by Cinottis Bakery | Sep 10, 2025 | Italian Market, Jacksonville
Why Pasta Shapes Matter
When it comes to Italian cuisine, pasta is more than just a meal, it’s a centuries-old tradition where shape, texture, and sauce come together in perfect harmony. At Cinotti’s Italian Market in Jacksonville, FL, we take great care in selecting the types of Italian pasta we stock for our customers. From long, delicate strands to short, ridged shells, each pasta shape serves a specific purpose in bringing your homemade Italian dishes to life.
The History Behind Pasta Shapes
Italian pasta comes in over 300 recognized shapes, each with a story and a purpose. These shapes were developed regionally, often influenced by local traditions and available ingredients. For instance, tubular pasta like rigatoni originated in central and southern Italy, where heartier sauces demanded sturdier shapes. Meanwhile, delicate angel hair pasta hails from areas where lighter, oil-based sauces were more common.
This variety isn’t just about aesthetics, it’s about functionality. The right pasta shape doesn’t just hold sauce; it elevates the entire dish.
Why Shape Matters
The best pasta shapes aren’t always the most popular ones you see on grocery store shelves. Instead, the “best” depends on the sauce or ingredients you’re pairing it with.
Ridged pasta, like penne rigate or rigatoni, are perfect for chunky, tomato-based sauces. The grooves trap every bit of flavor. Flat pastas like fettuccine or pappardelle are ideal for creamy sauces such as Alfredo, where the wide surface clings to rich dairy-based flavors. Thin pasta, such as spaghetti or angel hair are perfect with lighter sauces using olive oil, garlic, or fresh seafood. Shaped pasta like farfalle or orecchiette, catch small vegetables and herbs which make them perfect for spring and summer dishes.
In short, pasta shapes act like culinary tools. Choosing the right one ensures the sauce complements the pasta rather than slipping off or overpowering it.
How We Choose Pasta at Cinotti’s Italian Market
At Cinotti’s Italian Market, our goal is to help Jacksonville families bring authentic Italian meals to their tables. That’s why we carefully source pasta from trusted Italian makers who honor tradition while delivering consistent quality.
When selecting which types of Italian pasta to stock, we consider:
- Authenticity – Is the pasta made using time-honored Italian methods, such as bronze-cutting for texture?
- Versatility – Can our customers use this pasta for multiple dishes?
- Pairing potential – Does the pasta shape work well with the imported sauces we also carry?
By curating our selection with these standards, we ensure our customers always have access to pasta shapes that aren’t just tasty but also purposeful.
Bringing It All Together
The next time you prepare pasta at home, think beyond the packaging. Matching the right pasta shape with the right sauce can transform dinner into an authentic Italian experience. And when you shop at Cinotti’s Italian Market in Jacksonville, FL, you’ll find only the best pasta shapes designed to help you do just that.
Come in to our Jacksonville Beach location, or Downtown Jacksonville location, or order online through UberEats to have some of Italy’s finest pasta in your home today!
by Cinottis Bakery | Aug 27, 2025 | Bakery, Jacksonville
Lady Locks: The Italian Pastry That Steals the Show
When it comes to Italian pastries, few treats hold the same charm and elegance as our lady locks pastry. Known for their delicate, flaky shells and irresistibly sweet buttercream filling, lady locks are a staple at weddings, holidays, and family gatherings. Whether you’ve grown up with them or you’re discovering them for the first time, one thing is certain: these pastries don’t just sit quietly on a dessert tray — they steal the show.
A Pastry Rooted in Tradition
The history of lady locks goes back generations in Italian and European baking. Their signature style: light, flaky dough wrapped into hollow shells and filled with buttercream has long been associated with celebrations. For many families, lady locks became a must-have on special occasions, symbolizing the care, patience, and love that go into both baking and family life.
Here in Jacksonville, Cinotti’s Bakery has carried that tradition forward for decades. From our earliest days, our family has taken pride in perfecting recipes that connect us to our Italian heritage while becoming a beloved part of our local community. Lady locks quickly became one of those treasured recipes. They’re more than a dessert, they’re a taste of nostalgia, joy, and family tradition.
Why Lady Locks Are So Special
What sets lady locks apart from other Italian cookies and pastries is their texture and presentation. The dough is carefully rolled and baked into delicate, golden shells that shatter into layers with each bite. Once cooled, they’re piped full of our homemade buttercream, creating a pastry that is flaky, creamy, unforgettable.
They’re elegant enough to star on a wedding dessert table, yet just as perfect as a sweet treat with your morning coffee. Many of our longtime customers tell us that biting into one of our lady locks brings back memories of family celebrations, special gatherings, or even their first visit to Cinotti’s.
