Tender and delicately flavored, these Italian sugar cookies should be on everyone’s Christmas cookie baking list!
My mother-in-law introduced me to Italian sugar cookies years ago. At the time, I hadn’t heard of them (how was that even possible??), but one bite and I was smitten. Soft, buttery, and only slightly sweet, they were just heavenly.
So naturally, I went to work searching for the perfect recipe. The one being shared here is one I’ve been using for more than 15 years. It comes out perfect every time.
Other recipes include ricotta cheese, which is a traditional ingredient. I fully intend to try a ricotta recipe, as well. But, because I don’t always have ricotta in the fridge, I find this recipe to be a bit more convenient.
And, like the majority of my recipes, this one is high on the easy scale! The most involved part is sifting the powdered sugar to make the icing, which requires no skill – just a fine mesh colander.
The basic instructions are to cream the shortening and sugar, add the eggs and vanilla, incorporate the dry ingredients, shape into balls, and bake.
Then you decorate with the icing and sprinkles and eat!
These cookies look beautiful when presented on a pretty platter or on a dessert buffet. I love them as part of a “cookie charcuterie board,” and they make a lovely gift.
Enjoy them with a cup of hot tea – I think they pair perfectly with Earl Grey – or dunk them in some hot cocoa. However you serve them up, they’re bound to be enjoyed thoroughly and to put a smile on the faces around you!
If you love cookies, be sure to try our Molasses Crinkle Tops, Cherry Filled White Chocolate Blondies, and Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Italian Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- ¾ cup shortening
- ¾ cup sugar
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tsp. baking powder
- â…› tsp. salt
Icing
- 2 tbsp. milk low fat or whole
- 1 tbsp. unsalted butter melted
- ¼ tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1¼ cups confectioners’ sugar sifted
Decoration
- Food coloring and coarse sugar optional
Instructions
Cookies
- Preheat oven to 400℉.
- In a large bowl, cream the shortening and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5-7 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat till well incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the flour mixture a little at a time to the wet ingredients, mixing well after each addition.
- Shape the dough into balls (about the size of a walnut). Place one inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned, being careful not to overbake (or they become dry and crumbly). Immediately transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
Icing
- Add the sifted confectioners sugar, milk, butter, and vanilla in a small bowl and mix till smooth and thoroughly combined. Tint with food coloring, if using.
- Working quickly, spread the icing onto the cookies with a small offset spatula or butter knife. Immediately sprinkle with coarse sugar or other decoration, if using.
- Place iced cookies on a rack with waxed paper underneath and let stand until the icing is set and no longer tacky.
Notes
- The key to tender cookies is making sure they aren’t overbaked. They will become dry and crumbly if they stay in the oven too long. Check them at 7 or 8 minutes, or earlier if your oven tends to cook hot.
- If you opt for colored sprinkles on your cookies (like I do – it makes them look so festive!), try not to stack them one on top of the other when storing them. This can make the colors bleed into the icing. Store them in a single layer in an airtight container.Â