Classic Italian Christmas Cookies
A sister to the anise cookies I shared yesterday, this authentic Italian cookie recipe is a cherished family recipe that was generously given to me by my grandmother’s cousin, Janet (and it feels weird to call her “my grandmother’s cousin”, she’s just been a close family member my whole life). One of the main differences between yesterday’s recipe (besides the licorice flavor) and this one is the glaze; as Janet said (and was very clear about when sharing this recipe!), “you need a clear glaze for real Italian cookies”. As a result, today’s glaze is not nearly as thick as the icing I shared yesterday. Italian cookies are more dry than a lot of my cookie recipes, but this it totally normal and to be expected. Classic Italian cookies have something of a biscuity texture, and they’re also not too sweet. The balance is quite nice and a lighter alternative to the rich hot chocolate cookies I shared earlier this week!
What You Need
This ingredient list is about as simple as you can get! We’ll be using basic pantry staples like butter, eggs, milk, flour, etc. Nothing fancy, and nothing complicated! SAM’S TIP: This is such a fun recipe to make with kids! They can help roll the dough into balls, brush on the glaze, or add the sprinkles. Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make Italian Cookies
SAM’S TIP: Note that I actually halved Janet’s recipe because it was so large, so just know this recipe does double well if you want a whole bunch of cookies (perfect for a cookie exchange!). SAM’S TIP: Italian cookies will stay pale, even when they are done baking. If you wait til yours are golden brown on the edges, they will be over-baked and will not have the proper texture or flavor! I’ve got just a few more Christmas cookie recipes until we wrap things up for the New Year! What other recipes would you like to see? Enjoy! Let’s bake together! Subscribe to my newsletter to be notified of all the newest recipes, and find all of my free recipe tutorials on YouTube 💜
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