Best Italian Holiday Cookies
Celebrate the holidays with Italian Holiday Cookies! From crunchy biscotti to soft ricotta cookies, these festive treats are perfect for gifting, holiday platters, and creating warm family memories.
Ingredients
- Essential Ingredients
- All-purpose flour sugar, butter
- Eggs
- Almonds walnuts, or pistachios (optional)
- Lemon or orange zest
- Ricotta cheese for soft cookies
- Honey anise extract, or vanilla
- Optional for Decoration
- Powdered sugar
- Colored sprinkles
- Chocolate drizzle
- Tips:
- Use fresh nuts and zest for vibrant flavors.
- High-quality ricotta or mascarpone ensures moist soft cookies.
- Natural extracts provide authentic flavor.
Instructions
- Step 1 – Prepare Dough
- Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs and flavorings (vanilla, anise, citrus zest).
- Gradually incorporate dry ingredients and nuts until dough forms.
- Step 2 – Shape & Bake
- Biscotti: Shape into logs, bake, slice, and rebake until crisp.
- Pizzelle: Press dough in preheated pizzelle iron for crisp patterned cookies.
- Struffoli: Roll into small balls, fry until golden, coat in honey and sprinkles.
- Italian Wedding Cookies / Ricotta Cookies: Shape, bake, and optionally glaze or dust with powdered sugar.
- Step 3 – Decorate
- Dust Italian Wedding Cookies or biscotti with powdered sugar.
- Glaze ricotta cookies for a shiny finish.
- Add sprinkles, nuts, or chocolate drizzle for festive flair.
Notes
- Chill dough to prevent spreading and cracking.
- Use parchment paper or silicone mats for non-stick baking.
- Keep cookie sizes consistent for even baking.
- Store in airtight containers; biscotti and pizzelle keep for weeks.