These Christmas Italian Cookies have a tender texture that practically melt in your mouth. Mildly almond flavored, coated with icing, and topped with red and green sprinkles, they’re so pretty and festive on a holiday cookie platter.
We just love sugar cookies! More options to choose from include our easy sugar cookies, cut out sugar cookies, and lofthouse cookies.
Easy Christmas Italian Cookies Recipe
Also called Italian Wedding Cookies, Italian Almond Cookies, and Anise Cookies, these Italian Cookies are a classic cookie and always so delicious!
Unlike our sugar cookies that need to be rolled out and formed with cookie cutters (which I also love!), these Christmas Italian Cookies are simply shaped into balls with a cookie scoop and dropped onto a baking sheet. The cookie dough is only mildly sweet, so the sweet icing provides great balance. They turn out pillowy-soft and practically melt in your mouth!
Ingredients Needed
These cookies are commonly made with oil, butter, or shortening. I make my pie crust with shortening, so that’s how I choose to make these cookies. It results in a very tender crumb. I also use almond extract in place of traditional anise, since my family doesn’t like the taste of black licorice.
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for measurements and details.)
- All-purpose flour – Measure the flour by the spoon and level technique, not scooped.
- Baking powder – Gives the cookies their lift.
- Shortening – Makes the cookies so light and tender.
- Granulated sugar – For sweetness.
- Eggs – To bind the dough.
- Salt – For flavor.
- Almond extract – These cookies are traditionally flavored with anise, but we much prefer almond extract. It gives the cookies a wonderful subtle cherry flavor.
- For the icing: Powdered sugar, whole milk, light corn syrup, almond extract, and salt.
Recipe Variations
There are a few ways you can change up these Christmas cookies.
- Use a different flavor extract. Use anise, almond, vanilla, lemon, or orange flavored extract, depending on your taste.
- Add-ins. Add to the dough a 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips OR 1/4 cup finely chopped almonds.
- Change the color of the icing. Add colored food dye to the icing to suit your occasion.
- Try sprinkles. You can top the icing with sprinkles instead of nonpareils, and change up the colors to match your holiday.
How to Make Italian Cookies
These cookies are so easy to make, delicious, and incredibly pretty displayed on a plate! Here’s a summary:
(Scroll down to the printable recipe card for measurements and details, and don’t miss the video below.)
- Make the dough. Beat together shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs and almond extract. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt, then gradually add it to the wet ingredients.
- Form the dough balls. Using a cookie scoop, shape dough into 1 & 1/2-inch sized balls. Place on parchment lined baking sheets at least 1-inch apart (do not flatten.)
- Bake. Bake at 400F for 8-10 minutes or until the bottoms are just slightly golden brown. Remove from oven and transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
- Top with icing and nonpareils. Combine powdered sugar, milk, corn syrup, almond extract, and salt until smooth. Dip the tops of cookies in the icing; allow excess to drip off. Place back on the parchment paper and top with the nonpareils before it dries; let stand until completely set and enjoy!
Tips for Success
If this is your first time making Italian Wedding Cookies, follow these tips for optimal results:
- Measure the flour accurately. Spoon and level the flour when measuring. Scooping can result in excess flour and a dry, crumbly cookie.
- Use a cookie scoop for uniformity. When scooping the dough, use a cookie dough scoop to make sure cookies are all the same size. This ensures they all bake at the same rate.
- Make sure the dough is smooth. The balls of dough should be completely smooth to reduce the amount of cracking during baking.
- Cool completely before icing. The cookies should be completely cooled before icing, otherwise the icing will just drip off.
- Adding the sprinkles. Add sprinkles/nonpareils while the icing is still tacky or they won’t stick. You can also top with sanding sugar.
Video: Italian Christmas Cookies
Proper Storage
- Storing leftovers. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- To freeze cooked cookies. They can be frozen (without the glaze) in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw completely and add the glaze the day you serve them.
- To freeze raw dough. The raw cookie dough can be frozen in balls for up to 2 months. Just thaw them overnight in a refrigerator and bake them as stated in this recipe.
More Christmas Cookies:
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Christmas Italian Cookies
Ingredients
For the Cookie Dough
- 3 cups all-purpose flour , spooned and leveled
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup shortening
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
For the Icing
- 2 & 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 3-4 tablespoons whole milk
- 1 & 1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- pinch of salt
- sprinkles or nonpareils
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat shortening and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add in eggs and almond extract. Gradually add in the flour mixture until combined.
- Using a cookie scoop for uniformity and consistent baking, shape dough into 1 & 1/2-inch sized balls. Place on baking sheets at least 1-inch apart (do not flatten.)
- Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the bottoms are just slightly golden brown. Remove from oven and transfer to wire racks to cool completely before icing.
- For the Icing: in a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, milk, corn syrup, almond extract, and salt until smooth (add more powdered sugar if it's too thin or more milk if it's too thick. It should be thick, but drizzling consistency.)
- Dip the tops of cookies in the icing; allow excess to drip off. Place back on the parchment paper and top with the nonpareils; let stand until completely set and enjoy!
I want you to know you are my default recipe site. I look no where else! I have made so many things! Love all of them. I found you on TikTok. Thanks so much!
Just made these this morning and can tell they will be my husbands new fav! I used anise and doubled it. Topped it with gold sugar sprinkles and came out so good and very pretty. Happy HolidaysAmy
Just made these this morning and so easy. I doubled the Anise in the batter and the icing. They will certainly be my husbands new fav! Can’t wait to try them with the Almond. Thanks Amy and Happy
Just made these this morning and they were so easy. I doubled the Anise in the batter and icing. I can tell they will be my husbands new fav! Thanks and Happy Holidays Amy
Best sprinkle cookies ever! I do half vanilla/half almond extract and they are perfect for my family. Extra sprinkles, of course!
I am a licorice lover! Imade these last Christmas. These were delicious and the perfect size. Love, love,love! PS they are also good with almond extract.