20 Italian Christmas Cookies Nonna Makes Every December

Every Italian kitchen has a version of the same argument: whose amaretti are crisper, whose struffoli mound higher, whose cookie tin smells more like anise the moment the lid comes off. You do not need a nonna on standby to settle it. You need twenty recipes that actually work, written out in full with real quantities, so nothing gets lost between her handwritten card and your oven.

These lean cream, pistachio and soft red, the colours that look right stacked on a plate next to a candle that smells like fresh pine and warm sugar cookies, or set out on the same table as the rest of your vintage Christmas decor. Most of these doughs keep in the fridge for a day or two and several freeze unbaked, so you can spread the work across a week instead of losing a whole Saturday to one countertop covered in flour.

A note before you start: nearly every recipe here uses eggs, butter and almonds or other tree nuts, and several use wheat flour, so flag that to anyone eating who has an allergy. Nothing in this collection is alcoholic, which makes the whole tin safe to send to school, to church or to an office that does not know your name.

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Pizzelle

Thin, lacy and stamped with a pattern you did not have to draw yourself: pizzelle look like more effort than they are. The iron does the hard part. You just stand there with a tablespoon, feeling slightly smug.

Anise is traditional and genuinely wonderful once you get used to it, but if the smell of black licorice is not your thing, vanilla or a little lemon zest works just as well without breaking the recipe.

Prep time: 15 minutes. Total time: 35 minutes. Yield: about 24 pizzelle.

Ingredients

• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 tablespoon anise extract (or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract)
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Whisk the eggs and sugar together until pale and slightly thickened.
2. Beat in the melted butter and the anise extract.
3. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together, then fold into the egg mixture until smooth.
4. Preheat a pizzelle iron on medium according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
5. Drop a rounded tablespoon of batter onto each circle of the hot iron.
6. Close the lid and cook for 30 to 45 seconds, until golden.
7. Lift the pizzelle off with a fork and let them cool flat on a wire rack; they crisp as they cool.

Ricciarelli

Ricciarelli look unassuming, almost plain, a cracked white diamond dusted in powdered sugar. Then you bite one and get a soft, chewy, almond-dense middle that has nothing to do with ordinary almond flavouring and everything to do with ground almonds doing all the work.

They are naturally gluten free if your powdered sugar is certified so, which makes them one of the easier cookies on this list to make for a mixed table without a second recipe.

Prep time: 25 minutes, plus 1 hour chilling. Cook time: 12 minutes. Total time: about 1 hour 40 minutes. Yield: about 24 cookies.

Ingredients

• 2 cups (200 g) almond flour
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large egg whites
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup powdered sugar, for coating

Instructions

1. Stir the almond flour, granulated sugar, orange zest and salt together in a bowl.
2. Whip the egg whites to soft peaks, then fold in the almond extract.
3. Fold the egg whites into the almond mixture until a firm, slightly sticky dough forms.
4. Shape the dough into a log, wrap, and chill for 1 hour, or overnight if you have time.
5. Cut the log into 24 pieces and shape each into a small oval.
6. Roll each piece in powdered sugar and set on a parchment-lined sheet, pressing gently to flatten slightly.
7. Bake at 300°F (150°C) for 12 minutes, until the tops crack but stay pale; they will feel soft and firm up as they cool.

Amaretti

Crackly on top, chewy in the middle, and gone from the plate before you can offer them twice: amaretti are the cookie most Italians would actually vote for if you made them pick a favourite. They need almost no equipment and no mixer.

Classic amaretti use a touch of bitter almond extract for that deep marzipan note. If you cannot find it, double the sweet almond extract instead and nobody at the table will know the difference.

Prep time: 15 minutes. Cook time: 18 minutes. Total time: about 35 minutes. Yield: about 30 cookies.

Ingredients

• 2 cups almond flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large egg whites
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar, for rolling

Instructions

1. Whip the egg whites in a clean bowl until soft peaks form.
2. Gently fold in the almond flour, sugar, lemon zest and almond extract until a thick, sticky paste forms.
3. Scoop tablespoons of the mixture and roll into balls between damp palms.
4. Roll each ball generously in powdered sugar.
5. Arrange on a parchment-lined sheet, spaced well apart.
6. Bake at 325°F (165°C) for 16 to 18 minutes, until the tops crack and turn pale gold.
7. Cool completely on the sheet before moving; they firm up as they sit.

