Best Italian Christmas Cookies

Finding the perfect cookie recipe for the holiday season can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. Between all the shopping, decorating, and family gatherings, who has time to test out complicated recipes that might not even turn out right?

That’s where these Italian Christmas cookies come to the rescue – they’re a tried-and-true family favorite that brings just the right amount of festive charm to any cookie platter.

These simple, sweet treats are exactly what you need when you want to keep up with holiday baking traditions without spending endless hours in the kitchen. Plus, they’re practically foolproof to make and always seem to disappear first at holiday gatherings.

Options for Substitutions

These classic Italian cookies are pretty adaptable – here’s what you can swap if needed:

• Plain flour: All-purpose flour is a must for these cookies, but if you need a gluten-free version, try a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum. The texture might be slightly different, but they’ll still taste great.
• Almond essence: This recipe is super flexible with flavors – feel free to use vanilla extract, anise extract, or even lemon extract. Each will give the cookies their own unique taste while keeping that Italian cookie charm.
• Salted butter: If you only have unsalted butter, that’s fine! Just add 1/4 teaspoon of salt to your dry ingredients. You can also use margarine, though butter gives the best flavor.
• Nonpareil sprinkles: While these little round sprinkles are traditional, you can use any decorative sprinkles you like. Colored sugar, jimmies, or even crushed nuts work well for topping.
• Icing sugar: For the glaze, powdered sugar is pretty much necessary – it’s what gives that smooth finish. But you can skip the glaze entirely and dust with powdered sugar instead if you prefer.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The texture of Italian Christmas cookies can quickly go from perfect to rock-hard if you overmix the dough – stop mixing as soon as the ingredients are just combined, as overworking the dough will develop too much gluten and make your cookies tough.

Getting the flour measurement right is crucial, so make sure to spoon the flour into your measuring cup rather than scooping directly from the bag, which can pack in too much flour and lead to dry cookies.

When it comes to the glaze, a common mistake is making it too thin or too thick – start with just 2 tablespoons of milk and add more drop by drop until you reach a consistency that coats the back of a spoon but still runs off slowly.

For the best results, let the cookies cool completely before glazing, and wait until the first layer of glaze has set before adding the sprinkles – this ensures they’ll stick properly and won’t bleed their colors.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: These Italian Christmas cookies stay perfectly soft in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. I like to place a piece of wax paper between layers to keep the frosting looking nice. The sprinkles might bleed a tiny bit after a few days, but they’ll still taste just as good!

Freeze: Want to get ahead on your holiday baking? These cookies freeze really well for up to 3 months! Just wait for the frosting to set completely, then layer them between wax paper in a freezer-safe container. You can even freeze them unfrosted and add the frosting fresh when you’re ready to serve.

Make Ahead: The cookie dough can be made up to 24 hours ahead and stored in the fridge. Just wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and let it come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before rolling and baking. This is super helpful when you’re planning for holiday gatherings!

Preparation Time	20-30 minutes
Cooking Time	8-10 minutes
Total Time	1-1.5 hours
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2500-2700
• Protein: 30-35 g
• Fat: 100-110 g
• Carbohydrates: 400-450 g

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups plain flour (measured by spooning)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup salted butter (1 stick at room temperature)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons almond essence (or use vanilla or anise)
• 2 cups icing sugar
• 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon almond or vanilla essence
• Nonpareil sprinkles

Step 1: Prepare the Dry Ingredients

In a small bowl, mix together the baking powder and flour.

Once combined, set the bowl aside to prepare the other ingredients.

Step 2: Cream the Butter and Add Wet Ingredients

Using an electric mixer, beat the butter until it becomes light and fluffy.

Add in the eggs, sugar, and almond extract, and continue mixing until everything is well combined.

Note that the mixture may appear chunky at this stage.

Step 3: Combine and Chill the Dough

Gradually add the flour and baking powder mixture to the butter mixture.

Mix until the ingredients are just combined to avoid overworking the dough.

Once combined, chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least an hour to make it easier to handle.

Step 4: Shape and Bake the Cookies

After chilling, use a small scoop or tablespoon to measure and roll the dough into balls.

Remember that the dough will be fairly sticky.

Place the rolled dough balls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart.

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes until they’re set.

Be careful not to overbake to prevent dryness.

Allow the cookies to cool completely before icing.

Step 5: Prepare the Icing

In a bowl, measure out the powdered sugar.

Add milk one tablespoon at a time and mix until a thick glaze forms.

Stir in the almond extract for extra flavor.

This glaze will be used to coat the cookies.

Step 6: Glaze and Decorate the Cookies

Set a cooling rack inside a baking sheet to catch any excess glaze.

Once the cookies have cooled completely, hold each one upside down and dip it into the glaze.

Turn the cookie right side up and place it on the cooling rack, allowing any excess glaze to drip off into the baking sheet.

Quickly sprinkle the cookies with sprinkles before the icing begins to set.