Italian Christmas cookies, also called Anginetti, are tender little cookies topped with sweet almond icing and sprinkles. This version uses almond extract in both the dough and icing, making a pretty addition to holiday cookie trays without rolling pins or cookie cutters.
The recipe makes about 36 cookies. Plan on 25 minutes of prep, at least 1 hour to chill the shaped dough, and three batches of 12 cookies baking for 10-12 minutes each. Allow 5 minutes on the pan, about 20 minutes to cool, and about 1 hour for the icing to set. A conservative total is 3 hours 26 minutes; some tasks can overlap. The trick is to keep the tops pale and let the lightly golden bottoms tell you when they're ready.
For a holiday assortment, pair them with Classic Spritz Butter Cookies and Chocolate Crinkle Cookies. A little variety makes a cookie tray feel generous without making every cookie complicated.
Ingredients You'll Need
These cookies use an all-purpose flour dough and a simple powdered-sugar icing. You'll find the measurements in the recipe card below.
- All-purpose flour and baking powder: Whisk them together before adding them to the dough.
- Salted butter: Soften it for mixing; this version needs no additional salt.
- Granulated sugar and eggs: Beat the sugar with the butter, then mix in the eggs one at a time.
- Almond extract: Goes into both the cookie dough and the icing.
- Powdered sugar and milk: Make the icing, with the milk added gradually.
- Nonpareils or sprinkles: Add them while the icing is still tacky.
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Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Anise or vanilla extract can replace the almond extract if you prefer a different flavor. Anise gives the cookies a licorice note; vanilla makes a milder cookie. Extract strength varies, so adjust to taste.
This tested recipe uses salted butter. If you use unsalted butter, whisk ¼ teaspoon salt into the flour mixture.
Tools That Make It Easier
Have your baking sheets, mixing tools, and cooling rack ready before you begin. Use baking sheets that fit in your refrigerator so the shaped cookies can chill on the pans.
- Baking sheets that fit in the refrigerator
- Parchment paper
- Mixing bowls, including a small icing bowl
- Electric mixer with beaters
- Whisk
- Measuring cups and spoons, including a tablespoon for portioning
- Rubber spatula for scraping the mixing bowl
- Flexible cookie spatula for transferring baked cookies
- Wire cooling rack
- Spoon for icing (or dip cookie tops)
- Refrigerator
- Oven
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Buy Now → How to Make Italian Christmas Cookies
Make the dough, shape and chill it, then bake until the cookies are pale on top and lightly golden underneath. Save the icing for when they are completely cool.
Step 1: Mix the dough. Line baking sheets with parchment and whisk the flour with the baking powder; beat the softened butter and sugar on medium for about 2 minutes, scraping as needed. Add the eggs one at a time and the almond extract, then mix in the dry ingredients gradually on low just until the dough comes together.
Step 2: Shape and chill. Scoop tablespoon-size portions, gently roll them into balls, and set them about 1 inch apart on the lined sheets, 12 cookies per batch. They do not spread much. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour until firm, covering the dough if you chill it overnight.
Step 3: Bake and cool. Heat the oven to 350°F toward the end of chilling, then bake for 10-12 minutes per batch until the tops look dry but pale and the undersides are lightly golden. Rest the cookies on their pans for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack and cool for about 20 minutes, until completely cool.
Step 4: Mix the icing. Stir the powdered sugar, almond extract, and 2 tablespoons of milk until smooth. Add the remaining milk a little at a time until the icing spreads over a cookie without running off completely.
Step 5: Ice and decorate. Put parchment under the rack, then spoon icing over a few cookies at a time or dip the tops, letting excess drip off. Add sprinkles while the icing is tacky, letting very wet icing settle briefly first, and leave the cookies uncovered for about 1 hour until dry to the touch before packing.
A Few Mistakes to Avoid
- Waiting for golden tops: These cookies should stay pale on top. Use the dry surface and lightly golden undersides as your doneness cues.
- Icing warm cookies: Let the cookies cool completely before decorating so the icing can stay in place.
- Pouring in all the milk: Start with 2 tablespoons and add more gradually. Stop when the icing spreads over the cookie without running off completely.
- Packing while tacky: Leave the cookies uncovered until the icing is dry to the touch, then separate layers with parchment.
