Tuscan Cantucci PGI: history, regulations and market data

From the Roman ‘cantellus’ to the Medici court: an ancient genealogy

The origins of  Tuscan cantucci date back at least to the 16th century, but the name carries a double etymological root: from the vernacular ‘canto’ — understood as a portion taken from a whole — or from Latin  cantellus, ‘slice of bread’, a reminiscence of the salted biscuit consumed by soldiers of the Roman Empire. The transformation into a sweet follows the so-called European ‘sugar boom’, starting from the 14th century, when sugarcane cultivation spread in North Africa and Southern Europe.

From the second half of the 16th century, cantuccini appeared on Medici tables, but in a form that did not yet include almonds, rather inspired by  Pisa biscuits and the so-called ‘Genoese biscuit‘. An official linguistic consecration arrived in 1691, when the  Dictionary of the Academy of the Crusca defines them as: 'sliced biscuit, made of fine flour, with sugar and egg white.' The naturalist Francesco Redi, in those same years, testified in his letter exchanges that the most renowned cantuccini were those from Pisa – an early document of a Tuscan ‘localism of taste’ that still survives, to some extent, today.

The  first documented recipe with almonds is an eighteenth-century manuscript by Amadio Baldanzi, a scholar from Prato, kept in the State Archive of Prato, in which the biscuits are already called ‘alla genovese’. But it was in the 19th century that the definitive breakthrough occurred: Antonio Mattei, pastry chef from Prato nicknamed ‘Mattonella’, elaborated the classic recipe with whole almonds that earned him a special mention at theUniversal Exposition of Paris of 1867. Il suo biscottificio, fondato nel 1858 e ancora attivo a Prato, è tuttora considerato il custode della variante pratese – tecnicamente distinta dai Cantuccini Toscani PGI due to the absence of leavening agents and the addition of pine nuts.

The PGI regulations: requirements and secrets of double baking

The recognition  PGI arrived on January 26, 2016, with the publication of the Implementing Regulation (EU)  2016/81 in the Official Journal of the European Union, following an application submitted in 2011 by Assocantuccini. Both denominations – ‘Cantuccini Toscani’ and ‘Tuscan cantucci’ – are admitted and protected under Regulation (EU) 2024/1143. The production area includes the entire administrative territory of the Tuscany region.

The disciplinary defines ingredients and the method of processing rigorously. The ingredients mandatory are:

• ‘wheat flour;

• whole natural sweet almonds (unpeeled), with relative humidity not exceeding 8.5%, in a minimum quantity of 17% and in any case such as to ensure, even after baking the dough, a minimum quantity of 20% of this ingredient relative to 1 Kg of finished product;

• eggs pasteurized hen eggs and egg yolk, for no less than 3% yolk;

• butter for no less than 1.5%. With prohibition on the use of any other fat (as already provided in Italy for doughs of panettone, pandoro e colomba);

• ‘granulated, crystalline or grain sugar from 20% to 40%;

• multifloral honey, in addition to the sugar from 0.3% to 1.5%’;

• leavening agents.

The optional ingredients are instead: ‘glucose syrup or inverted sugar (to be used exclusively in the browning phase), salt, whole milk, flavorings or natural flavorings. No other ingredients are allowed, additives, colorings or preservatives. The use of eggs and egg yolk powder is not allowed. The use of sliced almonds, almond grains or almond flour is not allowed’.

The working method is divided into the following stages:

• the dough is shaped into loaves, brushed with a mixture of water and egg for the characteristic browning, and subjected to  double cooking;

• the first baking in the oven sets the structure of the loaf; the  hot diagonal cut – a critical operation that requires speed of execution – produces the irregular semi-oval shape;

• the second baking dries the biscuit, giving it the typical crumbly crispness.

Product characteristics

At the time of release for consumption, the product must meet the following characteristics:

• ‘shape traditional semi-oval characteristic, obtained by diagonal cutting of the loaf after baking’;

• weight and dimensions: weight not exceeding 15 g per piece, length no more than 10 cm, height 3 cm, width 2.8 cm;

• inner part, beige in color, ‘characterized by alveolation slightly irregular due to the product's leavening, inlaid with unpeeled almonds, randomly distributed’;

• golden outer surface;

• consistency ‘slightly crunchy, initially grainy, but
  that melts in the mouth due to the use of butter;

• ‘humidity relative, ranging from a minimum of 3% to a maximum of 7%’.

