Italian Cookies are soft, tender little cookies with a light almond, vanilla, or anise flavor and a sweet glaze on top. They remind us of Mexican Wedding Cookies and are simple, classic, and perfect for cookie trays, weddings, showers, and family parties.
We love these because they bake up pretty and pale, then get dipped in glaze and finished with sprinkles for the cutest touch. Chilling the dough helps the cookies hold their shape, and the glaze gives them that classic bakery-style finish.
There are so many reasons to love this easy cookie recipe (other than it being simple), but it also makes a ton and is perfect for special occasions and holidays ( be sure to check out our Italian Christmas Cookies too)!
For more giftable cookies try Spritz Cookie Recipe, Sugar Cookies, and our classic Christmas Cookies.
Why you’ll love them + Why they work:
- Simple ingredients. Just a few pantry staples and you have one cute (and delicious) cookie!
- Different flavors. Almond, vanilla, or anise extract lets you choose the flavor your family loves.
- Chilling helps the cookies hold their shape. Cold dough balls bake up round and pretty without spreading too much.
- A thin creamy glaze gives the classic finish. Warm cream or milk helps the powdered sugar glaze dip smoothly over the cookies.
Italian Cookie Ingredients
- Eggs (2): Helps bind the dough and give the cookies their soft, cake-like texture.
- Vegetable oil (6 tablespoons): Adds moisture and keeps the cookies tender.
- Sugar (½ cup): Sweetens the dough without making the cookies too heavy.
- Almond extract, vanilla extract or anise extract (1 teaspoon almond extract, vanilla extract or ½ teaspoon anise extract): Adds the classic flavor and lets you choose almond, vanilla, or anise.
- All-purpose flour (2 cups): Gives the cookies structure and helps them hold their shape.
- Baking powder (2 teaspoons): Helps the cookies puff and bake up soft.
- Salt (1 pinch): Balances the sweetness and enhances the flavor.
- Powdered sugar (2 cups): Creates the sweet base for the glaze.
- Almond extract, or vanilla extract (1 teaspoon): Adds flavor to the glaze and pairs with the cookie base. If using a different extract to make the dough, use it to make the glaze. You can also add lemon zest or orange zest.
- Salt (1 pinch): Balances the sweetness in the glaze.
- Cream or milk, warmed (3-4 tablespoons): Thins the glaze to a smooth, dippable consistency.
- Optional Sprinkles: We love the classic nonpareils but any type of sprinkles, including holiday shapes or sugar crystals work.
How to Make Italian Cookies
COOKIE DOUGH. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, oil, sugar, and almond extract in a mixing bowl. Then use an electric mixer to mix in flour, baking powder, and salt.
CHILL. Roll dough by tablespoonfuls into balls. Chill balls of dough for at least an hour, or freeze for 15-20 minutes. Place cold dough balls on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.
BAKE. Bake in the oven at 350°F for about 9 minutes, or till the tops are set. Bottoms will be lightly browned, but tops should still be white. Remove cookies to a wire rack and cool completely.
GLAZE. Combine powdered sugar, almond extract, salt, and 3-4 tablespoons heavy cream in a small bowl and mix till smooth, adding enough warm cream to get a thin but creamy consistency.
- Dip the tops of the cookies in the glaze, then top with sprinkles.
Make Different Shapes
- Flat. Place the dough balls on the baking tray and use a glass cup dipped in flour or powdered sugar to gently press the tops of the balls a bit flat.
- “S” or knot. Roll the dough balls into a short rope and form it into a squat “s” shape or tie it into a knot.
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- Chill the dough balls for at least 1 hour, or freeze for 15 to 20 minutes, so they bake up round.
- Do not overbake the cookies, the tops should stay white while the bottoms are lightly browned.
- Cool the cookies completely before dipping so the glaze sets nicely.
- Add just enough warm cream or milk to make the glaze thin but still creamy.
- Make-ahead tip: bake the cookies a day ahead and glaze them once cooled, or freeze the unglazed cookies and decorate later.
Italian Cookies Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon almond extract, vanilla extract or ½ teaspoon anise extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
Glaze
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon almond extract, or vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- 3-4 tablespoons cream or milk, warmed
Instructions
- Whisk eggs, oil, sugar, and extract in a mixing bowl. Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Roll dough by tablespoonfuls into balls. Chill balls of dough for at least an hour, or freeze for 15-20 minutes. Place cold dough balls on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.
- Bake at 350°F for about 9 minutes, or till the tops are set. Bottoms will be lightly browned, but tops should still be white. Remove cookies to cooling racks and cool completely.
Glaze
- Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk till smooth, adding enough warm cream to get a thin but creamy consistency.
- Dip the tops of the cookies in the glaze, then top with sprinkles.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
Fridge. Roll the dough into a ball, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Freezer. Wrap in log form, or freeze cookie dough balls. See How to Freeze Cookie Dough for tips.
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. If freezing baked cookies, wait to add glaze right before serving.
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This recipe was originally published December 2018.
Agree with many others. Very sticky…oily and completely a mess.
It can be tricky to determine why a recipe does not work for some people while others have great success. The dough may turn oily if the oil is overmeasured, the eggs are extra large, the flour is undermeasured, or the dough is not chilled long enough. For more consistent results, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off rather than scooping it directly from the bag.
I didn’t like these cookies at all. They had no taste to them. I’ve made these many times using a different recipe and they couldn’t compare at all. Sorry…..
Thanks for giving them a try and for your honest feedback.
These make wonderful cookies! Nice & soft. I can’t wait to experiment with nuts, chocolates & different extracts.
They’re perfect for experimenting with mix-ins and flavors. Happy baking!
Thank you for such a simple, delicious perfect recipe! I have made these dozens of times. They make a perfect thank you treat. Really wonderful cookie. Thank you!
I’m happy to hear that they’ve turned out well every time you have made them :o)
PERFECT! Definitely reminds me of my Grandma’s recipe. Thank you so much! 💕
My favorite Italian cookie recipe. I make this one every year!
So, I made this recipe and measured everything correctly and all I got was a sloppy, oily mess that I couldn`t even drop from my cookie scoop. As I spooned it out, the just run to a flat squatty mess. What Did I do wrong???
I’m sorry to hear that! I’m not sure what went wrong if you measured everything correctly. There are some tips for measuring flour that could help: https://lilluna.com/how-to-measure-flour/. Sorry again to hear they didn’t turn out. Thanks for giving the recipe a try!
The same thing happened to me…sooooo sticky, gooey, and could not make into balls
Mine turned out exactly the same way and I bake all the time. Recipe is incorrect and horrible.
We’re so sorry to hear you had a poor experience with this cookie recipe. Thanks for giving it a try!
The same thing happened to me!
Same experience. I used a scale to measure the flour precisely (256 grams for 2 cups) and the batter was super loose and sticky and wet. I added more flour to try and salvage. In what section of the recipe it says to use an electric mixer to add in the flour. In another it says to stir. I think the stirring would have been better for the texture.
This was not what I expected. It is not buttery. There is no butter in the recipe. It was good, but reminded me of a snickerdoodle.
Still struggling with showing the video to my students. The school does not allow pop-ups. Is it possible you could send me the video?
These were wonderful! Everyone LOVED them. I made them exactly as written with orange extract. This is a keeper for sure!