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Italian Butter Cookies Recipe

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★★★★★

4.7 from 311 reviews

These Italian Butter Cookies are tender, buttery treats perfect for any occasion. Made with simple pantry ingredients such as unsalted butter, sugar, egg yolks, and vanilla, they offer a delicate crumb and a melt-in-your-mouth texture. You can customize them with a variety of decorative toppings including candied cherries, powdered sugar, chocolate chips, sprinkles, or nuts. Ideal as cookie sandwiches with fillings like Nutella or raspberry jam, these classic cookies bring a delightful Italian twist to your baking repertoire.

Ingredients

Scale

Cookie Dough

  • 1 cup (2 sticks/8oz/226 grams) unsalted butter
  • ⅔ cup (130 grams) granulated sugar
  • 2 egg yolks at cool room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
  • 2¼ cups (280 grams) all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • Pinch fine salt
  • Gel food coloring for coloring dough (optional)

Decorating Options

  • Candied cherries
  • Powdered sugar
  • Chocolate and chocolate chips
  • Colored sprinkles
  • Chopped nuts
  • Desiccated or shredded coconut
  • Nutella or raspberry jam (for filling cookie sandwiches)

Instructions

  1. Prepare Ingredients: Measure all your ingredients precisely, preferably using a kitchen scale to ensure accuracy. Use good quality unsalted butter and all-purpose flour for the best results. Allow egg yolks to reach cool room temperature before starting.
  2. Cream Butter and Sugar: In a mixing bowl, beat the unsalted butter and granulated sugar together gently. Avoid overbeating to prevent trapping air, which causes cookies to flatten during baking.
  3. Add Egg Yolks and Flavorings: Incorporate the two egg yolks into the butter-sugar mixture, followed by the vanilla extract and optional almond extract. Mix until the combination is just smooth and uniform.
  4. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and fine salt to distribute the leavening agent evenly.
  5. Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Mix gently until a dough forms, avoiding over mixing to keep the cookies tender.
  6. Color the Dough (Optional): If desired, divide the dough into portions and knead in small amounts of gel food coloring for a colorful effect.
  7. Shape Cookies: Roll the dough into small balls or shapes of choice. You can use cookie cutters for themed shapes. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
  8. Decorate Cookies: Add your choice of toppings such as candied cherries, chocolate chips, sprinkles, nuts, or shredded coconut before baking, or reserve decorations such as powdered sugar or jam for after baking.
  9. Bake Cookies: Bake the cookies in a preheated oven (typically 350°F/175°C) until they are lightly golden on the edges and set, usually about 10-12 minutes depending on size.
  10. Cool and Finish: Remove cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on a wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar or sandwich with Nutella or raspberry jam if desired.

Notes

  • Measure flour accurately, preferably by weight, to ensure dough consistency.
  • Overbeating butter, sugar, and eggs can cause excess air to be trapped and cookies to spread too much.
  • You can add food coloring to portions of dough for decorative colorful cookies.
  • Choose good quality ingredients for best flavor and texture.
  • If your climate is dry, flour may absorb moisture differently, affecting dough consistency—adjust flour slightly if needed.

Keywords: Italian Butter Cookies, Butter Cookies, Italian Cookies, Sweet Cookies, Holiday Cookies, Cookie Sandwiches, Nutella Cookies

Find it online: https://mixitwitjoe.com/italian-butter-cookies-recipe/