Description
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with these delightful Italian Cookies, featuring a soft, buttery texture and a sweet glaze tinted green for the festive occasion. These glazed almond-flavored cookies are perfect for holiday platters or classroom treats and bring a charming blend of vanilla and almond extracts to every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3–4 tablespoons milk
Glaze
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 2–3 tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
- Green sprinkles or green food coloring (optional for St. Patrick’s Day)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, use a mixer to cream the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, which helps create tender cookies.
- Incorporate Eggs and Extracts: Beat in the eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully blended before adding the next. Then mix in the vanilla and almond extracts to infuse the dough with flavor.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening agents and salt through the flour.
- Make the Dough: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, alternating with the milk. This gradual mixing helps prevent lumps and results in a soft dough that holds together well.
- Form Cookies: Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough and roll them into balls. Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
- Bake Cookies: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the bottoms are lightly golden, indicating they are cooked through but still soft inside.
- Cool Cookies: Remove the cookies from the oven and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing, which lets the cookies firm up for easier handling.
- Prepare Glaze: In a bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla or almond extract until smooth. For a festive touch, add green food coloring if desired.
- Glaze the Cookies: Dip the tops of the cooled cookies into the glaze, then place them back on a wire rack or parchment paper to allow excess glaze to drip off.
- Decorate and Set Glaze: Immediately decorate with green sprinkles if using, and let the glaze set at room temperature before serving to achieve a perfect finish.
Notes
- For a citrus twist, add lemon or orange zest to the dough to brighten the flavor.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days to maintain freshness.
- These cookies are ideal for festive platters, classroom treats, or any St. Patrick’s Day celebration.
