Festive Italian Easter Cookies Recipe: Sweet Spring Joy

Soft, buttery, and delightfully traditional, these Italian Easter cookies dance with memories of festive family gatherings.

Sweet aromas of vanilla and almond weave through kitchens across Italy, creating moments of pure joy.

Generations have passed down this treasured Italian Easter cookies recipe, carefully preserving each delicate ingredient and technique.

Tender pastries with a hint of lemon zest bring warmth to holiday celebrations.

Bakers love how these cookies offer a perfect balance of sweetness and texture.

Dusted with powdered sugar, these treats connect us to rich culinary traditions that span generations.

You’ll fall in love with every delicate, melt-in-your-mouth bite of these beloved Easter delicacies.

Italian Easter Cookies: What You’ll Need

• Flour: The foundation of our cookies, providing structure and a delicate crumb that melts in your mouth.
• Baking Powder: Gives the cookies their light, airy texture and helps them rise beautifully.
• Salt: Enhances the overall flavor and balances the sweetness of the cookies.

• Lemon Zest: Bright, citrusy essence that adds a fresh, tangy punch to the cookie's flavor profile.
• Sugar: Sweetens the cookies and helps create a golden, crisp exterior.
• Vanilla Extract: Provides a warm, comforting background note that deepens the cookie's complexity.

• Butter: Creates a rich, tender crumb and adds luxurious flavor to the cookies.
• Eggs: Bind the ingredients together and contribute to the cookies' soft, tender texture.
• Milk: Softens the icing and helps create a smooth, glossy finish.
• Powdered Sugar: Forms the base of the silky, sweet icing that gives the cookies their festive look.
• Lemon Juice: Adds a zesty tang to the icing and helps create the perfect drizzling consistency.
• Pastel Sprinkles: Provides a playful, colorful finishing touch that makes these cookies truly celebratory.

Tools for Baking Italian Easter Cookies

• Electric hand mixer: Essential for creaming butter and sugar smoothly and mixing dough.
• Cookie scoop (1 1/2 tablespoon): Perfect for creating uniform, round cookie balls.
• Mixing bowls (medium and large): Needed for separating dry and wet ingredients.
• Whisk: Great for combining dry ingredients evenly.
• Parchment paper: Prevents cookies from sticking and makes cleanup easy.
• Cooling rack: Helps cookies cool evenly and prevents soggy bottoms.
• Measuring cups and spoons: Crucial for accurate ingredient measurements.
• Small bowl: Used for preparing the icing glaze.
• Zester or grater: Helps create fresh lemon zest for flavor.

How to Make Italian Easter Cookies

• Zesty Preparation

Gather your baking gear and warm up the kitchen with an inviting oven set to a cozy temperature. Line your baking surfaces with protective parchment paper.

• Dry Ingredient Magic

Blend flour, baking powder, and a hint of salt in a mixing bowl, creating a delicate powder landscape waiting to transform into delightful treats.

• Aromatic Sugar Blend

Massage lemon zest into sugar with your fingertips, releasing bright citrusy notes. Cream butter until dreamy and cloud-like, then incorporate eggs and vanilla for a silky mixture.

• Dough Formation

Gently fold dry ingredients into wet components, creating a soft, slightly clingy dough that hints at the deliciousness to come.

• Cookie Shaping

Scoop tender dough into gentle rounds, nestling them comfortably on prepared baking sheets with breathing room between each little bundle.

• Golden Baking

Slide cookies into the warm oven, watching them transform into golden-edged delicacies with crisp edges and tender centers.

• Sweet Finishing

Whip together a glossy icing, dunking cooled cookies into the silky mixture. Sprinkle with playful pastel confetti for a festive touch that screams springtime celebration.

Tips & Traditions for These Sweet Holiday Cookies

• Swap lemon zest with orange or lime zest for a unique citrus twist that adds unexpected brightness to these traditional Easter treats.
• Roll cookie dough between your palms gently and consistently to create uniform round balls, ensuring even baking and professional-looking presentation.
• Control icing thickness by adjusting milk or lemon juice quantities – less liquid creates thicker glaze, while more liquid results in a thinner, more translucent coating that allows cookie texture to peek through.
• Replace pastel sprinkles with colored sugar, edible glitter, or finely chopped nuts to match specific holiday themes or personal preferences, making these cookies uniquely yours.

