A Cornetto Pastry Is The Perfect Italian Breakfast

This history of the delicious cornetto pastry is perfect for those looking for an authentic and popular Italian breakfast to enjoy with a morning cappuccino.

Enjoying a cornetto with an espresso or cappuccino is one of the most common breakfasts in Italy and there is no question why. This delicious, light and flakey pastry pairs perfectly with a bitter espresso, it can be enjoyed standing at a bar and you will quickly be on your way.

Are There Different Types Of Cornetto?

Generally speaking, the variations of the cornetto pastry are based on their filling. While the plain cornetto, known as simple (semplice) or empty (vuoto), are popular, there are also filled cornetti (ripieni) that shouldn’t be missed. They can be filled with a vanilla or pistachio cream, an apricot or some other fruit marmalade, chocolate or hazelnut spreads (think: Nutella).

There can also be some variation on the outside of the cornetto. It can be dusted with powdered sugar, glazed with sugar or drizzled with chocolate, but I’ve found these toppings to be used when the cornetto isn’t as fresh as I would like.

Is A Cornetto The Same As A Croissant?

Although both pastries originate from Austria, they are not the same. While calling a cornetto a croissant in Italy is a mistake, it is not as unforgivable as putting pineapple on pizza. It is important to appreciate the differences so that you aren’t disappointed with your breakfast in either country.

Both pastries take advantage of the “laminated” dough from Austria whose style is known as Viennoiseries in French, which means “things in the style of Vienna”. It creates a flakey crust through the almost infinite number of layers of pastry and butter. This is where the similarities end.

Cornetti in Italy are more “bready” than their French counterparts. With the addition of eggs and more sugar, you will get a firmer pastry that can handle the fillings and toppings available. In my experience, the croissants are more buttery, which I love, and can be sliced to be used more like sandwich bread.

What Came First, Cornetto Or Croissant?

Given the geographical closeness of Austria and the Republic of Venice, it is not surprising that Venetians embraced the Austrian pastry known as kipferl, which grew into the cornetto in the 17th century. The French developed their croissant a bit later in the 18th century.

What Does Cornetto Mean In Italian?

Cornetto in Italian means little horn, which is derived from the shape of the pastry. While that is the common name for this pastry, you will also hear it called a brioche when you travel to southern Italy. You can stick with calling it a cornetto anywhere in Italy, and I would recommend it because of how brioche seems to be used for almost everything bread-like in the south.

How Has The Cornetto Changed?

As with most popular foods that are labor intensive to make, cornetto production has become more industrialized. Large industrial food companies developed a frozen version that made it easier for bars to offer “fresh” pastries without having to make them from scratch. There are also supermarket versions, which are the opposite of fresh, that can be enjoyed anytime at home. These supermarket versions are definitely not worth your time, unless you enjoy a stale, dried version of a delicious pastry.

According to Eater:

“”Things began to change in the 1970s when companies like Tre Marie, Motta, and Alemagna introduced frozen cornetti and other pastries to the market,” Roscioli says. “Now in Rome, 90 percent of breakfast pastries are of the frozen variety.” Regional specialties in Rome and elsewhere were subverted as the mass-produced frozen cornetto became a nationwide phenomenon reaching every corner of Italy.”

Croissant vs. Cornetto, which is better?

I have no interest in getting into a cultural war on this issue because I enjoy both of them. My preference is to enjoy a cornetto in Italy paired with a delicious Italian cappuccino or espresso. While I’m in France, I will enjoy a croissant with some juice or water, because their coffee sucks! See, I can pick food fights if I want to 🙂