Italian Christmas Cookies

4.42 from 118 votes

This Italian Christmas Cookies recipe is an Italian classic cookie that is popular during the holiday season. They are a soft ball shaped cookie glazed with a thick glaze and sprinkled with colored sprinkles. A festive cookie everyone will love to find on their cookie tray!

Course Cookie Recipes, Desserts

Cuisine Italian

Keyword Italian Christmas Cookies

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1 5

Servings

Calories 147kcal

Author Shelby Law Ruttan

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.

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