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Italian Cookies
Soft Italian cookies are delightful bite-sized treats. Dipped in a sweet glaze and topped with colorful sprinkles, these tasty cookies are easy to make.
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Soft Italian cookies are little bites of sweetness, perfect for holidays and special occasions. Dipped in a delightful creamy glaze and topped with colorful sprinkles, these tasty cookies are easy to make.
MORE RECIPES: Red Velvet Cookies | Almond Joy Cookies | Twix Cookies
Italian Cookies
Tasty and pretty, delicate almond-flavored cookies, are great to serve for parties, weddings, or holiday get-togethers. Easy to make in under 40 minutes, you’ll delight friends and family with these classic cookies.
Tender bite-sized Italian cookies have a pillowy soft texture, almost like a cross between a cake cookie and a traditional crispy cookie. Covered in glaze and showered with sprinkles, Italian Cookies can be made to match any occasion.
The perfect choice for any cookie platter, serve these Italian cookies alongside chocolate peanut butter or red velvet cookies. Pair your sweet cookies with a latte or some spiced hot chocolate.
Italian Cookies Ingredients
- Eggs
- Shortening
- Sugar
- Almond extract
- Flour
- Baking powder
- Salt - kosher sea salt
- Sugar - confectioner’s sugar
- Heavy cream
- Salt
- Sprinkles
Almond extract is a strong flavor that not everyone enjoys. If you prefer you can use your favorite flavor extract, such as vanilla or lemon, instead of almond extract. You can also reduce the almond extract to ½ or even ¼ teaspoon for just a hint of almond flavor instead.
For the holidays you might top your cookies with red and green sprinkles, while for a party you may sprinkle rainbow sprinkles over the glaze. Using nonpareils will add a bit of crunch to your cookies, or you could use jimmies, sanding sugar, crystal sugar, or any other type of sprinkles on your cookies.
Italian cookies can be made ahead of time, making them a great holiday cookie choice. Simply freeze them without the glaze, and then let them thaw completely the day you plan to serve them and add the glaze and sprinkles that day.
How to Make Italian Cookies
FIRST STEP: Prepare a cookie sheet with a silicon baking mat or parchment paper.
SECOND STEP: Whisk eggs, shortening, sugar, and almond extract in a large bowl.
THIRD STEP: Add flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir to combine.
FOURTH STEP: Using a one tablespoon scoop, measure then roll between your palms - 24 cookie balls. Place on the prepared cookie sheet, leaving 2 inches of space between them.
FIFTH STEP: Freeze for 20 minutes.
SIXTH STEP: Before freezer time is up, preheat oven to 350°F.
SEVENTH STEP: Place the cookie sheet in the preheated oven and bake for about 9 minutes. Oven times may vary. The cookies will be done when the bottoms are slightly browned but the tops are still white.
EIGHTH STEP: Transfer the baked cookies on to the cooling rack.
NINTH STEP: Time to make the glaze! Warm the heavy cream for a few seconds in the microwave. Combine confectioners’ sugar, almond extract, warm heavy cream, and salt in a medium-sized bowl. (For the glaze, sift the confectioner’s sugar when measuring? Don’t make it too far in advance because It sets up as it sits. You could try warming the heavy whipping cream a bit or adding a tablespoon more at a time if it seems too thick, but it will get very runny very quickly. I found that three tablespoons mixed in JUST before it was time to dip was the right ratio and timing.)
TENTH STEP: Once the cookies are completely cooled, dip the top of each cookie into the prepared glaze. Then drop sprinkles over the glazed top.
Can these be made without almond extract?
Almond extract is a strong flavor that not everyone enjoys. You can substitute your favorite flavor extract, such as vanilla or lemon, instead of almond extract. You could also reduce the almond extract to ½ or even ¼ teaspoon for just a hint of almond flavor.
What type of sprinkles should I use?
Decorate your cookies with nonpareils, jimmies, sanding sugar, crystal sugar, or any other type of sprinkles.
Can Italian cookies be made ahead of time?
These cookies can be made ahead of time and frozen unglazed. The day you plan to serve them let them thaw completely and then add the glaze and sprinkles. Once glazed you’ll want to eat these within a couple of days for the prettiest cookies.
How to Store Italian Cookies
IN THE FRIDGE: Store leftover Italian Cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
IN THE FREEZER: Italian cookies can be frozen without the glaze and sprinkles. Place unglazed cookies in an airtight food storage container or a resealable freezer bag and freeze for up to three months. Thaw the cookies at room temperature then glaze and top with sprinkles as directed.
Italian Cookies
Soft Italian cookies are delightful bite-sized treats. Dipped in a sweet glaze and topped with colorful sprinkles, these tasty cookies are easy to make.
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Ingredients
For the cookie:
- 2 eggs
- 1¼ cups shortening
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher sea salt
For the glaze:
- 2 cups confectioner’s sugar
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 3 tablespoon heavy cream
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Don’t forget the sprinkles!
DIRECTIONS
- Prepare a cookie sheet with a silicon baking mat or parchment paper.
- Whisk eggs, shortening, sugar, and almond extract in a large bowl.
- Add flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir to combine.
- Using a one tablespoon scoop, measure then roll between your palms - 24 cookie balls. Place on the prepared cookie sheet, leaving 2 inches of space between them.
- Freeze for 20 minutes.
- Before freezer time is up, preheat oven to 350°F.
- Place the cookie sheet in the preheated oven and bake for about 9 minutes. Oven times may vary. The cookies will be done when the bottoms are slightly browned but the tops are still white.
- Transfer the baked cookies on to the cooling rack.
- Time to make the glaze! Warm the heavy cream for a few seconds in the microwave. Combine confectioners’ sugar, almond extract, warm heavy cream, and salt in a medium-sized bowl. (For the glaze, sift the confectioner’s sugar when measuring? Don’t make it too far in advance because It sets up as it sits. You could try warming the heavy whipping cream a bit or adding a tablespoon more at a time if it seems too thick, but it will get very runny very quickly. I found that three tablespoons mixed in JUST before it was time to dip was the right ratio and timing.)
- Once the cookies are completely cooled, dip the top of each cookie into the prepared glaze. Then drop sprinkles over the glazed top.
Nutrition
Calories: 161kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 31mg | Potassium: 52mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 47IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg
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