Keeping Leftovers Fresh
Keep the decorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Wait until the icing has set completely, separate layers with parchment, and choose a cool, dry spot to help prevent the sprinkle colors from bleeding.
Can You Make Italian Christmas Cookies Ahead?
Yes. You can chill the shaped dough overnight, covered, or freeze the dough or baked cookies for up to 3 months.
For a shorter chill: Put the shaped dough in the freezer for about 30 minutes, checking periodically. Bake when the dough is firm but before the centers freeze solid.
To freeze dough: Freeze the shaped portions on a lined tray until firm, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, allowing a few additional minutes and checking for the same pale tops and lightly golden bottoms.
To freeze baked cookies: For the cleanest finish, freeze the cooled cookies without icing, thaw, and decorate. Iced cookies can also be frozen: freeze them in a single layer first, then pack with parchment between layers and thaw in the closed container to limit condensation.
What to Serve with Italian Christmas Cookies
Serve these cookies with coffee, espresso, or hot tea. For a holiday gathering, Coffee Punch gives you a make-ahead drink to set beside the cookie tray.
Round out a holiday tray with Vanilla Butter Meltaway Cookies and Soft and Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies. Their different flavors keep the assortment interesting.
Coffee Punch
Vanilla Butter Meltaway Cookies
Soft and Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies
A Quick Question About the Flour
Do Italian Christmas cookies use almond flour? This recipe uses all-purpose flour. The almond flavor comes from almond extract in the dough and icing; almond flour is not a tested substitute here.
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Italian Christmas Cookies Recipe
PrintItalian Christmas Cookies (Anginetti)
These Italian Christmas cookies have tender centers, sweet almond icing, and a sprinkle finish. Make a batch of Anginetti for cookie trays, gifts, and coffee breaks.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 36 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 26 minutes
- Yield: About 36 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ cup salted butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoons almond extract
Icing
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
Decoration
- ¼ cup nonpareils or sprinkles
Instructions
- Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk the flour and baking powder together.
- Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer at medium speed for about 2 minutes, scraping the bowl.
- Add eggs individually, mixing after each. Blend in almond extract.
- On low speed, gradually add flour mixture just until dough comes together.
- Roll tablespoon portions into balls. Space about 1 inch apart, 12 per baking sheet. Chill at least 1 hour until firm; cover if chilling overnight.
- Heat oven to 350°F toward the end of chilling. Bake chilled dough 10-12 minutes per batch until tops look dry and pale and undersides are light golden.
- Rest on the baking sheet 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool about 20 minutes, until completely cool.
- Stir powdered sugar, almond extract and 2 tablespoons milk until smooth. Add remaining milk gradually as needed for icing that spreads without running off completely.
- Place parchment beneath the rack. Spoon icing over a few cookies at a time or dip their tops; let excess drip off before returning to rack.
- Add sprinkles while icing is tacky; if very wet, let it settle briefly. Leave uncovered about 1 hour until dry to the touch before packing.
Equipment
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Buy Now → Notes
Butter: This version uses salted butter with no added salt. With unsalted butter, whisk ¼ teaspoon salt into the flour.
Flavor: Substitute anise extract for licorice flavor or vanilla for a milder cookie. Strength varies; adjust to taste.
Chilling shortcut: Freeze shaped dough about 30 minutes, checking periodically; bake when firm before centers freeze solid.
Timing: Three batches of 12. Total allows three sequential 12-minute batches, 60 minutes chilling, 5 minutes on the pan, 20 minutes cooling and 60 minutes icing setting; tasks may overlap.
Serve with coffee, espresso or hot tea; pair with biscotti, shortbread or chocolate cookies.
Storage: Let icing set completely, then store airtight at room temperature up to 4 days with parchment between layers. Keep cool and dry to help prevent sprinkle colors bleeding.
Freeze dough: Freeze shaped balls on a lined tray until firm, then bag up to 3 months. Bake frozen a few additional minutes using the same doneness cues.
Freeze baked: For the cleanest finish freeze cooled uniced cookies up to 3 months; thaw before decorating. Iced cookies may be frozen in a single layer first, then packed with parchment between layers. Thaw in the closed container to limit condensation.
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