Packaging must take place in the defined geographical area to preserve the organoleptic characteristics from the natural hygroscopicity of the dry biscuit.

Market analysis: exports facing international challenges

In the landscape of  Tuscan PGIs by production volume, the Cantuccini PGI — a relatively young denomination — had recorded explosive growth in the first seven years after recognition, culminating in  2021 with a historic peak By 4,122 tons and an estimated consumption value of 77 million euros (+55% over 2020).

The data 2024, disseminated by Assocantuccini in the report of president Daniele Scapigliati (August 2025), indicate a slight contraction for the third consecutive year: certified PGI production fell from 3,543 t (2023) to 3,313 t (-6.5%). Total consumption revenue decreased from about 78 to 73 million euros, with sales prices remaining stable despite inflation, showing increasing pressure on industrial margins.

The most significant element is the  first decline in exports in the denomination's history: the export share dropped from 51% in 2023 to 48% in 2024. Since Germany, Austria and Switzerland (DACH) collectively absorb about 25% of produced volumes. Assocantuccini has launched a specific ‘Germany Project’ to consolidate positioning. The United States is the main non-EU market, but remains exposed to tariff risks.

As Scapigliati stated: ‘The Tuscan Cantuccini have no direct competitors but have imitators. It is the latter who can take advantage of the situation. […] We ask the Government to extend the recognition of thePGI in all international treaties that the EU is about to negotiate on a bilateral basis.‘

Taste experiences: traditional pairings and gourmet trends

The canonical pairing with  Vin Santo Tuscan – to be consumed with the 'dipping' ritual – is a constitutive part of the cantuccino's identity and has contributed to its international reputation as an after-dinner dessert. The long shelf life of the dry biscuit, guaranteed by hermetic packaging, has historically favored exports.

In contemporary catering, cantuccis find more complex uses: crumbled as  a crunchy base for spoon desserts, paired with artisanal almond or pistachio ice creams, or used in the Tuscan and Umbrian version of  cantucci tiramisu — where they replace the ladyfingers, giving a rustic and aromatic note appreciated in local catering. The pairing with quality infusion teas – particularly structured black teas like Assam or Yunnan – is a trend popular in the  specialty food Anglo-Saxon and Northern European channel, consistent with the dry biscuit’s natural predisposition for dipping.

Quality assurance: import guide for foreign buyers

For international buyers, verifying PGI compliance starts with the label: the European Protected Geographical Indication logo and the Consortium logo are primary indicators of authenticity. The  percentage of almonds (never less than 20%) and the presence of butter as the only fat source are key elements in evaluating authenticity. The organic certification, where available, adds supply chain control under the highest standards of environmental and biodiversity protection.

For international buyers it is useful to assess supply continuity, ability to adapt to destination market labeling standards, and food safety management certifications (FSSC 22000, IFS, BRC or equivalents). The team of  GIFT – Great Italian Food Trade supports importers in selecting excellent Italian producers, in documentary due diligence and in orientation among the 21 companies adhering to Assocantuccini, facilitating access to organic and high-end Tuscan IGP cantucci for international markets.

Prospects: a designation seeking new markets

The future of Tuscan IGP Cantuccini lies in the ability to combine brand protection with the exploration of new extra-EU markets. Although 2024 marks a phase of consolidation, the strength of the regulations and the high quality of raw materials – such as natural almonds and butter – remain the pillars on which the success of sweet Made in Italy is based. The challenge for the supply chain will be to oversee global specialty food channels, transforming a historic biscuit into an icon of contemporary lifestyle.

Editorial staff of GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade)

References

• Assocantuccini — Consortium for the Protection of Tuscan IGP Cantuccini, Florence.  https://www.assocantuccini.org

• Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2016/81 of 19 January 2016 registering a designation in the register of protected designations of origin and protected geographical indications [Tuscan Cantuccini/Cantucci Toscani (IGP)].  http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2016/81/oj

• Scapigliati, D. (2025, August 7). Tuscan cantuccini in search of new markets.  T24 — The Tuscan economic daily. https://www.t24economia.it/art/cantuccini-toscani-in-cerca-di-nuovi-mercati

• European Union. (2015). Publication of a registration application pursuant to Article 50, paragraph 2, letter a), of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 (2015/C 263/04).  https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/IT/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52015XC0811%2801%29&from=IT