Description
A soft and buttery Italian Easter cookies recipe topped with colorful glaze and sprinkles. Perfect for celebrating Easter with a delightful touch of sweetness.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Cookies
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- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
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Icing
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- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2–4 tablespoons whole milk
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- Gel food coloring, in purple, pink, blue, and yellow
- Rainbow sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F to prepare for baking the cookies.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a mixing bowl, beat together butter and sugar until light and creamy. This creates the base for the cookie dough.
- Add eggs and flavorings: Add the eggs one at a time, beating between additions. Then, mix in vanilla and almond extracts until combined, though the mixture may look slightly separated.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt to ensure even distribution.
- Incorporate dry and wet ingredients: Alternately mix the dry ingredients and the milk into the butter-sugar mixture, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix just until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Shape the cookies: Use a 1 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop to form dough portions. On a lightly floured surface, shape each portion into a 6-7” log. For knots, twist the log into a knot shape. For donut-shaped cookies, join the ends of the log into a circle or press your finger into a dough ball’s center to make a hole.
- Bake the cookies: Place shaped cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for about 9 minutes, or until the bottoms are slightly golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack after baking.
- Prepare the icing: In a bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, whole milk, light corn syrup, and almond extract until smooth. Divide the icing into four bowls and mix in gel food coloring to achieve desired hues.
- Decorate the cookies: Dip cooled cookies into the glaze, letting excess glaze drip off. Place glazed cookies on parchment paper, sprinkle with rainbow sprinkles, and let them sit until the glaze is set and dry to the touch.
Notes
- Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature for consistent mixing.
- Do not overmix the dough to maintain tender cookie texture.
- Customize the icing colors to match your Easter theme.
- Allow the glaze to fully set before storing to prevent smudging.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 90
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 50mg
- Fat: 3.5g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 1.3g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
