Best Italian Christmas Cookies

Lemony cookies topped with a sweetened glaze and fun colorful sprinkles. These Best Italian Christmas Cookies are a classic Italian cookie that can be served year round but are very popular around the holidays.

Let me show you how to make one of our family's favorite Christmas cookie recipes with you!

These cookie recipes will be great for hosting a cookie exchange, give away cookies as gifts or just bake for your own family, If you do plan on giving them as gifts, print out the FREE Christmas recipe cards so you can easily write out the recipe to give as part of the gift.

If you need gift tags, there are some really cute ones over in the WOS Shop.

Christmas Cookie Recipes

This recipe for Best Italian Christmas Cookies is my mom's recipe. My mom has been making this cookie recipe for years. She makes them for all our family gatherings, parties, weddings, etc.

Every Christmas she bakes these cookies along with her Pizzelle Cookie Recipe and Italian Ricotta Cookies and gives them as gifts to her hairdressers. Her hairdressers started calling them, "Italian Lady Cookies" because, well my mom is Italian.

You can also bake these cookies all year long. We love to serve them as Italian Easter Cookies and serving them for bridal showers. Simply change the color sprinkles to fit the holiday or occasion you're celebrating.

The Italian Christmas Cookies are delicious. This recipe never, ever fails.

Helpful Kitchen Tools

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• Rubber spatula
• Cookie scoops
• Parchment Baking Sheets
• Crushed Candy Cane Pieces - these can be hard to find in grocery stores which is why I like to buy them on Amazon.
• Colorful Sprinkles - these are the sprinkles that are traditionally used for this cookie. You can use other colored sprinkles if you're baking them at other times during the year.

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Main Ingredients Needed

This is an overview of the ingredients and instructions. Be sure to see the recipe card below for exact quantities, detailed instructions and special notes.

For the Cookies

• Flour
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Eggs
• White sugar
• Butter
• Lemon Extract - see note below

For the Glaze

• Confectioner's Sugar/Powdered Sugar
• Lemon Extract
• Vegetable Oil
• Warm Milk
• Assorted Christmas sprinkles or crushed peppermint candies

Step-by-Step Directions

Step 1 | Combine the Dry Ingredients

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of your KitchenAid mixer beat together the sugar and butter. Add the eggs, one at a time and then beat in the lemon extract.
• Lower the speed of the mixer and gradually beat in the flour mixture until all is blended.

Step 2 | How to Shape the Cookies

• Using a small cookie scoop, place the cookies on a baking tray that's been lined with Parchment Baking Sheets.

Step 3 | Baking Instructions

• Bake for 7 to 10 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven or until the bottom of the cookies are a light golden brown.

Step 4 | Cooling Instructions

• Remove the cookies from the baking tray to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Do not try to glaze them while the cookies are still warm.
• The glaze will melt into the cookie and they won't look as pretty as the photographs.

Step 5 | Prepare the Cookie Glaze

• Prepare the glaze by combining the ingredients in a small bowl.
• If you find that the glaze is too thick, add another few tablespoons of milk.

Step 6 | Glaze the Cookies

• Dip the tops of the cookies in the glaze and immediately add the nonpareils, sprinkles or Crushed Candy Cane Pieces.

Step 7 | Add the Candy Sprinkles

• The glaze hardens pretty quickly so if you wait too long, the sprinkles, nonpareils or crushed candy cane pieces will not stick.
• Let the cookies set until dried completely before storing in an air-tight container.

Storage Cookie Tips

• Once the Italian Christmas cookies have dried completely, store them in an air-tight container.
• Cookies will remain fresh if stored in a cool, dry place.
• I like to put the container in the back of my pantry closet. Stored this way cookies should stay fresh for up to 10 days.
• Try my other Easy Italian Christmas Cookies.

Freezing Cookies Tips

• I like to freeze these cookies without the glaze.
• Flash freeze the cookies on a baking tray and then once frozen, place in an airtight container or in large plastic freezer safe bags.
• These cookies will last in the freezer for up to a month or two.
• Once you have defrosted the cookies, prepare the glaze and following the instructions above for adding the glaze and sprinkles.

Frequently Asked Recipe Questions

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Ready for More Christmas Cookie Recipes?

• Shortbread Cookies - my favorite cookies all year long! 
• Slice and Bake Colorful Swirl Cookies
• Candy Cane Sugar Cookies
• Classic Oatmeal Cookies
• Freezer Friendly Slice and Bake Shortbread Cookies
• Gingersnap Cookies
• Vanilla Chocolate Slice and Bake Cookies
• Italian Ricotta Christmas Cookies – A Family Tradition