Festive and easy Italian Christmas Cookies are a holiday favorite! Kids and adults love the melt-in-your-mouth texture, sweet almond or anise flavor, smooth glaze and colorful sprinkles. These delicious Christmas cookies are perfect for holiday gatherings, gifting, or simply enjoying with a warm cup of tea or coffee.
Looking for more holiday cookie recipes? Try my tried and true Sugar Cookie Recipe, Chocolate Crinkle Cookies and these adorable Gingerbread Cookies!
Christmas Italian Cookies
Melt-in-your-mouth Italian Christmas Cookies are a holiday favorite! Not only do these simple Italian cookies look festive with their flavorful glaze and colorful sprinkles, they taste incredibly delicious too! This recipe is super easy which makes it a great choice for the hectic holiday season.
These tasty cookies go by many names including Italian Wedding Cookies, Italian Rainbow Cookies and Italian Butter Cookies. Italian cookies are traditionally flavored with anise but almond extract is a very popular option as well. These simple cookies are similar to shortbread cookies in texture and are topped with a silky glaze and colorful sprinkles.
These cookies have a soft texture and delicate flavor, making them perfect for sharing with family and friends or enjoying with a cup of warm coffee on a chilly winter evening. Easy, festive, scrumptious – the perfect addition to your holiday dessert table!
Italian cookies are easy to customize to match a particular holiday or special occasion – just swap out the color of the nonpareils sprinkles!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This Italian Christmas Cookies recipe is a terrific choice for holiday baking! These cookies blend rich butter and sugar with a choice of almond or anise extract. They’re topped with a smooth, simple glaze and colorful sprinkles, making them not only a delicious treat but also a beautiful addition to your holiday celebrations.
- Easy to Make: Easily attained ingredients and simple instructions make these cookies a joy to bake.
- Customizable: Swap in a new extract flavor or top with different sprinkles for an easy customization of this classic recipe.
- Festive and Fun: The colorful sprinkles on top of these cookies makes them perfect for holiday gifting or serving!
How To Make Italian Christmas Cookies
These cookies are made with a perfect blend of butter, sugar and a hint of almond or anise – so yummy! These easy to make cookies are topped with a smooth, luscious glaze and colorful sprinkles! Let’s take a quick look at how to make these Italian Wedding Cookies and, as always, you can find the full, printable recipe card at the end of this post.
Make Cookies
- Cream together butter and sugar until smooth and creamy.
- Add eggs and almond extract.
- Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
- Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir just until combined.
- Cover and chill for at least 1 hour.
- Roll one tablespoon of the dough into a ball. Repeat with remaining dough.
- Place dough balls on the prepared cookie sheet, allowing for one to two inches of spacing in between.
- Bake for 9 to 11 minutes.
- Cool cookies on a cooling rack.
Prepare the Glaze
- Whisk together the powdered sugar, milk and almond extract together until no lumps remain.
- Dip the top of the cooled cookies into the glaze or drizzle the glaze on top of the cookies then immediately add the nonpareil sprinkles.
- Allow the glaze to harden before serving.
Storage Information
Make Ahead. The dough can be made a day ahead and kept refrigerated. This can be a great time-saver during busy holiday preparations.
Storage. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. Baked, unglazed cookies can be frozen in an airtight container or a freezer ziploc bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature. Add the glaze and sprinkles, let set up, enjoy!
Variations To Try
- Substitute vanilla or lemon extract for a completely new flavor!
- Mix in finely chopped pistachios, almonds, pecans or walnuts for added crunch.
- Dip the bottom of the cookies in melted chocolate for a decadent finish.
What other flavor of extract can I use?
While almond or anise extract gives these cookies their traditional Italian flavor, vanilla or lemon extract can be used if you prefer.
Can I add anything else to these cookies?
You can add finely chopped nuts like almonds, pistachios or walnuts, or even mini chocolate chips for added texture and flavor.
Do I have to chill the dough?
Chilling the dough for at least an hour is recommended as it keeps the cookies from spreading, makes the dough easier to handle and allows the flavors to meld.
What type of sprinkles should I use?
Nonpareils are traditionally used but feel free to use any kind of sprinkles you like. Colored sugar or other sprinkles can also be used.
How do I know when the cookies are done?
The cookies should be firm to the touch and just beginning to turn slightly golden at the edges.
Trish’s Tips
- To keep cookies soft, avoid over mixing the dough and also be careful not to over bake them. They should be just slightly golden around the edges when done. Also, storing them in an airtight container helps maintain their softness.
- For the perfect glaze consistency, start with the less milk and add more as needed. It should be thick enough to coat the cookies but still liquid.
- Use a cookie scoop to ensure that all your cookies are the same size.
- Make sure the cookies are completely cool before adding the glaze.
- Add a pinch of nutmeg or cinnamon to the dough to add subtle warmth to the cookies.
- Dust with powdered sugar for an elegant finish.
- Add some lemon or orange zest to the dough for a fresh, fragrant note.
The Best Christmas Cookie Recipes
- Snowball Cookies
- Cranberry Pecan Shortbread Cookies
- Winter Wonderland Cookies
- Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies
- Cranberry Orange Cookies
Italian Christmas Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons almond extract or anise extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the glaze:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup whole milk
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
Decoration
- sprinkles of your choice traditionally nonpareils are used
Instructions
Make Cookies
- In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until smooth and creamy.
- Add eggs and almond extract and mix until smooth and combined.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
- Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir just until combined. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
- Pinch a single tablespoon sized portion of dough and roll between your palms to create a ball. You should have about 24 dough balls.
- Place dough balls on the prepared cookie sheet, allowing for one to two inches of spacing in between.
- Bake for 9 to 11 minutes. The cookies are done when firm and very slightly golden around the edges.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and let rest on the cookie sheet for 3 minutes before gently transferring the cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Prepare the Glaze
- Whisk together the powdered sugar, milk and almond extract together until no lumps remain. Add additional milk to thin, add powdered sugar to thicken.
- Dip the top of the cooled cookies into the glaze or drizzle the glaze on top of the cookies then immediately add the sprinkles. Allow the glaze to harden before serving.
Leave a Reply