Description
Sweet memories of home dance through these Italian Christmas cookies, inviting warmth and nostalgia with each delicate bite. Crisp edges, powdered sugar coating, and rich almond essence blend perfectly, promising festive joy you’ll savor with every delightful crumb.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 cups (312.5 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup (150 grams) sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Decoration and Finishing:
- 1/2 cup (60 grams) powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) milk
- Colorful sprinkles for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare workspace by setting oven to 350F and lining baking sheets with parchment paper for even heat distribution.
- Combine dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl, whisking flour, baking powder, and salt until uniformly blended.
- Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until achieving a light, airy texture with soft peaks forming.
- Incorporate eggs, vanilla, and almond extracts into butter mixture, blending until smooth and fully integrated.
- Gradually fold dry ingredients into wet mixture, stirring gently to create a consistent, soft cookie dough.
- Shape dough into small, uniform spheres using hands or a cookie scoop, placing them evenly on prepared baking sheets.
- Gently press each dough ball with the back of a spoon to create a slight flattened surface for even baking.
- Slide baking sheets into preheated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, watching for golden edges as an indicator of doneness.
- Remove cookies and allow complete cooling on wire racks to prevent continued cooking and ensure proper texture.
- Whisk powdered sugar and milk together to create a smooth, glossy glaze with a drizzling consistency.
- Once cookies are completely cool, decoratively drizzle glaze over the surface and immediately sprinkle with festive decoration.
Notes
- Opt for room temperature butter to ensure smooth, even mixing without lumps.
- Chill the dough for 30 minutes before rolling to prevent spreading and maintain cookie shape.
- Use a light hand when mixing dry ingredients to keep cookies tender and avoid tough texture.
- For gluten-free version, swap all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend, maintaining the same measurements.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10-12 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 116 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 45 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- Fiber: 0.4 g
- Protein: 1.6 g
- Cholesterol: 27 mg