My Italian Christmas Cookies Are Super-Soft and Impossibly Easy
In the massive world of cookie recipes, I have a soft spot for the cute little one-bite Italian cookies that are covered with icing and sprinkles. These soft, cakey sweets can be anise flavored or even loaded with ricotta cheese, but nothing beats the classic version flavored with almond extract. My version of Italian Christmas cookies start with a soft dough (made in just one bowl!) that’s finished with an almond-y glaze and festive holiday sprinkles. They’re so good, you’ll want to reserve a prime spot for them on your holiday cookie plate.
Why You’ll Love It
The almond flavor is front and center. With almond extract in both the cookies and the glaze, you get a double dose of sweet almond flavor throughout.
It’s a one-bowl affair. The dough gets made in just one bowl, reducing the number of dishes you’ll have to wash afterward.
Key Ingredients in Italian Christmas Cookies
Almond extract. This is the key flavoring in the cookies and glaze. Use pure, not imitation, extract for the best flavor.
Butter. You’ll need 1 stick of unsalted butter.
Eggs. Three large eggs give these cookies a cakey texture.
Nonpareils. These tiny, colorful balls are made of sugar and starch. Look for a mixture of red and green for the most festive flair.
How to Make Italian Christmas Cookies
Mix the wet ingredients. Beat butter, sugar, and salt together until creamy, then beat in eggs and vanilla extract.
Add the dry ingredients. Sprinkle baking powder over the wet ingredients (don’t drop it all in one clump or it won’t evenly disperse in the dough), then add the flour. Beat on the lowest speed just until a soft dough forms.
Chill the dough. Refrigerate the dough for 1 hour so that it is scoopable, but don’t chill for too long or the dough will be too hard to scoop out.
Bake and cool. Scoop out the dough in 1-tablespoon portions, then bake until the tops start to crack and the bottoms are light golden brown. Let cool completely.
Glaze and decorate. Glaze the cookies with a mixture of powdered sugar, milk, and more almond extract. Sprinkle with nonpareils and let sit until the glaze is set.
Helpful Swaps
If you don’t like almond extract, you can use vanilla extract in its place for both the cookies and the glaze.
Regular or Christmas-colored sprinkles can be substituted for the nonpareils, but you may need more than 2 tablespoons.
Italian Christmas Cookies Recipe
They’re so delicious you can’t eat just one.
Prep time 20 minutes to 40 minutes
Cook time 15 minutes
Makes 48 (2-inch) cookies
Ingredients
For the cookies:
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 large eggs, at room temperature
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons almond extract
For the glaze and topping:
1 1/3 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons milk, any fat percentage
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons nonpareils
Instructions
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Make the cookies:
Beat 1 stick room temperature unsalted butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt together with the paddle attachment on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Beat in 3 room temperature large eggs on medium speed one at a time, waiting until each is incorporated before adding the next. Beat in 2 teaspoons almond extract until combined.
Sprinkle 2 teaspoons baking powder evenly over the butter mixture. Add 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour and beat on the lowest speed just until a sticky dough forms, 30 to 45 seconds.
Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour to firm up. About 20 minutes before the dough is ready, arrange 2 racks to divide the oven into thirds and heat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
Scoop out 1-tablespoon portions of the dough onto one of the baking sheets. Roll each one into a ball and arrange on both baking sheets about 1 1/2 inches apart, up to 24 cookies per sheet.
Bake for 8 minutes. Rotate the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back. Continue to bake until the cookies are starting to crack on top and turning light golden brown on the bottom, 5 to 6 minutes more. Let cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes. Transfer the cookies to wire racks and let cool completely.
Make the glaze:
Whisk 1 1/3 cups powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons milk, 1/2 teaspoon almond extract, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt together in a medium bowl until smooth.
Dip and decorate the cookies in batches of 10 (the glaze hardens quickly): Dip the top of a cookie in the glaze and keep the cookie upside down while gently shaking so excess glaze drips back into the bowl. Return the cookie to the rack, glaze-side up. Dip the next 9 cookies, then sprinkle with nonpareils. Let sit until the glaze sets, about 20 minutes.
Recipe Notes
Make ahead: The cookie dough balls can be frozen solid on the baking sheet, then stored in a zip-top bag for up to 2 months. Bake the cookies from frozen for the same amount of time.
Storage: Leftover cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Forever Cookies
Meet the cookies that'll forever change your holiday baking. From the beloved recipes our families have made for decades to clever twists on classics, these are the keepers we turn to year after year.
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