Italian Christmas Cookies, also known as Anginetti, are a soft, pillowy holiday treat that has been loved for generations. These old-fashioned, traditional cookies are simple to make and always bring a touch of nostalgia to the dessert table.
Why This Recipe is the Best
These cookies are soft, light, and flavored with almond extract for that classic taste. They're easy to make, perfect for holiday treat tables, and are one of our family's most favorite Christmas cookies for a reason.
For more Christmas cookies, try our peppermint dipped cookies, Grinch cookies, and our Christmas Cookie Bars.
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Key Ingredients
Chill the ingredients before assembling so you don't dilute them by adding extra ice.
- Almond Extract- While you can easily use Vanilla Extract, Almond Extract gives you that tasty flavor you remember from your childhood.
- Powdered Sugar- Powdered sugar is used for both the icing and the dough. It gives the dough and sweet flavor and soft texture.
- Eggs- Use room temperature eggs for the best results.
- Christmas Sprinkles- To set this recipe apart from traditional Italian Cookies, Christmas Sprinkles really make them festive.
How to Make Italian Christmas Cookies
Use these process shots to help get the results you want. The pictures can be a visual guide for the best results.
- In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Flour, powdered sugar, baking powder, salt, and white granulated sugar. Sift together.
- Add the eggs, extracts, and butter to a separate bowl and mix. Combine the wet and dry ingredients to make the dough. Note that it will be more wet than you are used to in traditional American cookies.
- Roll the dough into tablespoon-sized balls. Place on parchment paper and bake at 350° F for 10-12 minutes.
- While the cookies bake, make the icing. Set aside until the cookies are cooled.
- Ice the cooled cookies and then add the Christmas sprinkles. Let the icing set and then enjoy.
Hint: Wait about 10-15 seconds before adding the sprinkles to the iced cookies.
Common Mistakes
The sprinkles can be tricky to get on! The first time I made this recipe, I put them right after dunking the cookies in the icing, and they started to melt into the icing a bit. Another time, I waited too long, and they didn't stick to the icing because it had started to set up. We found that the ideal window for adding the sprinkles is about 10-15 seconds after coating them in icing.
Top tip
The dough will feel wetter than most American cookie recipes, but thanks to the butter content, it's still easy to roll into balls by hand without extra flour.
Recipe
Italian Christmas Cookies
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
- ¾ cup butter softened, I used salted
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 3 eggs
- ½ teaspoon vanilla or anise, for traditional
- 2 teaspoons almond extract
For the Icing:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 2-3 Tablespoons milk hot
- red and green nonpareils sprinkles see note 1
Instructions
For the Cookies:
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, add the flour, powdered sugar, baking powder and salt. Whisk together and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the softened butter and granulated sugar. Mix on medium high speed until lightened in color and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Add one egg and mix until incorporated, then add the additional 2 eggs, vanilla and almond extracts and beat about 1 minute. It's so important to add the first egg by itself, or the eggs don't incorporate well into the mixture.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix on low just until full incorporated. Form dough balls about 1-1.5 Tablespoons in size. Roll into balls and place on parchment lined baking sheet (see note 2). Bake about 10-12 minutes, until the edges are set and the tops turn matte. Remove from oven and transfer to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.
For the Icing:
- Add the powdered sugar, 2 Tablespoons of the hot milk and almond extract to a bowl and use a spoon to mix until it gets glossy and no powdered sugar clumps remain. Add more milk to reach desired consistency. See photos above for a reference.
- Dip the cookies upside down in the icing. Place on the parchment paper then wait 10-15 seconds to add the sprinkles for best results. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- These are also cute with the longer sprinkles. For an even more festive look, we recommend using other festive sprinkles like Santa and stars, etc.
- We know this dough is a wetter dough than most American cookies, but with it's butter content we found that it's still totally doable to roll them into balls with our hands.
Nutrition
Variations
Try these different variations for fun looks.
- Vanilla or Lemon - Swap the extract for vanilla or lemon to make a softer, lighter flavor.
- Icing Colors - Tint the icing with red and green food coloring or add festive sprinkles for a Christmas-themed platter.
- Different Types - Try rolling the dough into knots, braids, or balls for a mix of shapes on your cookie tray.
Storing
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze the unfrosted cookies and add the icing after thawing to prevent weeping.
FAQ
They are traditional Italian cookies, soft and lightly flavored with extracts such as anise, almond, or lemon, then topped with a sweet glaze.
You make a soft dough flavored with your choice of extract, shape it into balls or knots, bake until light and fluffy, and finish with a simple icing glaze.
The flavor depends on the extract you choose-traditional cookies are made with anise, which gives a licorice-like taste, but many people prefer almond or vanilla for a softer, sweeter flavor.
Yes, you can freeze the cookies unfrosted. Frost them after thawing so the icing doesn't weep or turn sticky.
Andrea says
This is such a fun Christmas cookie. We love traditional recipes like Italian Christmas Cookies.