sum
    • Main Course
    • Soups/Stews
    • Salad
    • Sides
    • Condiments
    • Snacks
    • Desserts
  • INGREDIENTS
    • Rice & Grains
    • Noodles
    • Eggs
    • Tofu & Tempeh
    • Poultry
    • Red Meats
    • Pork
    • Seafood
  • SOURDOUGH
    • Sourdough Bread Recipes
    • Recipes Using Sourdough Discard
  • BREAD & BUNS
    • Steamed Buns
    • Bread with Yeast
    • No-Knead Bread
    • Quick Bread
  • CAKES/COOKIES/PASTRIES
    • Cakes
    • Chiffon Cakes
    • Sponge Cakes
    • Pastries
    • Cookies
    • Kue/Kueh
    • No-Bake Dessert
  • DIETARY
    • Gluten-free
    • Vegan
    • VEGETARIAN
    • CONFINEMENT
  • celebrate
    • Chinese New Year
    • Easter
    • Hari Raya
    • Dragon Boat Festival
    • Mooncake Festival
    • Thanksgiving
    • Winter Solstice
    • Christmas Cooking
    • Christmas Baking
What To Cook Today
  • ABOUT ME
    • CONTACT
  • Pantry
  • Shop
  • subscribe
  • Home
  • RECIPE INDEX
  • EASY RECIPES
    • Easy Dinner
    • One-pot
    • Instant Pot
  • BY CUISINE
    • Asian Fusion
    • Chinese
    • Peranakan/Nyonya
    • CAMBODIA
    • LAOS
    • INDONESIAN
    • Indonesian Chinese
    • MALAYSIA
    • MYANMAR
    • SINGAPORE
    • Singapore Hawker Food
    • THAILAND
    • VIETNAM
  • BY COURSE
    • Breakfast
    • Dim Sum
    • Main Course
    • Soups/Stews
    • Salad
    • Sides
    • Condiments
    • Snacks
    • Desserts
  • INGREDIENTS
    • Rice & Grains
    • Noodles
    • Eggs
    • Tofu & Tempeh
    • Poultry
    • Red Meats
    • Pork
    • Seafood
  • SOURDOUGH
    • Sourdough Bread Recipes
    • Recipes Using Sourdough Discard
  • BREAD & BUNS
    • Steamed Buns
    • Bread with Yeast
    • No-Knead Bread
    • Quick Bread
  • CAKES/COOKIES/PASTRIES
    • Cakes
    • Chiffon Cakes
    • Sponge Cakes
    • Pastries
    • Cookies
    • Kue/Kueh
    • No-Bake Dessert
  • DIETARY
    • Gluten-free
    • Vegan
    • VEGETARIAN
    • CONFINEMENT
  • celebrate
    • Chinese New Year
    • Easter
    • Hari Raya
    • Dragon Boat Festival
    • Mooncake Festival
    • Thanksgiving
    • Winter Solstice
    • Christmas Cooking
    • Christmas Baking
What To Cook Today
What To Cook Today
  • Home
  • ABOUT ME
    • CONTACT
  • SHOP
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • RECIPE INDEX
  • easy recipes
    • Easy Dinner
    • One-pot
    • Instant Pot
  • by course
    • Breakfast
    • Dim Sum
    • Main Course
    • Soups/Stews
    • Salad
    • Sides
    • Condiments
    • Snacks
    • Desserts
  • ingredients
    • Rice & Grains
    • Noodles
    • Eggs
    • Tofu & Tempeh
    • Poultry
    • Red Meats
    • Pork
    • Seafood
  • sourdough
    • Sourdough Bread Recipes
    • Recipes Using Sourdough Discard
  • bread & buns
    • Steamed Buns
    • Bread with Yeast
    • No-Knead Bread
    • Quick Bread
  • cakes/cookies/pastries
    • Cakes
    • Pastries
    • Chiffon Cakes
    • Sponge Cakes
    • Cookies
    • No-Bake Dessert
    • Kue/Kueh
  • dietary
    • Gluten-free
    • Vegan
    • VEGETARIAN
    • CONFINEMENT
  • celebrate
    • Chinese New Year
    • Easter
    • Hari Raya
    • Dragon Boat Festival
    • Mooncake Festival
    • Thanksgiving
    • Winter Solstice
    • Christmas Baking
    • Christmas Cooking

Margaret Cookies / Italian Hard-boiled Egg Yolk Cookies

written by Marvellina Updated: November 23, 2023
4.8K
PIN RECIPE COMMENTS VIEW RECIPE
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

The Italian Margaret cookies have been so popular in Asia because of their cute features. The cookies are buttery and rich and easy to put together. It is a perfect recipe for bakers of all levels. They are perfect as holiday cookies and Chinese New Year cookies.

Margaret Cookies / Italian Hard-boiled Egg Yolk Cookies

What is Margaret cookie?

