This is my favorite Italian Christmas Cookies recipe. These are soft cookies coated with sweet sugary glaze, then topped with festive sprinkles. They make the perfect holiday treat and is one one that my whole family loves.
Christmas cookie baking brings so many memories of my childhood back and the holiday baking season is one of my favorite times of year. The first year I made these Italian Christmas Cookies, my family couldn't get enough of them! These bite sized cookies are so festive and fun and speak the holidays.
Every year I like to make new and different Christmas cookie recipes, but this Italian Christmas Cookie is one that is always on the list!
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Why you'll love it
Big Batch Recipe: It is a big batch Italian Christmas cookie recipe making it perfect for the holiday season and cookie exchange parties.
Tender and cakey: a soft cookie with a buttery almond flavor that's not too sweet.
Bakery quality: these Italian Christmas Cookies will remind you of those you find in the Italian bakery
🥘 Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Confectioners Sugar
- Butter Flavored Vegetable Shortening, I like to use this to have buttery flavor with a softer cookie that has a cake like texture.
- Large Eggs
- Almond Extract
- Vanilla Extract
- Lemon Extract
Hint: instead of non pariels, try these Fun Christmas Cookie Sprinkles! (affiliate link)
🔪 INSTRUCTIONS
For the cookies:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees f. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Add the eggs to a large bowl and using a hand mixer on medium speed, beat the eggs for 5 minutes, until light and foamy. Set aside.
- In another large bowl, combine 5 cups of the flour, confectioners’ sugar, and baking powder. Stir with a whisk to combine. Set aside.
- On low speed, gradually beat the vegetable shortening and extracts until combined. Gradually mix in the beaten eggs.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the egg mixture 1 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. The dough should be stiff. If it is not stiff enough to roll into a cookie ball, gradually add more flour beginning with ½ cup. (This is where the extra cup of flour comes in). If still not stiff enough, gradually add remaining half cup. By this time the cookie dough should be stiff enough to shape into a cookie ball.
- Scoop dough with a 1 tablespoon sized cookie scoop. Then roll dough into balls. Place the cookies at least 2-inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake cookies at 12 minutes, until dough is no longer wet on top and bottom of cookies are slightly brown.
For the icing:
- While the cookies are baking, make the icing. In a small bowl, combine the confectioner’s sugar, milk and extracts until smooth. As soon as cookies are removed from the oven, quickly dip two or three times into the glaze.
- Place on a wire rack with wax paper beneath it to drain and immediately top with sprinkles. Let dry 24 hours. Place in airtight containers to store.
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium mixing bowl
- Cookie sheets
- Parchment paper
- Electric hand mixer
- Small cookie scoop (1 tablespoon sized)
Substitutions
Butter swap: substitute room temperature butter for the shortening.
Extract swap: Substitute 1 teaspoon vanilla extract for the almond extract.
Holiday themes: don't just make these for Christmas, sprinkle with jimmies or other sprinkles for any holiday from Easter to Thanksgiving!
Variations
Anise Italian Christmas Cookies: use anise extract for the flavoring in the cookies and sugar icing.
Italian Lemon Cookies: substitute lemon extract and sprinkle lemon zest over the top of the iced cookie.
Top Tips
- Sift the flour first, then lightly spoon it into the measuring cups, leveling it off with a knife before combining with the sugar.
- Add the dry ingredients 1 cup at a time, stirring until well combined after each addition.
- If the dough starts to become stiff before all of the flour mixture is added, then don’t add any more flour.
- Frost the cookies while they are still warm by dipping them in the bowl of icing. This allows the icing to seep into the cookie.
- Sprinkle with the colored jimmies immediately after you dip the cookie in the icing.
- If the glaze seems too thin, add more powdered sugar one tablespoon at a time until it is at the desired consistency.
Storage
Air-dry the cookies on a cooling rack for 24 hours then store cookies in an airtight container on the counter or fridge for up to 1 week or freeze up to 3 months.
Serve with...
Serve these cookies with a tall glass of cold milk or cup of hot coffee or tea.
They also make an eye appealing presentation on a holiday cookie platter along with these Santa Swirl Cookies, Eggnog Biscotti, M&M Pretzel Cookies, and Chewy Mocha Toffee Chip Cookies!
Serving size
Yield is approximately 4-½ dozen (56) cookies. Two cookies are equal to one serving.
🍪 More Christmas Cookie Recipes
If you are looking for Christmas Cookie Recipes, then you have come to the right place! Christmas Cookies are one of my favorite things to bake and I have plenty for you to choose from!
When you make this recipe, please comment below and let me know what you think. I'd love it if you tag me on Instagram @grumpyshoneybunch or #grumpyshoneybunch so I can see your photos!
If you love this recipe, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating
📖 Recipe
Italian Christmas Cookies
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Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- 6 large large eggs
- 6 cups all purpose flour
- 2 cups confectioner's sugar powdered sugar
- 2½ tablespoons baking powder
- 1 cup butter flavored shortening
- 1 tablespoon almond extract
- ½ tablespoon lemon extract
For the Glaze:
- 4½ cups confectioner's sugar
- ½ cup warm light cream
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- colored sprinkles
Instructions
For the cookies:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees f. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Add the eggs to a large bowl and using a hand mixer on medium speed, beat the eggs for 5 minutes, until light and foamy. Set aside.
- In another large bowl, combine 5 cups of the flour, confectioners’ sugar, and baking powder. Stir with a whisk to combine. Set aside.
