Italian Easter Cookies
These mouthwatering Italian Easter cookies are perfect for your Easter baking list. They taste of vanilla and almond, and are wonderfully light and sweet.
Servings: 24 cookies
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- 3 Cups all purpose flour
- 2 Teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon salt
- 1 Cup granulated sugar
- 8 Tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 2 Teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 Teaspoon almond extract
- 3 eggs at room temperature
For the Glaze:
- 1 Cup confectioner's sugar sifted
- 3 Tablespoons milk
- ½ Teaspoon vanilla extract
- sprinkles and food coloring (for optional drizzle)
Instructions
Make the Cookies:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer on medium speed to beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs, continuing to beat until well mixed.
- Reduce the electric mixer speed to low and slowly add the flour mixture until well incorporated.
- Use a tablespoon-sized cookie scoop to form small dough balls, then place them evenly apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until the bottoms are light golden brown.
- Transfer to the cooling rack until completely cool.
Make the Glaze:
- Whisk together the confectioners sugar, milk and vanilla extract until smooth. If you want to do a colored drizzle, set aside 1 tablespoon of glaze for each desired color.
- Dip each cookie top into the glaze then top, immediately top with sprinkles.
- For colored drizzle, mix food coloring with the reserved glaze and use a piping bag to drizzle over the top.
- Allow cookies to set before serving.
Notes
Ideal dough consistency: The dough should be soft enough to shape into dough balls but not stick to your hand. Add flour if it's too sticky or a little water or milk if it's cracking.
Shape them like a pro: It's better to roll the dough balls between your palms than making them drop cookies which don't look as pretty.
Sift the sugar: Sift the powdered sugar through a fine sieve before mixing, to prevent clumps.
Easy transfers: If you use parchment paper, you'll find it easier to transfer cookies, as they are quite delicate.
Be patient! You need to let the cookies cool completely before glazing them and let the glazing set before munching them! Your mouth will be watering but remember: patience is a virtue (especially during Lent and Easter!)
Bakery quality glazing: You can make the glaze as thin (with more milk) or as thick (with more sugar) as you want. Remember to add the sprinkles immediately because the glaze starts to set as soon as it's on, and if the sprinkles don't stick they'll fall off! And if you are adding a colored drizzle on top, you'll only need about a tablespoon for each of the 3 colors.
Shape them like a pro: It's better to roll the dough balls between your palms than making them drop cookies which don't look as pretty.
Sift the sugar: Sift the powdered sugar through a fine sieve before mixing, to prevent clumps.
Easy transfers: If you use parchment paper, you'll find it easier to transfer cookies, as they are quite delicate.
Be patient! You need to let the cookies cool completely before glazing them and let the glazing set before munching them! Your mouth will be watering but remember: patience is a virtue (especially during Lent and Easter!)
Bakery quality glazing: You can make the glaze as thin (with more milk) or as thick (with more sugar) as you want. Remember to add the sprinkles immediately because the glaze starts to set as soon as it's on, and if the sprinkles don't stick they'll fall off! And if you are adding a colored drizzle on top, you'll only need about a tablespoon for each of the 3 colors.
Nutrition
Calories: 153kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 93mg | Potassium: 29mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 149IU | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg
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