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A selection of traditional Italian Christmas cookies displayed on a festive table.

Traditional Italian Christmas Cookies

A delightful assortment of traditional Italian Christmas cookies, offering a variety of flavors and textures that are perfect for a festive cookie tray.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 120
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the dough
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour Sifted
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup unsalted butter Softened
  • 4 large eggs Room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon anise extract Avoid excess, goes from cozy to intense quickly
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest Freshly grated
For the icing
  • 2 cups powdered sugar Sifted
  • 2 tablespoons milk Add more as needed to achieve desired icing consistency
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract For half of the glaze
  • 1 teaspoon anise extract For half of the glaze
For topping
  • 1 cup sprinkles To decorate cookies after glazing

Method
 

Preparation of Dough
  1. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
  2. Add the eggs, vanilla extract, anise extract, and lemon zest. Mix until well combined.
  3. Gradually add the sifted flour until combined to form a soft dough. If too sticky, add a bit more flour.
Baking the Cookies
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto a lined baking sheet.
  3. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until cookies are set but still pale. Do not wait for them to brown.
Icing the Cookies
  1. Let the cookies cool for at least 20 minutes before icing.
  2. Combine powdered sugar and milk in a bowl until you reach the desired icing consistency.
  3. Divide the icing into two bowls. To one bowl, add vanilla extract; to the other, add anise extract.
  4. Dip the tops of the cookies in the icing and immediately sprinkle with toppings.

Notes

Store glazed soft cookies in a single layer in airtight containers. Crispy cookies should be stored separately with a paper towel to absorb moisture.