Margaret cookies originated in Italy. The special ingredient in Margaret cookies is the usage of hard-boiled egg yolks. No raw eggs are used. It may sound weird or off-putting to some people, but the hard-boiled egg yolks add richness to the cookies and no, you don’t taste any egg yolks in the cookies. Traditionally, the cookies are rolled into balls and then pressed down in the middle with a thumb to create a crackly pattern on the edge. In Asia, Margaret cookies have been shaped into many different cute animals.

What does it taste like?

Margaret cookies bear almost a similar texture to German potato cookies. Margaret cookies are sturdier and less crumbly but still melt in your mouth and have that wonderful buttery aroma and taste slightly richer because of the yolks.

How to make Margaret cookies with cute animal features

1. Combine all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and salt and set aside. Please make sure the butter and egg yolks are at room temperature. The butter should be soft and you can easily press on it but it shouldn’t be melting

2. Cream the butter and icing sugar until creamy

3. Add the mashed egg yolks and vanilla extract and stir to combine

4. Sift in the flour mixture and use a sturdy spatula to fold and mix until no dry flour is visible and you can form a cookie dough

5. Preheat oven to 340 F (170 C) for conventional oven. 320 F (160 C) for convection oven. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. So I made shiba: 40 grams original dough and 40 grams orange color dough. Brown poodle: 80 grams cocoa dough. Beige poodle: 80 grams original dough. Frog: 85 grams matcha dough

6. I use orange gel food color, cocoa powder, red gel food color (to make pink), and matcha powder to color the above dough accordingly

7. I use about 8 grams of dough for the head for each animal. For shiba, I use 4 grams of original and 4 grams of orange color doughs for the head. Then 8 grams each respectively for brown poodle, beige poodle, and the frog. I then use the balance dough to make ears and noses, eyes, and blushing cheeks for the frog

8. For shiba, attach the original and orange dough together and then use your thumb to gently press down in the middle. It’s like thumbprint cookies but with crackly edges

9. Shape the noses and ears and the eyes and blushing cheeks for the frog

10. I use an edible marker to draw eyes, noses, and mouths on the animals. Place the cookie tray in the fridge for 20 minutes. Proceed to bake

11. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. If you make them larger than 10 grams, bake for 15-18 minutes. The bottom should be just lightly golden brown. The top shouldn’t brown much. Let the cookies cool down on the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack

12. Once the cookies have cooled down completely, transfer to an air-tight container. They can be kept at room temperature for a few weeks

Margaret Cookies / Italian Hard-boiled Egg Yolk Cookies

Did you make this Margaret Cookies with animal features recipe?

I love it when you guys snap a photo and tag it to show me what you’ve made. Simply tag me @WhatToCookToday #WhatToCookToday on Instagram and I’ll be sure to stop by and take a peek for real!

Margaret Cookies / Italian Hard-boiled Egg Yolk Cookies

The recipe is adapted from here.

Margaret Cookies / Italian Hard-boiled Egg Yolk Cookies

Margaret Cookies / Italian Hard-boiled Egg Yolk Cookies

Prep Time 30 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Total Time 50 minutes mins
Servings 34 cookies
4.7 from 3 reviews
REVIEW & RATE PRINT

Ingredients

  • 2 hard-boiled egg yolks
  • 100 g unsalted butter (softened)
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • 50 g icing sugar
  • 90 g cornstarch
  • 90 g all-purpose flour
  • ¼ tsp salt

Instructions
 

Prepare hard-boiled eggs:

  • Place the eggs in a pot of cold water in the saucepan. Bring to a boil and let them cook for 10 minutes
  • You can also cook hard-boiled eggs in the air fryer at 270 F (130 C) for 16 minutes
  • Rinse with cold water and then remove the shells and get the yolks only. You can save the egg whites for consumption or other use (such as when you make fried rice, salad, etc)
  • Pass the yolk through a sieve/strainer so they are finely mashed

Prepare the cookie dough:

  • Combine all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and salt and set aside
  • Please make sure the butter and egg yolks are at room temperature. The butter should be soft and you can easily press on it but it shouldn't be melting
  • Cream the butter and icing sugar until creamy. Add the mashed egg yolks and vanilla extract and stir to combine. Sift in the flour mixture and use a sturdy spatula to fold and mix until no dry flour is visible and you can form a cookie dough
  • Preheat oven to 340 F (170 C) for conventional oven. 320 F (160 C) for convection oven. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper

If you don't want to make animal features:

  • Simply divide the dough into about 10 grams each (about 2 teaspoons size). You are welcome to make it larger if you like. Roll them into balls and use your thumb to gently press down in the middle. It's like thumbprint cookies but with crackly edges
  • Place the shaped dough on the prepared baking sheet, about 1-inch apart, the cookies do not spread much
  • Place the cookie tray in the fridge for 20 minutes. Proceed to bake

If you want to make animal features, color the dough:

