Italian Easter cookies, also known as “Italian Easter biscuits” or “Taralli Dolci di Pasqua,” are delightful treats enjoyed during the Easter season in Italy and among Italian communities worldwide. These cookies are made with a sweet dough that is flavored with vanilla and almond extract, giving them a fragrant and aromatic profile. After baking to a golden hue, the cookies are glazed with a simple icing made from powdered sugar and milk, sometimes adorned with colorful sprinkles or nonpareils for a festive touch. Italian Easter cookies are cherished for their tender texture and delicate sweetness, making them a beloved tradition for Easter celebrations and family gatherings.
Italian Easter Cookies
Ingredients
COOKIES
- 1-3/4 cups white sugar
- 1/2 cup butter
- 3 eggs
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 5 tsp baking powder
ICING
- 4 cups confectioners' sugar
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 3 tbsp milk
- food coloring optional
- candy sprinkles optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease cookie sheets.
- To make the cookies: Beat sugar and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in milk, oil, vanilla, and almond extract. Combine flour and baking powder; stir into milk mixture to form a dough.
- Roll dough into 1-inch balls; roll the balls out on a lightly floured surface into 5-inch long ropes. Bring one end over the other, then underneath and through the middle, like a loose knot; place cookies 1 inch apart on the prepared cookie sheets.
- Bake in the preheated oven until the bottoms of the cookies are golden brown, about 5 minutes on the bottom shelf, then 5 minutes on the top shelf. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the icing: Beat confectioners' sugar, butter, vanilla, and almond extract with an electric mixer in a large bowl until smooth; beat in milk, one tablespoon at a time. Add food coloring and stir until well combined.
- Dip cooled cookies upside down into the icing then sprinkle with candy sprinkles.
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