A Jacksonville Favorite
At Cinotti’s Bakery, our roots are in family, and our recipes are meant to be shared with yours. Over the years, our lady locks have become one of Jacksonville’s most-requested treats, loved for their balance of flavor and their handcrafted quality. Whether you’re local and picking up a box fresh from our shop, or you’re ordering online to share a taste of Jacksonville with loved ones far away, these pastries connect people through tradition and taste.
Bring Lady Locks to Your Table
Every batch of our lady locks is made by hand, ensuring that each pastry delivers the perfect balance of crisp, flaky shell and creamy filling. They’re ideal for weddings, holidays, and everyday indulgence.
If you’re ready to experience a pastry that has stood the test of time and made its mark right here in Jacksonville — our lady locks are waiting for you.
Order your lady locks online through our skytab menu for local pickup or on Etsy for shipping.
by Cinottis Bakery | Jun 10, 2025 | Bakery, Jacksonville
Father’s Day 2025
Looking for a sweet way to show Dad you care?
What better way than with cookies from Cinotti’s? Whether you’re in the LaVilla building in downtown Jacksonville, at Subaru Jax in Arlington, or at our flagship store on Penman Road in Jacksonville Beach, Cinotti’s Bakery has just what you need to make this the sweetest Father’s Day yet!
Fancy Cookies
Snack size bites of dad’s favorite cookies are the perfect addition to a Father’s Day gift. Our fancy cookie selection is vast and includes bachelor buttons, Italian wedding cookies, fruit foldovers, and many other flavors. Bachelor buttons are also called “thumbprints” because we use our actual thumbs to create the center divot. That center is filled with icing that coordinates with the cookie’s flavor. We offer colored, chocolate, double chocolate, peanut butter, strawberry, lemon, and a seasonal flavor. Our vanilla bachelor buttons are among the most popular because we can fill them with colored icing to match events. But most dads love our chocolate bachelor buttons.
Not sure what flavor he likes most?
No problem.
Get a handful of each and you may just become Dad’s favorite!
Everyday Cookies
Who doesn’t like chocolate chip cookies?
In our experience, not many.
So come in and check out our selection of everyday cookies including our Father’s Day favorite, chocolate chip. At our Penman Road location in Jacksonville Beach, we offer our full cookie menu which includes chocolate chip, double chocolate, oatmeal raisin, M&M, sprinkle, peanut butter, white chocolate macadamia, and more! Our LaVilla and Subaru Jax locations have a modified menu of these flavors.
Iced Cutouts
If you’re looking for a cookie that shouts “#1 Dad”, we’ve got you covered…in icing. Our Father’s Day iced cutout cookies are always a hit. Some of our favorites this year include the beer cozies and the classic #1Dad trophies.
Our iced cutouts are cookies made with a light and buttery dough formula that has been in our family for decades. They are hand cut by our cookie man and then decorated by our team of highly talented decorators using a sweet, vanilla icing. The icing dries firm which allows the cookies to be individually bagged to make the best Father’s Day gifts.
Father’s Day 2025
Can’t Decide Which Father’s Day Cookies to get?
No problem. We’ve got plenty of options for almost anyone
Can’t make it out to the beach?
No problem.
We have three locations in Jacksonville to make it easy for you to be dad’s favorite this week. Find us at:
Cinotti’s in Jacksonville Beach
1523 Penman Road Jacksonville Beach FL
Cinotti’s in Arlington
Subaru of Jacksonville
1717 St Johns Bluff Rd S, Jacksonville, FL 32246
Cinotti’s at LaVilla
Jacksonville Regional Transportation Center at LaVilla
100 LaVilla Center Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32204
No matter which Cinotti’s Bakery location you find yourself this Father’s Day week, you can be sure a cookie any dad will love!
by Cinottis Bakery | Dec 5, 2023 | Bakery, Holiday Events, Jacksonville
Making Yule Logs
What’s so special about our yule logs? 
Our traditional yule logs are made with our homemade sponge cake formula that has been in our family for generations. After it’s baked, we generously spread red and green buttercream icing on the layer before carefully rolling the cake into a log.
After it sets, our bakers turn the log over to our decorators.
Decorating the Yule Logs
Our decorators hand cut each log before covering them with a rich, creamy chocolate icing. When the main log is iced, a small, side log is added and iced in the same chocolate icing. Each log end is then covered in our homemade chocolate buttercream icing. Gum paste poinsettias and powdered “snow” are added for decoration.
Storing the Yule Log
We recommend storing your yule log in a refrigerator until you’re ready to serve. You can leave it in the box you bring it home in or if you have another storage container, that can work as well. When choosing the best time to pull out your cake for your party, keep the weather in mind. Weather plays a big role in many baked goods and since we do live in Florida, humidity often creates issues for chocolate desserts. The yule logs can sit out on a table in an air-conditioned room for a bit, but we leave that to your discretion.
