Italian Christmas Cookies
Pillowy vanilla-almond cookies dipped in almond-citrus glaze and decorated with sprinkles. A festive, soft Italian Christmas cookie that requires no chilling.
Prep
20 min
Cook
11 min
Total
1 hr
Servings
36 cookies
Ingredients
Tools that make this easier
Optional — the recipe works without them.
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- Most useful here Cookie Scoop Portions the dough evenly onto the prepared baking sheets. Check price on Amazon
- Hand Mixer Beats the butter, oil, sugar, eggs, and ricotta until smooth. Check price on Amazon
- Sheet Pan With Rack Bakes the cookies and provides a rack for cooling them completely. Check price on Amazon
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- 2
Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
- 3
Beat butter, oil, and sugar together until pale and fluffy.
- 4
Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla, almond extract, citrus zest, and ricotta or yogurt, beating until smooth.
- 5
Fold in the dry ingredients until just combined.
- 6
Scoop dough onto prepared baking sheets using a cookie scoop.
- 7
Bake for 9-11 minutes until set and pale on top.
- 8
Cool cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- 9
Whisk powdered sugar, milk, almond extract, vanilla extract, citrus juice, and salt until smooth to make the glaze.
- 10
Dip the top of each cooled cookie into the glaze, add sprinkles, and let set.
Used in this recipe: Cookie Scoop Hand Mixer Sheet Pan With Rack (Amazon, affiliate links)
Nutrition (per serving)
110 kcal
Calories
These Italian Christmas cookies are soft, cake-like drops flavored with vanilla, almond and citrus zest, dipped in a simple almond-lemon glaze and topped with sprinkles. There is no chilling, rolling or cutting: one bowl, a cookie scoop and about an hour (including glazing) gets you 36 cookies. They keep well and freeze well, which makes them a good choice for cookie exchanges, gift tins and a holiday dessert table.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 2 ¾ cups (345 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- ½ cup (120 ml) neutral oil, such as canola or light olive oil
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ tsp almond extract
- Zest of 1 small lemon or orange
- ½ cup (120 g) whole-milk ricotta or plain Greek yogurt
For the almond-citrus glaze:
- 2 ½ cups (300 g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 3-4 tbsp milk or half-and-half, plus more as needed
- ½ tsp almond extract
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1-2 tbsp fresh lemon or orange juice
- Pinch of salt
To decorate: holiday nonpareils or sprinkles, and optionally finely chopped toasted almonds or pistachios.
Ingredient Notes That Affect the Texture
- Butter: It should give slightly when pressed but not look shiny or melty. Too cold and it will not cream; too warm and the cookies spread.
- Ricotta or Greek yogurt: Not every traditional recipe uses it, but it keeps these cookies soft and cake-like for days.
- Almond extract: It is strong. If you are sensitive to it, start with 1 teaspoon in the dough. Doubling it tends to taste medicinal.
- Flour: Spoon it into the cup and level it. Too much flour is the fastest route to dry, crumbly cookies.
- Butter and oil together: Butter gives flavor and oil gives a plush crumb. All-butter cookies taste richer but dry out faster.
How Long Italian Christmas Cookies Take
Prep takes 20 minutes, baking takes 9 to 11 minutes per batch, and glazing and decorating takes another 20 to 25 minutes, for about 1 hour plus cooling. The dough needs no chilling, so the first tray can go into the oven right after mixing. Mix the glaze while the first batch bakes.
How to Make Soft Italian Christmas Cookies
- Prep the pans. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line 2 to 3 baking sheets with parchment. Skip silicone mats, which encourage spreading, and bake on the middle rack.
- Whisk the dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
- Cream. Beat the butter, oil and sugar on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes until pale and fluffy, scraping down the bowl.
- Add the wet ingredients. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla, almond extract, zest and ricotta or yogurt until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. It may look slightly curdled at first, which is normal.
- Fold in the flour. Add the dry mix in two additions, mixing on low or folding just until no dry streaks remain. The dough is thick and sticky, closer to a soft cake batter than a cookie dough.
- Scoop. Drop rounded tablespoon-size mounds onto the sheets about 2 inches apart, keeping them uniform so they bake evenly.
- Bake. Bake 9 to 11 minutes, rotating the pan halfway, until the tops are pale, set and matte. They will look almost too soft but firm up as they cool.
- Cool. Rest on the sheet for 5 minutes, then move to a wire rack and cool completely before glazing.
