Italian Christmas Cookies Recipes

Steps:

• Firstly, sift the flour and baking powder together into a bowl.
• Then, in a larger bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs and add vanilla, then pour the dry ingredients into the wet and mix.
• Knead and add flour as needed to keep dough from sticking to hands. Pinch off dough, roll in your hands to form a log and then twirl into shape. Place on greased cookie sheets.
• Bake at 375 for 10 minutes.
• Combine the next 3 ingredients until creamy.
• Dip cookies into icing and sprinkle with trim. Place on wire rack with wax paper on counter to collect the dripping icing and sprinkles.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in ricotta and vanilla. Combine flour, salt and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture. , Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. , In a large bowl, cream together butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla and enough milk to reach spreading consistency. Frost cooled cookies and immediately decorate with sprinkles. Store in the refrigerator.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a large cookie sheet.
• Whisk together sugar, butter, milk, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl until blended.
• Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Add to the wet ingredients and stir until evenly blended. Cover the surface of the dough with plastic wrap or waxed paper and let stand for 5 minutes.
• With floured hands, shape dough by level tablespoon into 1-inch balls. Place balls 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until puffed on top and light brown on the bottom, 7 to 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool, about 30 minutes. Shape remaining dough into cookies and baking instructions.
• Whisk together confectioners' sugar and water in a small bowl until blended. Dip the top of each cooled cookie into the glaze, then place on a wire rack set over waxed paper (this will catch any drips.) Immediately sprinkle cookies with candy sprinkles. Allow glaze to set for about 20 minutes.

Steps:

• Sift together flours and salt.
• Cut shortening into flour mixture.
• Melt 1/2 + 1/3 cup sugar in 1/2 cup water and pour into flour mixture and mix.
• Roll out and cut into circles the size of a large can like fruit comes in, about 2 1/2 inches in diameter.
• Make the filling by mixing together nuts, 2 tbsp sugar, and raisins.
• Place a tablespoonful of filling on one side of each circle.
• Wet the edges of the circle, fold over (should look like a half moon), and seal with a fork.
• Prick the top of all assembled cookies with a fork to vent.
• Bake at 400F for 7-10 minutes, until just turning golden.
• Let cool.
• Dust lightly with powdered sugar or make frosting by mixing 1 tbsp water, powdered sugar, and vanilla. If desired, frosting may be tinted with food coloring and sprinkles may be put on cookies immediately after frosting.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. In small bowl, stir flour, baking powder and salt.
• In large bowl, beat granulated sugar, softened butter, ricotta cheese and lemon peel with electric mixer on medium speed about 1 minute or until fluffy; scrape side of bowl. Beat in eggs, one at a time, just until smooth. Stir in vanilla. On low speed, beat flour mixture into sugar mixture until well blended. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Using floured fingers, shape dough into 54 (1-inch) balls; place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until set but not brown. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.
• In small bowl, beat powdered sugar and 3 tablespoons lemon juice with spoon until smooth and spreadable. If frosting is too stiff to spread, add additional lemon juice, 1 teaspoon at a time. Tint with food color. Using knife, spread 1/2 teaspoon frosting on each cooled cookie; immediately top with sprinkles. Let stand about 30 minutes or until frosting is set. Store covered in airtight container at room temperature.