Italian Easter Cookies are super soft and decorated with pastel colors and sprinkles – perfect for Easter! Not only do these simple almond cookies look festive, they taste incredibly delicious and are so easy to make!
Looking for more fun Easter treats? Make sure to try these favorites: Bunny Bait Easter Snack Mix, Carrot Cake and Easter Magic Cookie Bars!
Simple Italian cookies are often called Italian Wedding Cookies and are buttery, tender cookies with texture similar to shortbread cookies. These cookies are often topped with a simple glaze and colored sprinkles – usually nonpareils
These Italian Easter Cookies are topped with a sweet, almond flavored pastel glaze and colorful sprinkles that make them perfect for Easter.
What are Italian Cookies?
Italian cookies are well known as a cookie enjoyed typically around Christmas time. The traditional Italian cookies are flavored with anise while the American version uses almond extract instead. I’m using almond extract in my cookies because that’s the flavor I prefer but feel free to use anise instead.
These almond cookies just melt in your mouth and are a favorite with kids and adults alike! A pretty plate of these cookies is sure to make any occasion feel festive.
More Cookies Recipes
Baking this weekend? Here are some more delicious cookie recipes to try:
- Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies
- Whipped Shortbread Cookies
- Kolaczki (Polish Cookies)
- Easy No Bake Cookies
- Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Italian Cookies Ingredients
This Italian Cookies recipe is so perfect for Easter but I can’t stress enough how customizable these cookies are for any occasion, any holiday. Simply swap out the sprinkles! As always, you can find the full, printable recipe card at the end of this post. Let’s take a quick look at what you’ll need:
For the cookies:
- all-purpose flour – the flour provides the structure of these cookies. Make sure to spoon and level for accurate measurement.
- baking powder – this is the leavening agent in this cookie recipe.
- salt – needed for balance and flavor.
- granulated sugar – for a perfectly sweet cookie.
- unsalted butter – Make sure your butter is softened at room temperature. If you have salted butter, that’s fine, just omit the salt from the recipe.
- vanilla extract – I like to add some vanilla extract in addition to the almond extract to really round out the flavors.
- almond extract – commonly used to flavor Italian Wedding Cookies in the Unites States but can be swapped out with anise flavoring, the more traditional ingredient.
- eggs – room temperature eggs will incorporate more easily into the dough.
For the glaze:
- powdered sugar
- milk – or cream.
- almond extract – vanilla extract or lemon juice can be substituted.
- liquid food coloring
You’ll also need sprinkles (nonpareils are traditionally used) for decorating.
How To Make Italian Cookies
- Preheat oven and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Whisk together the all purpose flour, salt and baking powder.
- Beat together butter, granulated sugar and both the vanilla and almond extracts until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs, one at a time.
- Slowly add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
- Scoop cookie dough and shape into balls. Place on baking sheet.
- Bake for 12 to 15 or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Rest on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
Italian Cookies Glaze
- Whisk together the powdered sugar, milk and almond extract in a small bowl until smooth.
- Divide the glaze equally into 3 bowls (or however many colors you want) and tint with food coloring.
- Dip the cooled cookies in the glaze and decorate with sprinkles.
- Allow them to set up on a plate before serving. (Consider double dipping the cookies for a deeper glaze color.)
Use the food coloring sparingly for pretty pastel colors. Place a drop or two into the bowl and mix. Add more color until desired color is achieved.
Italian Easter Cookies FAQs
Almond extract can be found in most stores along the baking aisle where you’ll find vanilla extract. You can also easily source it online instead if you prefer.
I almost always make use of a cookie scoop to create even and uniform-sized cookies which yields the best results. Of course, if you don’t have a cookie scoop then use a regular spoon and roll your cookie balls with the palm of your hands.
Just try not to handle the cookie dough for too long in your hands – the dough needs to still be chilled by the time it reaches the oven so that it doesn’t spread out during baking.
If you find that your sprinkles are not sticking to your cookies, it’s likely because you have allowed the sugar glaze to set up too much. The sprinkles need to be applied soon after the glaze while it’s still “tacky”. If you need more hands on board, ask your little ones to assist you!
