Savor the cherished tradition of Classic Italian Easter Cookies, treasured for their lemony flavor that brings a refreshing kick to every bite.
Made with simple pantry ingredients, these tender cookies are topped with a sweet powdered sugar glaze and decorated with vibrant spring-colored sprinkles.
Check out all my other favorite Easter Desserts that I love to serve to family and friends during this holiday season.
This recipe is affectionately referred to as my mom's famous Italian cookie recipe, a beloved tradition in our family for years.
It's a staple at our family gatherings, parties, weddings, and more. My mom often bakes batches of these cookies with her homemade Pizzelle cookies to give as gifts during the holiday season.
Nowadays, baking has become challenging for my mom. However, to keep the tradition alive, my daughter Olivia, my sister Liz, and I all take turns making this recipe, ensuring it remains a cherished part of our family heritage.
Table of Contents
Traditional Easter Cookies
Traditional Easter cookies hold a special place in many cultures, each recipe carrying its own unique history and flavor.
In Italy, the Calabrese Easter Cookie delights with its dense, citrus-infused dough. These cookies are semi-sweet and are usually flavored with orange.
Italian Easter Cookies with Egg feature a symbolic egg nestled atop a sweet, buttery biscuit while Italian Bow Tie cookies boast a delicate crunch and are often drizzled with honey for a touch of sweetness.
Rosette Cookies are made with an iron that is dipped into the cookie batter and then deep fried. There are special irons you can purchase for the different holidays. My mother had a butterfly iron, so we called them "butterfly cookies."
Finally, Cucidati or Fig Cookie, are a Sicilian treat filled with a spiced fig mixture, a cherished delicacy during the Easter season. These recipes not only taste delicious but also remind us of the special Easter traditions celebrated worldwide.
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📋Ingredients
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
It's easy to adapt this cookie for any celebration simply by changing the sprinkles used to decorate. For this recipe, I used these Colorful Sprinkles.
This recipe calls for Lemon Extract, but you can easily substitute it with pure vanilla extract or even pure almond extract if desired.
You can even use grated lemon peel in place of the sprinkles.
Check out my other recipe for Best Italian Christmas Cookies.
🥣Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of your KitchenAid mixer, cream together the sugar and butter. Add the eggs, one at a time, then mix in the lemon extract.
Step 2: Add the eggs, one at a time, then mix in the lemon extract.
Step 3: Reduce the mixer speed and gradually add the flour mixture. Continue to mix until everything is well combined.
Step 4: The cookie dough should be smooth and evenly mixed, with no streaks of flour remaining. This will help the cookies have a uniform texture.
⏲Baking Instructions
Step 5: Using a small cookie scoop, place the cookie dough onto a baking tray. I like to use Parchment Baking Sheets.
Step 6: Bake for 7 to 10 minutes in an oven preheated to 350°F or until the cookies' bottoms turn a light golden brown. Transfer the cookies from the baking tray to a wire rack to cool completely.
Expert Tip
Wait until the cookies have cooled completely before adding the glaze. If you add it while they're still warm, the glaze might melt and the cookies won't look as nice as they do in the pictures.
Step 7: Mix the ingredients for the glaze in a small bowl. If the glaze seems too thick, add a few more tablespoons of milk.
Step 8: Dip the cookie tops into the glaze and promptly sprinkle with the toppings.
Before You Begin!
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Storage Tips
Once the Italian cookies have dried completely, store them in an airtight container. Be sure to layer parchment paper between the cookies for ideal storage.
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.
Freezing Tips
To maintain the integrity of these cookies, it's best to freeze them without the glaze. When defrosted, the glaze can become sticky and messy.
Start by flash freezing the cookies on a baking tray. Once frozen, transfer them to an airtight container or large freezer-safe plastic bags.
Stored this way, these cookies can maintain their freshness for up to a month or even two in the freezer.
- 【Premium Quality】This food storage container is made of food-grade PP material, ensuring safety and durability. The transparent design allows for easy identification of contents.
🔁 Thawing Tips
To defrost the cookies, simply transfer them from the freezer to the refrigerator and let them thaw overnight.
You can also leave them at room temperature for a few hours until they reach the desired consistency. Avoid using the microwave for defrosting, as it can cause uneven thawing and compromise the texture of the cookies.
Once you the cookies have reached room temperature, prepare the glaze following the instructions above and decorate the cookies.
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📖 Recipe Card
Italian Easter Cookies
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- 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.
- Beat in the lemon extract.
- Lower the speed of the mixer and gradually beat in the flour mixture until all is blended.
- Using a small cookie scoop, place the cookies on a baking tray that's been lined with parchment paper.
- Bake for 7 to 10 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven or until the bottoms are a light golden brown.
- Remove the cookies from the baking tray to a wire rack to cool completely.
- 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.
- Dip the tops of the cookies in the glaze and immediately add the nonpareils or crushed candy cane pieces. The glaze hardens pretty quickly so if you wait too long, the sprinkles will not stick.
- Let the cookies set until dried completely.
Linda says
Why the reason to add vegetable oil to the glaze?
Lois says
It will give a nice shine to the glaze. Hope this helps!
Albina says
Thank you for sharing this lovingly remembered recipe! My grandmother always made these for me in my youth. BTW, I am 82 years old and never knew how she made them! Again, thank you!
Lois says
I hope you try to make them! Thanks for the great comment.
Luisa Bellissimo says
Planning to make these for my grandsons. They love sprinkles of any kind.
Lois says
I hope your grandsons enjoyed the cookies! Thank you for visiting.
Ashley @ Big Flavors says
Thanks for including my family's Calabrese cookies here! There are so many tasty Italian cookies out there - the ones you have shared in this post all look delicious 🙂
Lois says
It's a beautiful cookie! Thank you for visiting.
Christina | Christina's Cucina says
Lovely cookies, Lois! So very festive and perfect for adults as well as kids!
Lois says
Thanks Christina!!!