Anginetti

Some people call these Italian wedding cookies, some call them Italian Christmas cookies and leave it at that: either way, this is the lemon-glazed, cake-like drop cookie under the sprinkles on half the bakery trays in every Italian-American neighbourhood. Just about every Italian family has its own version of these cookies, known by various names such as Italian Christmas cookies, Italian wedding cookies, or even anginetti cookies, which are usually lemon-flavored.

They are soft rather than crisp, closer to a tiny cake than a biscuit, which is exactly why the glaze matters: it is the only crunch you get.

Prep time: 20 minutes. Cook time: 12 minutes. Total time: about 45 minutes, including glaze setting. Yield: about 36 cookies.

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract, for the glaze
• Rainbow nonpareils, for topping

Instructions

1. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together and set aside.
2. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla and lemon extracts.
4. Mix in the flour mixture just until combined.
5. Scoop tablespoon-sized balls of dough onto a parchment-lined sheet.
6. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10 to 12 minutes; the tops should stay pale, not browned.
7. Cool completely, then whisk the powdered sugar, milk and lemon extract into a smooth glaze.
8. Dip the top of each cookie in the glaze and add nonpareils before it sets.

Struffoli

Nobody plates struffoli, they mound it, and the pile sitting on a cake stand next to the vintage tree is half the point. Each little fried ball is barely bigger than a hazelnut, coated in warm honey and scattered with sprinkles so it catches the light.

Fry these a day ahead if that suits your schedule better; just toss them in the warm honey the morning you serve, since they soften once coated.

Prep time: 30 minutes. Cook time: 20 minutes. Total time: about 1 hour. Yield: serves 10 to 12 as a shared platter.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• Zest of 1 orange
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• 1 cup honey
• Rainbow sprinkles and candied cherries, to decorate

Instructions

1. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together in a bowl.
2. Add the eggs, melted butter and orange zest, mixing until a soft dough forms.
3. Knead briefly on a floured surface, then roll into ropes about 1/2 inch thick.
4. Cut the ropes into pea-sized pieces.
5. Heat oil to 350°F (175°C) and fry the pieces in batches until golden, about 2 to 3 minutes each batch.
6. Drain on paper towels.
7. Warm the honey gently in a wide pan, then toss the fried pieces through it until coated.
8. Mound onto a platter and scatter with sprinkles and candied cherries while the honey is still warm.

Biscotti

Twice-baked for a reason: biscotti are built to survive a long dunk in coffee or sweet wine without collapsing. They are also the cookie least likely to go soft or stale in the tin, which makes them the one to bake first and worry about last.

Swap the whole almonds for pistachios if you want that pistachio-green cross section on the plate; the method does not change at all.

Prep time: 15 minutes. Cook time: 45 minutes. Total time: about 1 hour, plus cooling. Yield: about 24 biscotti.

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup whole almonds

Instructions

1. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together.
2. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla until pale and thick.
3. Fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture, then fold in the almonds.
4. Divide the dough in half and shape each piece into a log about 12 inches long on a parchment-lined sheet.
5. Bake at 325°F (165°C) for 25 minutes, until firm and golden.
6. Cool for 10 minutes, then slice each log diagonally into 1/2-inch pieces with a serrated knife.
7. Lay the slices cut-side down and bake again for 10 minutes, flipping halfway, until dry and crisp.

Rainbow Cookies

Three thin almond layers, tinted red, left plain, tinted green, glued together with apricot preserves and capped in chocolate: rainbow cookies look like more engineering than cookie, and honestly, they are. Worth every bit of it on the plate.

Make these two days ahead on purpose. The flavour actually improves once the layers have had a night in the fridge to settle together under the chocolate.

Prep time: 45 minutes. Cook time: 12 minutes. Total time: about 9 hours, including overnight chilling. Yield: about 48 small squares.

Ingredients

• 8 oz almond paste
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs, separated
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Red and green gel food colouring
• 1/2 cup apricot preserves, warmed and strained
• 1/2 cup raspberry preserves, warmed and strained
• 8 oz dark chocolate, melted

Instructions

1. Beat the almond paste, butter and sugar together until smooth.
2. Beat in the egg yolks, then fold in the flour and salt.
3. Whip the egg whites to stiff peaks and fold gently into the batter.
4. Divide the batter into three bowls; tint one red, one green, leave one plain.
5. Spread each batter into its own parchment-lined 9×13 pan and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10 to 12 minutes.
6. Cool the layers, then stack them, red first, spreading apricot preserves then raspberry preserves between layers.
7. Weight the stack down and chill overnight.
8. Spread the melted chocolate over the top, chill until set, then trim the edges and cut into small rectangles.

