Description
These Italian Christmas Cookies are soft, buttery, and flavored with vanilla and almond extracts. Made with whole milk ricotta for a tender texture, they are topped with a sweet almond glaze and festive Christmas sprinkles, making them perfect for holiday celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta drained for about an hour
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Almond Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2-4 tablespoons milk
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- Christmas sprinkles for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cream butter and sugar. Add 1 cup unsalted butter and 2 cups granulated sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add wet ingredients. Add 2 large eggs, 1 cup whole milk ricotta, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, and ¼ teaspoon almond extract, and mix until fully incorporated.
- Mix dry ingredients and combine. In a medium bowl, whisk together 4 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture until fully combined.
- Form cookies. Scoop teaspoons of dough and roll them into uniform balls. Place them on the prepared baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between each cookie.
- Bake cookies. Bake for 11 minutes, then remove from the oven. Let the cookies cool on the pan for 3 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Prepare almond glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 cup powdered sugar, 4 tablespoons milk, and ½ teaspoon almond extract until smooth.
- Glaze and decorate. Dip the tops of the cooled cookies into the almond glaze and immediately sprinkle with Christmas sprinkles. Set aside until the glaze dries before serving.
Notes
- Drain the ricotta in a fine mesh sieve for about an hour to remove excess moisture for better dough consistency.
- If you don’t have whole milk ricotta, use part-skim ricotta but expect a slightly less creamy texture.
- Adjust the milk quantity in the glaze to achieve desired thickness; thinner glaze for dipping, thicker for drizzling.
- Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to one week.
- Use parchment paper to prevent sticking and for easy cleanup.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 75 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg
