Reader’s Recipes: Italian Christmas Cookies ~ these classic holiday cookies have a soft texture, a buttery flavor, and lots of festive frosting on top!
Welcome to my Reader’s Recipes series of holiday cookies. I’m going to be sharing YOUR family recipes here every Saturday from now until the New Year. Thanks to all of you who’ve sent in recipes for me to try!
This recipe was sent in by Susan, who lives in southern Maine. According to Susan, her aunt brought these festive Italian anise cookies to Christmas every year and the tradition took hold. Her mother in law also made them, but preferred a lemon flavor. Susan’s aunt was actually Scottish, or Irish, depending on who you talked to, and while her mother-in-law claimed to be Italian, she had a Polish maiden name…so…like with so many family recipes, the origins of this one are little vague. But, more to the point, these cookies are classic holiday treats, the kind that make everybody’s eyes light up!
Traditionally these Italian Christmas cookies are made with anise extract. It comes from the seeds of a Mediterranean plant, and has a mild licorice flavor. It gives these cookies an old world flavor, and Italian anise, or anisette cookies are a staple of so many people’s holidays, whether they claim Italian heritage or not. Over the years Susan’s family came to prefer a lemon flavor, and I actually chose to use almond extract in both the cookie and the frosting because I love it, and didn’t have any anise around. Both lemon and almond are also traditional, so you’re good with whatever you prefer.
These cookies come together easily in one bowl. They’re a little unusual because they’re made with oil rather than butter or shortening.. Eggs and lots of baking powder give them a light cakey texture. They come out of the oven in perfect mounds ready for decorating.
So I have to confess, even bloggers misread recipes sometimes, and I misread the frosting portion of Susan’s instructions. I didn’t notice that it was supposed to be a ‘drizzle’ of frosting. Could have been a Freudian slip, as I do love frosting. As you can see, I made extra and loaded it on. Now that I think about it, the drizzle would be really pretty, and more authentic — an excuse to make another batch, I guess!
These cookies are soft, with a nice, pillowy texture. The flavoring, whichever one you choose, comes through nice and clear, and the sprinkles or colored sugar adds a final touch of crunch to every bite. They are wonderful, and I highly recommend them.
Thanks Susan for sending us the recipe!
Readerโs Recipes: Susanโs Italian Cookies
Ingredients
cookies
- 4 eggs
- 3/4 cup canola oil
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp lemon or anise extract
- 4 tsp baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 4 cups flour
Instructions
- Set oven to 350F
- Beat together the eggs, oil, sugar, vanilla, and lemon or anise extract.
- Mix in the baking powder, salt, and flour until well combined.
- Roll dough into 1″ balls and place about 2 inches apart on parchment lined cookie sheets.
- Bake 9 – 11 minutes (cookies should not brown).
- Place on wire rack to cool. Then frost and decorate as described below.
- To make the frosting, whisk together the butter and vanilla and then whisk in enough confectioners sugar to make a frosting. Add about a tablespoon of milk at a time until you get a drizzling consistency.
- Liberally drizzle over cookies and immediately sprinkle with colored sugar or sprinkles. Leave until frosting sets.
Notes
- I suggest making the cookies as Susan says, with a drizzle of frosting. But if you want to make them like I did, you’ll need at least a double batch of the frosting recipe, and just add enough milk to make a spreadable consistency.
- If you’d like to make these ahead, freeze the plain baked cookies and frost them when ready to serve.
- If you want to make the authentic Italian cookie, you can find anise extract HERE.
Nutrition
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These were a wonderful addition to our Christmas cookies this year. I found the dough extremely sticky, so my cookies were not very neat looking. I froze the baked cookies and then thawed, frosted and sprinkled. I found that they tasted better when a day or so old. If you want white icing, clear vanilla is the way to go, although the beige iced ones tasted delicious. Thanks for a good recipe!
Thanks for this recipe. Iโve been following one for years that involves butter, kneading and making a big mess. These are just as delicious and much easier.
I’m so glad, have a wonderful rest of your holiday season ๐
Love your recipe. I use Anise oil instead of extract. The oil is very strong so 1/4 teaspoon for every teaspoon of extract basically. Love your blog, as I happen to cruise cookies for a fundraiser my kids will host for a sick friend.
sxx
Love these little morsels…so colorful. Love anise flavored cookies!
I’m baking these now and they’re beautiful!! So good.
Enjoy Natasha — I’ll have to do this Reader’s Recipe series again next year, it was such fun!
GAH! sprinkles turn my taste buds on SOOOOOOOO much!
Such pretty cookies and I love that you piled on the frosting! ๐
You posted a recipe for 3 ingredient candy about 2 weeks ago I deleted it in error the recipe has white chocolate would love the recipe. Thanks enjoy your recipes