Italian Christmas Cookies (Soft & Buttery)

Name: Italian Christmas Cookies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 145 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup salted butter (room temperature); 2/3 cup granulated sugar; 3 large eggs; 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (anise extract or lemon zest works too); 2 cups all-purpose flour; ¼ teaspoon fine kosher salt; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar; 3-4 tablespoons milk of choice; 1/4 cup sprinkles of choice (I use nonpareils)

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These soft, buttery Italian Christmas cookies are a holiday favorite that’s as easy to make as it is delicious. Flavored with warm vanilla and dipped in a sweet glaze, each cookie is finished with colorful sprinkles for that classic festive touch. Perfect for gifting, cookie exchanges, or adding to your dessert table, these cookies will bring a little charm to your holiday baking.

Italian Christmas Cookies with sprinkles next to a red and white striped napkin.

The secret to these cookies is in the chilling of the soft dough. This resting time allows the butter to firm up, but also gives the flour a chance to absorb the liquid from the eggs. This makes the cookie dough easier to handle but also means that the baked cookies don’t spread much, meaning they stay nice and thick with a soft, light texture. They’re simply flavored but are easily customized with mix-ins like chopped nuts or by changing up the flavor extract you use.

These cookies are great as part of a Christmas cookie box alongside my Peppermint Cookies and Cranberry Bliss Bars.

Recipe Overview

Skill Level

Beginner

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

10 mins

Ingredients Needed

Below are the ingredients you’ll need to make Italian Christmas Cookies. The full quantities can be found in the recipe card further down the post.

Salted butter: Using salted butter in the cookies balances the sweetness. If you only have unsalted butter, increase the amount of kosher salt to 1/2 teaspoon.
Granulated sugar: This gives the cookies a crispy texture and helps them brown while making them sweet. You can use superfine sugar instead.
Eggs: These bind the cookie dough and help the cookies rise.
Vanilla extract: The cookies are simply flavored, which allows the taste of the vanilla extract to shine through. You can use 1/2 tablespoon of vanilla bean paste if you prefer.
All-purpose flour: For the right level of chew in the cookies, I use all-purpose flour. You can use pastry flour for a more crumbly cookie, or whole wheat flour for a fiber boost.
Fine kosher salt and Baking powder
Powdered sugar: When mixed with liquid forms a simple, optional glaze for the cookies, which helps the sprinkles to stick to the cookie tops.
Milk: Use any kind of milk for the glaze. If using non-dairy milk, choose one that is unsweetened and unflavored.
Sprinkles: I like to use nonpareils for these cookies, which are little multicolored balls. Go with whichever sprinkles you love most.

How to Make Italian Christmas Cookies

Step 1: In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar with electric beaters until combined. Mix in the eggs and vanilla extract.

Step 2: In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking powder.

process shot of whisking the eggs with butter and sugar.

Step 3: Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir together until no floury streaks remain. Refrigerate for 2 hours so the dough can firm up.

Step 4: Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

process shot of making the cookie dough.

Step 5: Use a small ice cream scoop to scoop the cookie dough into balls. Place on the prepared sheet pan with some space in between.

Step 6: Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes. Leave to cool on the sheet pan.

process shot of baking the cookies on a sheet pan.

Step 7: Make the optional icing by combining the powdered sugar and milk in a small bowl, whisking until combined.

Step 8: Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cookies and decorate with sprinkles. Leave to set, then enjoy!

Variations & Tips

→ Chilling the dough gives the flour time to absorb the liquid from the eggs, which makes the finished cookies thicker and softer.

→ Once the cookies have been glazed, place them back onto the lined sheet pan to set for easy cleanup.

→ Make sure you let the glaze set fully before transferring the cookies to an airtight container; otherwise, the cookies will stick together.

→ Customize the flavor of the dough by using different flavor extracts. You can replace the vanilla extract with 1/2 teaspoon of almond, anise, lemon, or orange extract for a new taste.

→ Replace 1/4 cup of the flour with unsweetened cocoa powder and dip the baked cookies in melted chocolate instead of glaze.

→ Stir 1/2 cup toasted, chopped almonds into the cookie dough before chilling.

A stack of Italian Christmas Cookies, one with a bite taken out.

Common Questions

How do I store Italian Christmas Cookies?

Once the glaze has set, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Can I freeze the dough?

Yes! After chilling and scooping the dough, freeze it on the sheet pan until firm (around 2 hours). Once solid, transfer to an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake the dough from frozen as usual; you may need to increase the bake time by 1-2 minutes.

Can you freeze the baked cookies?

Yes, however, I advise freezing them before decorating with icing and sprinkles. If you freeze glazed cookies, the icing will become sticky when you defrost them. To freeze, place the cooled, unglazed cookies into an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature before decorating as usual.

Why did my Cookies Flatten?

This can happen if you don’t chill the dough before baking. The chilling time is vital to help the dough firm up, which prevents it from spreading as it bakes. They may also spread more if you’ve accidentally used baking soda instead of baking powder, or if you used larger eggs than specified.

Can I use oil instead of butter?

You can replace the butter with oil, yes. But the texture, shape, and taste will be a bit different. The cookies will flatten more, and they will not have a soft texture.