Italian Knots Recipes

Steps:

• Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
• Cream sugar, butter, and shortening together in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs. Beat in lemon extract. Add flour mixture gradually, beating well to combine. Wrap dough in waxed paper and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 2 baking sheets.
• Place the dough on a lightly-floured surface. Break off golf ball-sized pieces of dough. Roll each piece into a rope about 7 inches long and 1/2 inch in diameter. Tie into a knot with one end poking up in the center. Place 1-inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes.
• While cookies bake, combine confectioners' sugar, milk, and lemon extract in a bowl for icing until smooth.
• Transfer baked cookies to a wire rack to cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Spread icing evenly on top of the slightly warm cookies and add sprinkles.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Mix flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl.
• Combine butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; beat until smooth and creamy. Change to the dough hook and gradually mix in flour mixture. Add warm water and mix until a smooth dough forms.
• Roll dough into 1 1/2-inch balls. Roll each ball out to a 4-inch long worm. Bring one end over the other, then underneath and through the middle, like a knot. Place 16 cookies on a baking sheet, four rows of four.
• Bake in the preheated oven until edges are golden, 13 to 15 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Repeat to bake remaining 2 batches of cookies.
• Meanwhile, mix powdered sugar, anise extract, and salt together in a bowl. Mix in water, a little at a time, until desired consistency.
• Dip cooled cookies upside down into the icing, then turn over onto waxed paper. Sprinkle with candy sprinkles.