Best Italian Cookie Recipes (Grandma’s Traditional Cookies)
on Dec 05, 2022, Updated Nov 01, 2023
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Italian Cookies are sweet, delicious, and irresistible! From crisp biscotti to soft ricotta cookies, there are lots of sweet treats to indulge in.
These classic old-fashioned Italian cookie recipes are just like grandma used to make, try some of them this holiday season or any time of the year.
You don’t have to travel to Italy to enjoy these cookies. We’re sharing 15 of the best Italian cookie recipes for you to make at home.
Best Italian Cookies
Italian Wedding Cookies
These bite-sized cookies are typically served over the holidays. They have a delicious almond flavor and are delightfully crisp.
Italian Torcetti Cookies/Biscotti
You’ll only need a handful of basic ingredients to make these cookies. They’re both crunchy and soft, and are delicious served with a cup of coffee.
Pizzelle
If you have a pizzelle maker, you can easily make a batch of these crisp cookies. They’re delicious served with ice cream.
Italian Christmas Cookies
Make a batch of these soft Italian cookies for this year’s cookie swap! They have a cake-like texture and are topped with a sweet vanilla icing.
Italian Ricotta Cookies
These traditional Italian cookies are made with ricotta cheese! They have a hint of lemon flavor and are topped with a sweet lemony glaze.
Ricciarelli: Chewy Italian Almond Cookies
These tasty Italian cookies are chewy, dense, and delicious. They have a delicate almond flavor that pairs well with hot tea.
Italian Lemon Cookies
If you love lemon-flavored cookies, this is the recipe for you. These Italian cookies practically melt in your mouth! They’re buttery, crispy, and are topped with a tangy lemon glaze.
Cinnamon Walnut Crescent Cookies
Add these flaky cinnamon walnut crescent cookies to the dessert table at your next holiday party! They’re filled with an irresistible walnut cinnamon sugar mixture your guests will love.
Italian Rainbow Cookie
These Italian rainbow cookies are stunning to look at and delicious to eat! Your guests will be begging you for the recipe.
Italian Anise Cookies
Anise has a flavor that’s similar to black licorice. These classic Italian cookies are topped with a sweet glaze and take about 30 minutes to make. Enjoy them with hot coffee or tea.
Italian Cookies (Baci di Dama)
You won’t be able to resist the creamy chocolate filling of these Italian sandwich cookies. They’re made with roasted hazelnuts and aren’t too sweet. Enjoy them with hot coffee or tea!
Italian Chocolate Spice Cookies
You’ll love the flavor combination of chocolate, orange, and warm spices in these cookies. They’re easy to make and would be a welcome addition to this year’s cookie swap.
Classic Italian Sesame Cookies
You’ll love the crunch of these classic Italian sesame cookies. They take about 40 minutes to make and are sure to impress your family and friends.
Easy Italian Pignoli Cookies
Your guests will think you spent all day in the kitchen but these classic Italian pignoli cookies are quite easy to make! They have a wonderful almond flavor and are coated with crunchy pine nuts.
Italian Butter Cookies
Butter Cookies are a holiday favorite and these Italian butter cookies don’t disappoint! They’re buttery, soft, and can be decorated to suit the occasion.
Top Italian Cookies (Wedding Cookies Recipe and More)
Ingredients
- 1 cup pecans
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/4 cup powdered sugar , to coat the cookies
Instructions
- Place the pecans in a medium skillet over medium heat. Toast the nuts, stirring frequently for about 5 minutes, until they darken slightly and smell fragrant. Remove the pan from the heat and let the nuts cool in the pan.
- When the toasted nuts are no longer hot, transfer them to a quart-size resealable freezer bag. Remove the air from the bag and then seal it. Use a rolling pin to finely crush the pecans. Set aside.
- Place the butter and 3/4 cup powdered sugar in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat together at medium speed until the sugar is absorbed into the butter and the buttery paste clings to the side of the bowl. Add the vanilla extract and beat for an additional 30 seconds until incorporated.
- Set the mixer to low speed and slowly add the flour and salt. When the dry ingredients begin to absorb into the butter-sugar mixture, increase the speed to medium until the flour is fully incorporated and a dough has formed.
- Add the crushed nuts and mix on low speed until incorporated.
- Scrape the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap and flatten into a disk shape about 1-inch thick. Wrap the disc tightly with the plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until the dough is firm.
- About 10 minutes before you’re ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Place the 1 1/4 cups of powdered sugar into a shallow bowl. Remove the chilled dough from the fridge and form into 1-inch balls. Note that if the dough was refrigerated for longer than an hour, you may need to let it sit at room temperature to soften.
- Roll the balls of dough in the powdered sugar and place on the baking sheets, spaced slightly apart.
- Bake for about 18 minutes or until the cookies begin to brown slightly on top and are golden brown on the bottom. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes after baking.
- While the cookies are still warm, roll them in the powdered sugar again. Return the cookies to a cooling rack and cool completely before serving.
Nutrition information provided is an estimate only and will vary based on ingredient brands and cooking methods used.