These cookie are not overly sweet. Consider double dipping your cookies in the glaze for a little extra sweetness. Let the first dip set up completely, then dip again and add the sprinkles.
Storage Information
Italian Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
To Freeze: You could also freeze your baked cookies for up to 1 month although the sprinkles may bleed from the freezing and defrosting. Alternatively, freeze your Italian cookies without the applied sugar glaze and add the glaze and sprinkles the day you plan on serving.
When storing these cookies in the freezer, flash freeze them for an hour first so that they harden and don’t stick together. Then, transfer cookies to a freezer safe Ziploc bag. Defrost at room temperature for an hour before serving.
Trish’s Tips and Tricks
- You can make these cookies in advance by freezing them (unglazed) and by storing the glaze in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Thaw your cookies and bring the glaze to room temperature before applying.
- Be careful not to over bake these cookies or they will get hard. You want a soft, tender, almost cake-like interior.
- I’ve used almond extract in this recipe as that’s what I prefer but you can use only vanilla extract or anise instead (which tastes like black licorice).
- If your cookies come out flat instead of pillowy, it could be that the leavening agents (i.e. the baking powder and egg) aren’t fresh. Be sure to check the expiration date of the baking powder!
- Allow the glaze to set ever so slightly before applying the decorative sprinkles. You want it to be “tacky”. If the glaze is too wet, the sprinkles will bleed their color, but if the glaze is too dry from setting then the sprinkles will just fall right off.
- I’ve found that pastel sprinkles tend to bleed color less.
- Consider adding about one cup of finely chopped nuts (ideally almonds). The cookies could also be topped with colorful sugar crystals!
More Easter Desserts
- Carrot Cake
- Coconut Cream Pie
- Jell-O Divinity
- Easter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Three Minute Easter Fluff
- Speckled Egg Easter Cake
- Cream Cheese Mints
- Bunny Bait
Italian Easter Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons almond extract
- 3 eggs room temperature
Cookie Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons milk or cream
- 1 teaspoon almond extract vanilla extract or lemon juice can be substituted
- liquid food coloring and sprinkles for decorating
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F°. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, salt and baking powder.
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the softened butter, granulated sugar and both the vanilla and almond extracts and beat on medium high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add one egg at a time, mixing on medium-low speed until the egg is incorporated until adding the next egg.
- Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. Be careful to not over mix.
- Use a medium cookie scoop (about 1 ½ tablespoons of cookie dough) and use your hands to shape into balls. Place the balls about an inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 12 to 15 or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Let cookies cool completely before glazing.
Italian Cookies Glaze
- Whisk together the powdered sugar, milk and almond extract in a small bowl until smooth and no lumps remain.
- Divide the glaze equally into 3 bowls (or however many colors you want) and tint with food coloring.
- Carefully dip the cooled cookies in the glaze and decorate with sprinkles. Allow them to set up on a plate before serving. (Consider double dipping the cookies for a deeper glaze color.)
Lori says
I made them using the milk in the dough. They were really good and moist. I’m gonna make them again without the milk and see how that goes.
Peg says
1/4 cup of milk is listed in the cookie ingredient list, but is not mentioned in the directions. The cookies came out great even though I forgot to add the milk when reading the directions that omitted it. (Oops!)
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I’m so glad you left it out lol, that was an error. Thanks for the heads up!
Peg says
These are spot on perfect and delicious. Easy and quick, dough very easy to handle, great yield. (I used a level tablespoon to measure the dough. ) Alternately, I made a batch with 1 1/2 tsp lemon zest, replaced the almond extract with 1 tsp. lemon extract, and about 1 1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice. I made the glaze with fresh lemon juice, water and confectionary sugar, them sprinkled pastel- colored sprinkles. They were a hit. I made these for Easter because I did the almond ones for Christmas. However, both are great anytime! (I’m making a batch to welcome a new neighbor.)
Julie says
I am making these and just realized that the milk in the dough section is not anywhere in the instructions.
Do I add the 1/4 cup milk into the dough? Or was this put in by mistake?
Thanks!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
It was a mistake 😞 Sorry!