Serving Suggestions for Italian Easter Cookies

• Pair with Espresso: Serve these delightful Italian Easter cookies alongside a warm, rich espresso for an authentic Italian dessert experience.
• Create a Festive Platter: Arrange the cookies on a beautiful pastel-colored platter, perfect for Easter brunch or family gatherings.
• Enjoy as Gift Treats: Package the decorated cookies in clear cellophane bags tied with pastel ribbons for a charming homemade gift.
• Complement with Fresh Fruit: Serve with a side of fresh berries or citrus segments to enhance the lemon-infused flavor of the cookies.

Quick Recipe Overview

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Calories: 190 kcal

Servings: 22

Cookie Storage & Make-Ahead Notes

• Refrigerate Wisely: Store these delicate cookies in an airtight container, layering between sheets of parchment paper to prevent sticking. Keep them chilled for up to 5 days, maintaining their soft texture and delightful flavor.
• Freeze for Future Enjoyment: Wrap the uniced cookies tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months, giving you a quick sweet treat whenever cravings strike.
• Room Temperature Timing: After icing, let cookies sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to allow the glaze to set completely. This ensures a beautiful, smooth finish that looks as good as it tastes.
• Make-Ahead Magic: Prepare the cookie dough up to 2 days in advance and refrigerate. When ready to bake, let the dough soften slightly at room temperature for easy scooping and shaping.

Sweet Italian Easter Cookies Recipe

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• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 22 1x

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Description

Nonna’s delightful Italian Easter Cookies blend traditional family flavors with sweet nostalgia. Crisp, powdered sugar-dusted morsels invite celebration and connection to cherished culinary memories you’ll savor with each delicate bite.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 3 cups (360 g) flour
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
• 2 tbsps lemon juice
• 2 tbsps milk
• 2 tbsps pastel nonpareil sprinkles

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Instructions

1. Preparation: Warm the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line three baking sheets with parchment paper, ensuring adequate spacing.
2. Dry Ingredient Fusion: Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl, creating a smooth, integrated mixture.
3. Aromatic Sugar Transformation: Massage lemon zest into granulated sugar, releasing essential oils and creating a fragrant base.
4. Butter Emulsion: Cream softened butter with zesty sugar using an electric mixer until the mixture becomes light, airy, and voluminous.
5. Wet Ingredient Integration: Fold in eggs and vanilla extract, blending until the mixture achieves a silky, uniform texture.
6. Dough Formation: Gradually incorporate dry ingredients into wet mixture, mixing carefully to develop a thick, slightly tacky dough.
7. Cookie Shaping and Baking: Scoop uniform dough balls onto prepared sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. Bake for 14-16 minutes, rotating midway, until edges turn golden brown.
8. Cooling and Glazing: Transfer cookies to a wire rack and cool completely. Whisk powdered sugar, lemon juice, and milk into a smooth glaze.
9. Finishing Touch: Dip cookie tops into glaze, allowing excess to drip off, and immediately sprinkle with pastel-colored decorations. Let icing set for 10-12 minutes until fully hardened.

Notes

• Zest Technique: Massaging lemon zest into sugar releases essential oils, intensifying the citrus flavor and creating a more aromatic base for the cookies.
• Butter Consistency: Ensure butter is softened at room temperature to achieve a light, fluffy texture when creamed with sugar, which is crucial for tender cookies.
• Baking Precision: Rotate baking sheets halfway through cooking to guarantee even browning and prevent uneven baking spots on the cookies.
• Glaze Setting: Work quickly when adding sprinkles to freshly glazed cookies, as the icing starts to harden within minutes, determining the final decorative appearance.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Category: Desserts, Snacks
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 22
• Calories: 190
• Sugar: 10 g
• Sodium: 35 mg
• Fat: 7 g
• Saturated Fat: 4 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 29 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 3 g
• Cholesterol: 45 mg