  • So I made shiba: 40 grams original dough and 40 grams orange color dough. Brown poodle: 80 grams cocoa dough. Beige poodle: 80 grams original dough. Frog: 85 grams matcha dough
  • I use orange gel food color, cocoa powder, red gel food color (to make pink), and matcha powder to color the above dough accordingly
  • I use about 8 grams of dough for the head for each animal. For shiba, I use 4 grams of original and 4 grams of orange color doughs for the head. Then 8 grams each respectively for brown poodle, beige poodle, and the frog
  • I then use the balance dough to make ears and noses, eyes, and blushing cheeks for the frog
  • For shiba, attach the original and orange dough together and then use your thumb to gently press down in the middle. It's like thumbprint cookies but with crackly edges
  • Shape the noses and the long ears for poodles and the eyes and blushing cheeks for the frog
  • I use an edible marker to draw eyes and noses on the animals. Place the cookie tray in the fridge for 20 minutes. Proceed to bake

Baking:

  • Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. If you make them larger than 10 grams, bake for 15-18 minutes. The bottom should be just lightly golden brown. The top shouldn't brown much.
  • Let the cookies cool down on the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack

Storage:

  • Once the cookies have cooled down completely, transfer to an air-tight container. They can be kept at room temperature for few weeks

RECOMMEDED TOOLS

digital kitchen scale
digital kitchen scale
Mixing Bowl

*Nutrition facts are just estimates and calculated using online tools*

Nutrition Facts
Margaret Cookies / Italian Hard-boiled Egg Yolk Cookies
Serving Size
 
1 cookie
Amount per Serving
Calories
50
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
3
g
5
%
Saturated Fat
 
2
g
13
%
Trans Fat
 
0.1
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
0.1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
1
g
Cholesterol
 
18
mg
6
%
Sodium
 
37
mg
2
%
Potassium
 
5
mg
0
%
Carbohydrates
 
6
g
2
%
Fiber
 
0.1
g
0
%
Sugar
 
1
g
1
%
Protein
 
0.5
g
1
%
Vitamin A
 
89
IU
2
%
Calcium
 
3
mg
0
%
Iron
 
0.2
mg
1
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Did you make this recipe?Let me know how you like this recipe and consider rating it! Tag me @whattocooktoday I’d love to see your photos/videos on Instagram
previous post
Steamed Pumpkin Nian Gao (Pumpkin Chinese New Year Cake)
next post
Banh Tet / Vietnamese Sticky Rice Cake (Instant Pot or Stove-Top)

2 comments

Sabrina September 26, 2024 - 3:08 pm

They came out perfectly, and very cute! I am going to try the next batch with almond extract. This was a great way to use up boiled egg yolks.

Reply
Marvellina September 26, 2024 - 8:54 pm

Hi Sabrina, I’m glad the recipe worked out for you! I love almond extract too, I bet it’s going to be a nice addition!! 🙂

Reply
4.67 from 3 votes (2 ratings without comment)

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Please feel free to ask questions here or leave your comments and ratings if you have tried the recipe! Your Email address will not be published!




Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Hello! I'm Marvellina!

I’m passionate about food—especially bold, comforting Asian flavors—and I love sharing approachable recipes and creative bakes with an Asian twist. So glad you’re here! LEARN MORE...

Our Favorites

  • How To Make Soft and Fluffy Pandan Chiffon Cake (Complete Guide)

  • How to Make Basic Asian Rice Porridge (Congee)

  • Zha Jiang Mian (炸酱面) (Chinese Fried Sauce Noodles)

  • Easy Hokkien Bak Chang (Zongzi-Sticky Rice Dumplings)

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Youtube

©2025 - What To Cook Today. All Rights Reserved.
Privacy & Disclosure Policy


Back To Top
  • Home
  • ABOUT ME
    • CONTACT
  • SHOP
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • RECIPE INDEX
  • easy recipes
    • Easy Dinner
    • One-pot
    • Instant Pot
  • by course
    • Breakfast
    • Dim Sum
    • Main Course
    • Soups/Stews
    • Salad
    • Sides
    • Condiments
    • Snacks
    • Desserts
  • ingredients
    • Rice & Grains
    • Noodles
    • Eggs
    • Tofu & Tempeh
    • Poultry
    • Red Meats
    • Pork
    • Seafood
  • sourdough
    • Sourdough Bread Recipes
    • Recipes Using Sourdough Discard
  • bread & buns
    • Steamed Buns
    • Bread with Yeast
    • No-Knead Bread
    • Quick Bread
  • cakes/cookies/pastries
    • Cakes
    • Pastries
    • Chiffon Cakes
    • Sponge Cakes
    • Cookies
    • No-Bake Dessert
    • Kue/Kueh
  • dietary
    • Gluten-free
    • Vegan
    • VEGETARIAN
    • CONFINEMENT
  • celebrate
    • Chinese New Year
    • Easter
    • Hari Raya
    • Dragon Boat Festival
    • Mooncake Festival
    • Thanksgiving
    • Winter Solstice
    • Christmas Baking
    • Christmas Cooking

Let me know how you like the recipe and consider rating it!

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.