Description
Festive Italian Christmas Cookies bring sweet memories of holiday gatherings around family tables. Delicate almond-flavored treats dusted with powdered sugar will transport you to charming Italian bakeries with one delightful bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 3 eggs
- 2 1/2 cups (300 grams) flour
- 1/2 cup (115 grams) butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) sugar
Flavor Enhancers:
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) milk
Decoration:
- 2 cups (240 grams) powdered sugar (for icing)
- Colored sprinkles (for decoration)
Instructions
- Prepare the baking workspace by lining a sheet with parchment paper and heating the oven to 350°F.
- Blend softened butter and sugar until creamy and light, then incorporate eggs, vanilla, and almond extract thoroughly.
- Gradually fold in flour and baking powder, slowly introducing milk to create a cohesive, smooth dough.
- Shape the mixture into uniform small spheres, ensuring consistent size for even baking.
- Arrange cookie balls on prepared baking sheet, leaving slight spacing between each one.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, watching carefully to prevent over-browning and maintaining a soft, delicate texture.
- While cookies cool, craft a glossy icing by whisking powdered sugar with minimal water until achieving a silky, pourable consistency.
- Dunk each cooled cookie into the white icing, allowing excess to drip off gently.
- Immediately sprinkle festive decorations over icing before it sets, creating a traditional Italian holiday treat with sparkling visual appeal.
Notes
- Chill the dough for 30 minutes before rolling to prevent spreading and maintain perfect cookie shape.
- Swap almond extract with vanilla if nut allergies are a concern, maintaining the delicate flavor profile.
- Use room temperature ingredients to ensure smooth, consistent mixing and better cookie texture.
- Test cookie doneness by slightly pressing the edge – it should spring back without leaving an indentation, indicating perfectly baked cookies.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10-12 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 223 kcal
- Sugar: 19 g
- Sodium: 52 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 33 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg