Italian Cookies

These Italian cookies are so tender and soft with a simple vanilla glaze. They are incredibly simple to make (no chilling!) and can be formed into fun shapes too!

Course cookie, Dessert

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 8

Total Time 28

Servings cookies

Calories 62kcal

Author Sam Merritt

Equipment

Ingredients

10 Tablespoons (142 g) salted butter softened
¾ cups (150 g) granulated sugar
3 large eggs room temperature preferred
2 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt
3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour + more if making shapes, see note
3 ½ teaspoons baking powder

Glaze

½ cup (65 g) powdered sugar
1 ½ - 2 Tablespoons milk
Nonpareils or sprinkles optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and line baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine butter and sugar and use an electric mixer to beat until light and fluffy.
10 Tablespoons salted butter, ¾ cups granulated sugar
Add eggs and beat into the batter until well-combined.
3 large eggs
Add milk, vanilla extract, and salt, and stir until completely combined.
2 Tablespoons milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla, Pinch of salt
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together 3 cups of flour and baking powder. Gradually add flour to wet mixture. At this point, the dough should be firm enough that you will be able to form it into balls. If you would like to make other shapes (loops, knots, pretzels, etc.) continue to add up to an additional 1 cup (125g) of flour until dough is manageable.
3 cups all-purpose flour, 3 ½ teaspoons baking powder
Break off a ball of dough about 1 Tablespoon in size and roll into a ball (or form into shapes). Place cookie dough on prepared baking sheet, spacing at least 2” apart.
Transfer to center rack of 350F (175C) oven and bake for 8 minutes.
Allow to cool on baking sheet for at least 5 minutes before carefully transferring to cooling rack to cool completely before glazing.

Prepare the glaze

In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and milk. Glaze should be very thin. Use a pastry brush to brush over completely cooled cookies. Immediately sprinkle with nonpareils or sprinkles, if desired.
½ cup powdered sugar, 1 ½ - 2 Tablespoons milk, Nonpareils or sprinkles
Allow glaze to set before enjoying.

Video

Notes

Flour

3 cups of flour should give you a dough that's sturdy enough to be rolled and dropped. However, if you'd like to make fun shapes with the dough (pretzels, twists, etc.) you may find the dough is not thick enough. Feel free to add up to another cup (125g) of flour until the dough reaches a consistency that is shapeable. Note that the more flour you add, the more dry and less sweet the cookies will be.

Storing

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. Cookies also freeze well – tightly wrap and freeze for up to several months.

Nutrition