- On low speed, gradually beat the vegetable shortening and extracts until combined. Gradually mix in the beaten eggs.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the egg mixture 1 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. The dough should be stiff. If it is not stiff enough to roll into a cookie ball, gradually add more flour beginning with ½ cup. (This is where the extra cup of flour comes in).
- If still not stiff enough, gradually add remaining half cup. By this time the cookie dough should be stiff enough to shape into a cookie ball.
- Scoop dough with a 1 tablespoon sized cookie scoop. Then roll dough into balls. Place the cookies at least 2-inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake cookies at 12 minutes, until dough is no longer wet on top and bottom of cookies are slightly brown.
For the icing:
- In a small bowl, combine the confectioner’s sugar, cream, and extracts until smooth. As soon as cookies are removed from the oven, quickly dip two or three times into the glaze.
- Place on a wire rack with wax paper beneath it to drain and immediately top with sprinkles. Let dry 24 hours before storing in an airtight container.
Karen says
Can I make the dough and freeze it to make them at a later date? I think freezing the baked cookie alters the fresh baked flavor.
Thanks.
Shelby says
Hi Karen, Freezing it will not alter the taste of the baked cookie unless you freeze them too long. I would think 3-4 weeks would be fine in an airtight container. I have frozen these before. However, you can shape the dough into balls and then freeze the balls. Take them out to bake when you're ready. Your baking time may change because they are frozen, but I'm fairly certain it would work.
Nikki says
We love to make cookies for Christmas! I love the almond and lemon in these!
Alice says
Best cookies I’ve ever made
My grandkids loved them.
Shelby Law Ruttan says
Hi Alice, so glad you and your grandkids enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for coming back and giving it a rating! Shelby
Ellen says
Such a pretty and festive cookie. This will make a lovely addition to my holiday cookie tins.
Anne Lawton says
These cookies are so festive looking - just perfect for the holidays!
Hezzi-D says
These are fabulous! I love colorful cookies!
Colleen - Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck says
The perfect excuse to break out the sprinkles!!!
Karen says
These are gorgeous, both with the thin and thick glaze. And of course, it's all about the sprinkles, and the ones you used are adorable.
Alyssa says
Do you dip the cookies in the glaze when they are still warm or do you wait until they cool and then dip them?
Shelby says
Hi Alyssa, you will dip the cookies in the glaze when they are still warm from the oven and top with the sprinkles, then let them cool/dry. Enjoy!
Alyssa says
Thank you! 🙂 Will definitely be making them for Christmas Eve/Christmas Day.
Cassie Jacobson says
Can you make just a half of the recipe if he only see 7 dozen?
Shelby says
You can easily halve the recipe. Enjoy!
Cory says
I made these last year and loved them. About to make them again but do they need to be refrigerated?
Shelby says
I would say no, they don't need to be refrigerated, up to a week on the counter is probably the longest I would let them sit though. I'm assuming these will be eaten within a few days. Sometimes refrigeration make the frosting "wet" and it disappears into the cookie.. If you don't plan to eat them that quickly I suggest not frosting all of them, but freeze them. Then when ready to eat, thaw and glaze.
Joan says
If you put the cookies on a cookie rack, you can just drizzle on the icing be sure to put newspapers under the racks to catch all the drippings, so much easier and clean up is easy. Been making these cookies for years. The recipe came from my Italian Aunt.
Shelby says
Hi Joan, thanks for the tip!
Maria says
I absolutely loved these! I made them for Christmas and will continue to make them! I had made several different kinds of cookies that all had almond extract so to mix things up I actually replaced the almond extract in this recipe with vanilla bean paste and they were delicious! Next time I will make these with the almond as well!! Thank you!!
Nancy says
Can you use butter rather than shortening?
Shelby says
You could try it. I have not used butter in this particular recipe. I think the texture may not be the same if you did. Butter tends to make cookies crisp where shortening/oil keeps them softer. I don't think it would make them terrible, but they may not turn out the same as if you used shortening.
DesignedByBH says
These look great! Thanks for sharing them today on the Daily Blog Boost! Pinning!
~ Brooke ~
Cindy Eikenberg, Little Miss Celebration says
I love these cookies and this totally takes me back to my childhood days with my grandmother! Thank you so much for sharing and pinning! Have a wonderful Wednesday!
Anonymous says
These cookies are fabulous! Easy to make too. Definately added to our annual Christmas cookie list. Thank you!
Anonymous says
Thinking about making these for a World History Project! They look amazing (:
Jen at The Three Little Piglets says
My seven year old just peeked over my shoulder and said, "Those are the most beautiful cookies. Can you make some?" It's all about the sprinkles!
So sorry to hear about your mother-in-law. Will be thinking of you and your family and wishing her well.
Kirstin says
Thank you sooo much for posting this recipe. My mom's family is Italian and we used to have these growing up, although my cousin tells me my great grandma used anise instead of almond and lemon. I also remember my mom making them. She has been gone 6 years. I made these yesterday and had so much fun and it brought back wonderful memories. I'm going to write a post on them now (C: Using my own pictures..hee hee and I do plan to put a link to your blog saying you are where I found the recipe. I really enjoy your blog and was just reading the macadamia cookie recipe...ummmmm...YUM!!!! Have a wonderful Christmas.
Sherry Trifle - Lovely Cats says
What beautiful little cookies. I am going to make them for next weeks office party and also copy the idea of the frosting for this week's TWD. Congrats on your award!