- Make the glaze. Whisk the powdered sugar, milk, almond extract, vanilla, citrus juice and salt until smooth. Start with 3 tablespoons of milk and add more by the teaspoon until it is the thickness of heavy cream.
- Dip and decorate. Dip the top of each cooled cookie, let the excess drip off and turn it right-side up on the rack. Add sprinkles right away, working with a handful at a time. The glaze starts to dry in about 15 minutes and is mostly firm in 45 to 60 minutes.
Swaps and Lighter Options
- Whole-wheat pastry flour: Replace up to 1 cup of the all-purpose flour. Expect a nuttier flavor and a slightly denser cookie; regular whole wheat makes them heavier.
- Greek yogurt instead of ricotta: Non-fat or low-fat Greek yogurt works, giving a slightly less rich but still tender cookie.
- Less sugar: Cutting the dough sugar to ¾ cup gives a less sweet cookie; keep the glaze at full strength to balance it.
- Lighter glaze: More citrus juice and less milk, drizzled rather than dipped, makes them tangier and less heavy.
- No almond: Leave out the almond extract and use more vanilla or a little lemon extract for vanilla-lemon drops.
Serving Italian Christmas Cookies for the Holidays
- On a cookie platter: Set them beside crisp cookies such as biscotti, and another soft Italian favorite like almond paste cookies. A decorated sugar cookie makes a good cutout-style contrast.
- Color themes: Red and green for Christmas Eve, blue and white for winter parties, or white nonpareils for an elegant look.
- With coffee or hot chocolate: They hold together when dunked.
- For brunch: Serve them with a fruit platter and quiche for a small sweet.
Holiday Planning: Bake Ahead and Pack for Gifts
- Two to three days ahead: Bake and glaze, then store in an airtight container at cool room temperature. Many people like them better on day 2.
- Weeks ahead: Freeze scooped, unbaked dough (see below) and bake a tray whenever you need fresh cookies.
- Gift tins: Wait until the glaze is fully set, then layer the cookies between sheets of parchment or wax paper so the tops do not stick.
- Cookie exchange: The recipe makes 36, so one batch covers a dozen each for three people.
Why Italian Cookies Turn Out Dry, Flat or Cracked
- Dry or crumbly: Too much flour or too long in the oven. Spoon and level the flour, and pull the cookies while the tops are pale and just set.
- Overbaked for color: These are not meant to be golden. Browned edges mean they are overbaked.
- Flat and spread: The butter was too warm or the wet ingredients were over-measured.
- Glaze slides off: The cookies were still warm. Cool them completely.
- Glaze too runny: Whisk in more powdered sugar a tablespoon at a time, or dip twice, letting the first thin coat set.
- Glaze too thick or lumpy: Add milk or juice ½ teaspoon at a time, and strain if lumps remain.
- Bland: Skipping the zest and the pinch of salt in the glaze leaves the cookies one-note sweet.
- Big cracks on top: The oven was hot or the dough was dry. A few hairline cracks are normal and catch extra glaze.
Storing and Freezing Italian Christmas Cookies
- Room temperature: Airtight at cool room temperature once the glaze is set, for 4 to 5 days. The dough contains ricotta or yogurt and eggs, so keep them in a cool spot and refrigerate if your kitchen is warm.
- Refrigerator: Up to 7 days. Bring them to room temperature before serving so they soften again.
- Freezer, unbaked: Freeze scooped dough on a parchment-lined sheet until solid, then bag it for up to 2 months. Bake from frozen at 350°F, adding 1 to 2 minutes.
- Freezer, baked and glazed: Freeze in a single layer, then move to a container with parchment between layers. Thaw in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for a couple of hours; the glaze may lose some shine.
FAQ
Can I make Italian Christmas cookies without almond extract?
Yes. Leave it out and use more vanilla or a little lemon extract. They will taste like soft vanilla-lemon drops, which is useful for almond allergies.
Do I have to use ricotta?
Ricotta or Greek yogurt keeps the cookies plush. Without it they are closer to butter cookies, so watch the bake time.
Can I freeze the dough?
Yes. Freeze scooped dough until solid, bag it, and bake from frozen with 1 to 2 extra minutes.
How far ahead can I bake them?
You can bake and glaze them 2 to 3 days ahead. For longer, freeze them and thaw the day before.
Per cookie, the estimate is about 110 calories, assuming 36 cookies with glaze.
