How to make soft, sweet and buttery Italian sugar cookies with a simple powdered sugar glaze and festive sprinkles on top. This easy classic drop cookie recipe is perfect for Christmas, holiday parties or even everyday baking with the kiddos.
The holiday season is upon us, which means my family is busy making all our favorite Christmas cookies. We’re making hot cocoa cookies, white chocolate cranberry pistachio cookies and now these soft Italian sugar cookies. A few months ago, I stumbled across this recipe on a handwritten card in my mom’s recipe box, and they quickly became a family favorite.
What’s an Italian Sugar Cookie?
If you’re like me, you’re probably wondering what makes Italian sugar cookies (also called Anginetti cookies) so different from regular sugar cookies. The difference is that these cookies are a drop cookie, whereas most traditional sugar cookies are a cutout sugar cookie recipe.
Drop cookies are sort of like drop biscuits; just mix up the dough, drop them onto a baking sheet with a cookie scooper, and bake. The result is an ultra-soft, tender, buttery and delicious Italian Christmas cookie that you can top off with a simple powdered sugar glaze and your choice of festive sprinkles. Make a big batch because these addictive cookies disappear fast!
Ingredients & Substitutions Notes
- Butter – This recipe doesn’t skimp on the salted butter, and for good reason. It’s what makes them so soft and buttery!
- Sugar – You’ll need a mixture of granulated sugar and powdered sugar for the dough. Italian cookie dough often calls for a mixture because the powdered sugar will make for a softer, more tender texture.
- Vanilla Extract – I always add a splash of my favorite Mexican vanilla to the cookie dough.
- Flour – Be sure to use an all-purpose flour. Don’t use flour with too low of a protein percentage, like cake flour or pastry flour, or else the drop cookies won’t hold their shape as well.
- Sweet Glaze – For the sweet glaze, you’ll need salted butter, vanilla extract, almond extract, powdered sugar and whole milk. This will be spooned on top of the cookies once fully baked.
- Sprinkles – Lastly, you’ll sprinkle your favorite nonpariels on top of the cooled and glazed Italian sugar cookies. I just use regular sprinkles.
How to Make Glazed Italian Sugar Cookies
Before getting started, preheat your oven to 350ºF. Then line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
How to Make Italian Drop Cookies
- In a large mixing bowl or in the bowl of an electric stand mixer, cream together the butter, cane sugar, powdered sugar, egg, and vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing ’til well combined.
- Scoop the dough into balls and place onto the baking sheet that you lined with parchment paper in the first step. I like to use my cookie scooper for this.
- Bake at 350° F for 8-10 minutes, or ’til the cookies start to turn a slight golden color.
- Using a cookie spatula, remove the cookies to a wire rack to cool.
Glazing Your Italian Sugar Cookies
- In another large bowl, mix together the butter, vanilla extract, and almond extract.
- Add the powdered sugar and milk to the mixture, whisking ’til smooth and creamy.
- Once cooled, dip the tops of the cookies in the glaze, and immediately sprinkle with nonpareils.
- Place back on the wire rack ’til the glaze dries. That’s it!
Once the powdered sugar glaze is dry to the touch, your Italian sugar cookies are ready to enjoy. This is a great recipe to make with the kids during the holiday season. Serve them at Christmas, weddings, bridal showers, holiday parties or any other celebration for a scrumptious treat that everyone will love!
Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ’s
Yes, you can make sugar free Italian sugar cookies. You’ll just need to substitute the granulated sugar with an artificial sweetener or natural sweetener of your choice. You’ll also need to find a sugar-free powdered sugar substitute.
Yes, you can make this recipe gluten free. Just swap out the all-purpose flour in this recipe for a gluten-free all-purpose flour. You’ll also need to add some xanthan gum, following the instructions on the package. As always, be sure to check that all of your other ingredients are truly gluten free.
Store leftover Italian sugar cookies in an airtight container for up to 7 days.
Yes, you can freeze Italian Christmas cookies. I recommend freezing them unglazed in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Let them thaw out on the counter for a few hours before adding the glaze. Alternatively, you can also freeze the dough balls on an open baking sheet. Once frozen, transfer the frozen cookie dough balls into a freezer bag, and then store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can pull them out and bake from frozen any time you’re craving a sweet treat!
Optional Add-Ins for Italian Sugar Cookies
There are so many different ways to make Italian Christmas cookies. Here are a few popular ways that you can switch things up with this recipe…
- Italian cookies are famous for using unique flavoring extracts. In addition to the vanilla extract, some recipes might add almond extract, lemon extract or anise extract for extra flavor.
- Add some Ricotta cheese to the cookie dough to make Ricotta Christmas cookies.
- Instead of making glazed Italian cookies, roll the baked cookies in confectioners’ sugar to make Italian wedding cookies. For truly authentic Italian wedding cookies, you can add ground almonds or pecans to the cookie dough.
More Delicious Holiday Treats
- Fantasy Fudge
- Buckeye Balls
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Ritz Cracker Cookies
- Easy Chocolate Brownie Trifle
- Red Velvet Cupcakes
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Italian Sugar Cookies
Equipment
- Mixer optional
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 cup salted butter softened
- 1/2 cup cane sugar
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 large egg beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Glaze
- 2 tablespoons salted butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup nonpareils give or take
Instructions
Cookies
- Before getting started, preheat your oven to 350ºF, and line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl or in the bowl of an electric stand mixer, cream together the butter, cane sugar, powdered sugar, egg, and vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing 'til well combined.
- Scoop the dough into balls and place on a cookie sheet.
- Bake at 350° F for 8-10 minutes, or 'til the cookies start to turn a slight golden color.
- Using a cookie spatula, remove the cookies to a wire rack to cool.
Glaze
- In a large bowl, mix together the butter, vanilla extract, and almond extract.
- Add the powdered sugar and milk to the mixture, whisking 'til smooth and creamy.
- Dip the tops of the cooled cookies in the glaze, and immediately sprinkle with nonpareils.
- Place back on the wire rack 'til the glaze dries. Then store in an airtight container.
These are so easy and fun to make and taste delicious! I love how you could change out the non perils to suit any holiday!