Serving your Yule Log
These logs are just like most jelly-roll esq desserts. You can slice them as thin or as thick as you desire. While the flowers are made of gum paste, they are not edible. Everything else on the log can be enjoyed.
Any leftovers you may have can be stored in an airtight container for up to five days.
We wish you the happiest of holiday seasons and hope to continue to serve you and your family for years to come.
Merry Christmas from Cinottis!
by Cinottis Bakery | Oct 24, 2023 | Bakery, Holiday Events, Jacksonville
Gingerbread for Christmas
Gingerbread houses are a staple in many family Christmas traditions. That’s why you see gingerbread house kits in just about every store during the holiday season. Some stores even put them out as early as October.
If you’re looking for a way to make great family memories and have a sweet treat in the mix, our gingerbread house kits are the way to go.
Gingerbread House Kits
Our gingerbread house kits come complete with the pre-assembled freshly baked house, candy, and freshly made, royal icing. You can get up to six different candy selections, an icing bag for piping decorations, and festive rings for added scenery.
The House
We begin baking our made-from-scratch gingerbread houses in late November when, theoretically, the humidity in Florida is lower. Our gingerbread house dough formula is one we’ve used for more than fifty years. Making our gingerbread is a huge event which includes using almost every member of our baking staff to complete. Each batch is carefully weighed, rolled, cut, and baked before cooling and setting up.
The Process
Our gingerbread house process is a four-day event.
After a day of making and baking, our bakers allow the house to set up overnight.
Day 2: Our decorators set up the base and walls using made-from-scratch royal icing
Day 3: Our decorators carefully assemble the roof and use royal icing to secure it to the base and walls.
On day 4, the house is ready to be decorated.
Ordering your Gingerbread House
We strive to keep our quality high, which is why in recent years, we have decided to keep our gingerbread house orders to a minimum. We don’t start taking orders until November 1.
You can order an entire gingerbread house kit which includes the house, candy, and icing. Or, you can opt to have the house by itself. Or, if you have your own candy, you can order the house and icing separately.
Our small house is great for individuals or a smaller household.
Our large house is perfect as a centerpiece. If you have children who like to compete, our large house gives plenty of roof space for each to showcase their creativity.
Order your house!
If you are looking for a quality gingerbread house kit this holiday season, give us a call. We are more than happy to help you make the best of your Christmastime.
![5 must-have’s for the Big Cats big game!]()
by Cinottis Bakery | Jan 16, 2018 | Bakery, Jacksonville
5 must-have’s for the Big Cats big game!
The Big Cats have a big game this weekend-are you prepared? After cleaning the house and shopping for the newest attire, who has time or energy, to prepare food for everyone? Have no fear. We’ve created a list of our football favorites that let you spend more time watching the game and less time in the kitchen.
Sandwich Tray:
Made with Cinotti’s made-from-scratch dinner rolls, this tray boasts four different meats to please any guest. Ham, turkey, roast beef, and chicken salad sandwiches are artfully arranged so everyone has access to what they want. We offer these in three sizes to fit your household or party needs.
Fruit Trays:
Staying in the game is easier when healthy snacks are added to the table. With our fruit or veggie (not shown) tray featuring only the finest in-season picks by your side, you can cheer our team long after the game’s over. We offer both our fruit and vegetable tray in three sizes to fit any of your party needs.
Cheese Nibbler:
Snack from morning til night with a cheese nibbler tray. With at least three different cheeses on this tray, you and your guest won’t even have to get up off the couch to snack while the game is on. Just pass the platter and dig in. We can substitute crackers for summer sausage for a meatier presentation. Our cheese nibbler is also available in three sizes to fit your couch party’s needs.
Jaguar Cookies:
Our cookies are always a hit at any event. Our Jaguar football cookie selection is no different. We offer jerseys, helmets, and footballs in our fondant icing. We also have paw prints and puffy flowers (a customer favorite) with our buttercream icing. Display these on your table or spread them throughout your decor.
Jaguar Donuts:
Not just a breakfast item, these little guys are a great addition to the table. Available in a jersey, football, and fearsome player. We won’t claim all the glory, but, since we’ve put these babies in the store, our Jags have not lost a single game… just sayin…
Let us take it from here.
You can rest easy knowing your party is in good hands with Cinotti’s Bakery. Call us today to place your Game Day orders and beat the rush! Remember: these products are only available to order and our ALL IN staff is ready to take your call. Call 9042461728.
Thank you, and Go Jaguars!
