If you're looking for a new cookie recipe to make during the holidays, look no further than these Easy Italian Christmas Cookies!
Made with butter, flour, sugar, eggs, and almond extract, they're sure to be a hit at your next holiday party or gathering.
The best part? This Christmas Cookie Recipe is easy to customize with various shapes, sizes, and decorations!
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These Italian sugar Christmas cutout cookies are soft, festive, and always a hit. Simple to make and perfect for parties, holiday cookie exchanges, or family gatherings—you’ll love how quickly they disappear!
Looking for more Easy cookie recipes? Try my Italian Christmas Tree Cookies or my grandmother's Ricotta Cookies.
Table of Contents
- Traditional Italian Christmas cookies
- Helpful Kitchen Tools
- Main Ingredients Needed
- Substitutions and Variations
- Step-by-Step Instructions
- Insider Tips from My Kitchen to Yours
- Storage & Serving Tips
- Give the Gift of Cookies This Holiday Season
- Recipe FAQ's
- Storage & Serving Tips
- More Cookie Recipes You'll Love!
- LOVE this recipe? SAVE it for Later!
- 📖 Recipe Card
- 💬 Comments
Traditional Italian Christmas cookies
These classic Italian Christmas cookies, like my Best Italian Cookies, are soft, lightly sweet, and topped with a simple glaze and colorful sprinkles. Perfect for holiday gatherings, gift-giving, or enjoying with a cup of coffee.
- Flavors & Ingredients: Buttery dough, vanilla, icing glaze, festive sprinkles
- Time & Difficulty: About 30 minutes, beginner-friendly
- Why You’ll Love It: A beloved family tradition that’s easy to make and always crowd-pleasing
- Shortcut/Pro Tip: Chill the dough to keep cookies tender and prevent spreading
Helpful Kitchen Tools
Farberware Classic Wood Rolling Pin
Wilton Holiday Cookie Cutters, Set of 4Natural Colored Sanding Sugar Crystals (Red Sugar)Green Sparkling Sugar
Main Ingredients Needed
Here's a quick overview of the ingredients for this recipe. Find the exact amounts and click the Instacart button to easily add them to your cart – all in the printable recipe card below!
Substitutions and Variations
- You can substitute 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract for the almond extract if you prefer.
- This recipe can be used all year long for different holidays. Simply change the shape of cookie cutter.
- Prepare a simple powdered sugar glaze to spread on the cookies if you want them to be a little fancier. Check out my other recipe for Sugar Christmas Cookies for the glaze used that would be a fun way to change this recipe.
Step-by-Step Instructions
This section includes step-by-step photos and instructions to guide you through the recipe. For the complete printable version, scroll down to the recipe card below.
Step 1: Using an electric mixer, combine together the butter and sugar.
Step 2: Add in the egg and almond extract.
Step 3: Then stir in the flour that's been combined with the baking powder.
Step 4: Add the flour gradually until everything is combined and dough is formed.
Step 5: Once the dough comes together, remove it from the mixing bowl and shape into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for an hour.
Step 6: Roll out the cookie dough on a lightly floured surface or parchment paper. Begin cutting out shapes using your favorite cookie cutters.
Step 7: Place the cookie shapes on a parchment lined baking sheet. Brush each cookie with the egg white and then decorate with red and green sanding sugar.
Step 8: Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for about 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden.
Insider Tips from My Kitchen to Yours
✔️ DO chill the dough before baking to keep the cookies from spreading and to ensure a tender texture.
❌ DO NOT skip the icing glaze—it's what gives these cookies their classic flavor and festive finish.
Storage & Serving Tips
Refrigerate: Keep cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 7 days.
Freezer: Freeze in single layers with parchment paper between cookies. Store in an airtight container or freezer bag for 3–6 months.
Thaw Tips: Let cookies thaw at room temperature before serving.
Serving Tips: Arrange on a holiday platter or package in tins for gifting
Give the Gift of Cookies This Holiday Season
👉 Bake it, wrap it, and gift it with love! My Christmas Cookie Gift Tags make every holiday treat look festive and ready to share.
Recipe FAQ's
To view the answers, simply click on the down arrow (⬇) next to each question. If you have any other questions not answered here, please leave a comment!
Almond extract is a food flavoring made from the oil of roasted almonds. It is used in a variety of baking recipes, as well as in some savory dishes.
You can prepare the dough a day or two in advance. Keep it tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake. Just let the dough sit at room temperature for about 10–15 minutes so it’s easier to roll and shape before baking.
Storage & Serving Tips
Refrigerate: Keep cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 7 days.
Freezer: Freeze in single layers with parchment paper between cookies. Store in an airtight container or freezer bag for 3–6 months.
Thaw Tips: Let cookies thaw at room temperature before serving.
Serving Tips: Arrange on a holiday platter or package in tins for gifting.
More Cookie Recipes You'll Love!
Check out my other recipe for 3 Ingredient Christmas Cookies or my collection of Wilton Cookie Press Cookie Recipes.
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📖 Recipe Card
Easy Italian Christmas Cookies
Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 cup butter softened
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 egg white
- red and green sanding sugar
Method
- In a large bowl on medium speed, beat the butter and sugar together until creamy.
- Beat in the egg and almond extract.
- Slowly add the sifted flour and baking powder in a little at a time until everything is combined.
- Turn the dough out on a cutting board and shape it into a disc.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate an hour.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough.
- Arrange the cookie cutters on top of the dough and cut out the shapes.
- Repeat until there is no dough left.
- Place the cookies on parchment lined baking sheets.
- Brush each cookie with the beaten egg white. Then sprinkle the red and green sanding sugar on top.
- Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for about 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden.
Jessica says
I followed the recipe and instructions exactly and they turned out beautifully. Delicious as well. I used only baking powder.
Lois says
I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thanks for posting your comment!