Cuccidati Fig Cookies

These are the cookie that convinces non-fig-eaters they have been wrong about figs their whole life. A warmly spiced, dried-fruit-and-nut filling wrapped in a tender pastry, shaped into crescents and glazed white: cuccidati look modest and taste like a whole pantry of Christmas baking folded into one bite.

They freeze beautifully unbaked, so you can shape a tray, freeze it solid, bag it, and bake straight from frozen on the day you need them.

Prep time: 45 minutes. Cook time: 18 minutes. Total time: about 1 hour 30 minutes. Yield: about 36 cookies.

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup milk
• Zest of 1 orange
• 2 cups dried figs, stemmed
• 1 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• Juice of 1 orange
• 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk and sprinkles, for the glaze

Instructions

1. Pulse the figs, raisins, walnuts, honey, cinnamon and orange juice in a food processor until it forms a sticky paste; set aside.
2. Cream the butter and sugar, then beat in the eggs and orange zest.
3. Whisk the flour and baking powder together, then mix into the butter mixture alternately with the milk to form a soft dough.
4. Roll the dough out thinly and cut into rectangles.
5. Spread a line of filling down the centre of each rectangle, roll into a log, and curve into a crescent.
6. Place seam-side down on a lined sheet and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 16 to 18 minutes, until golden.
7. Cool, then whisk the powdered sugar and milk together and drizzle over the cooled cookies, finishing with sprinkles.

Pignoli

Three ingredients that matter and a handful of pine nuts pressed onto the outside: pignoli are almost embarrassingly simple to make given how expensive they look sitting in a bakery case. The almond paste does all the chewy, marzipan-like work.

Pine nuts are pricier than most pantry items, so this is the cookie to make in a smaller batch rather than stretch across a whole cookie exchange.

Prep time: 20 minutes. Cook time: 16 minutes. Total time: about 40 minutes. Yield: about 24 cookies.

Ingredients

• 14 oz almond paste (two 7 oz tubes)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large egg whites
• Pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 cups pine nuts

Instructions

1. Break the almond paste into chunks and pulse with the sugar in a food processor until sandy.
2. Add the egg whites and salt and process until a smooth, soft dough forms.
3. Scoop tablespoons of dough and roll into balls.
4. Roll each ball in pine nuts, pressing gently so they stick all over.
5. Arrange on a parchment-lined sheet, spaced apart.
6. Bake at 325°F (165°C) for 14 to 16 minutes, until the pine nuts turn golden.
7. Cool completely on the sheet before lifting; they are fragile warm.

Italian Wedding Cookies

Snowball-shaped, nut-studded, rolled twice through powdered sugar so they look permanently dusted: these are the cookie that disappears first because they barely register as sweet until the second bite, and then you have had four.

Walnuts are classic but pecans work just as well if that is what is in the pantry; either way, toast them first for a deeper flavour.

Prep time: 15 minutes. Cook time: 14 minutes. Total time: about 35 minutes. Yield: about 36 cookies.

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup walnuts or pecans, finely chopped
• 1 cup powdered sugar, for coating

Instructions

1. Cream the butter and powdered sugar together until light.
2. Beat in the vanilla extract.
3. Mix in the flour and salt until just combined.
4. Fold in the chopped nuts.
5. Scoop and roll into 1-inch balls.
6. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 12 to 14 minutes, until set but still pale.
7. Roll the warm cookies in powdered sugar, let cool, then roll a second time.

Butter Cookies With Sprinkles

No almond, no citrus, no filling, just butter, sugar and whatever sprinkles happen to be in the jar: these are the baseline Italian Christmas cookie, the one every bakery tray needs so the fancier cookies around it have something plain to lean against.

Chill the dough properly or it spreads into puddles. Thirty minutes in the fridge is the difference between a clean edge and a flat disc.

Prep time: 20 minutes, plus 30 minutes chilling. Cook time: 10 minutes. Total time: about 1 hour. Yield: about 30 cookies.

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Red, green and cream-coloured sprinkles

Instructions

1. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
3. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt, then mix into the butter mixture.
4. Wrap the dough and chill for at least 30 minutes.
5. Scoop into balls and roll each one through the sprinkles before placing on a lined sheet.
6. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 9 to 10 minutes, until the edges just set.
7. Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before moving to a rack.

Chocolate Spice Cookies

These are the cookie people reach for when the tray has gone a little too pastel: deep brown, warmed with cinnamon and clove, closer to gingerbread’s Italian cousin than to a brownie. They smell like the whole point of December.

A thin glaze on top is traditional, but if you are sending these in the mail, skip it and dust with cocoa instead so nothing smudges in transit.

Prep time: 20 minutes. Cook time: 12 minutes. Total time: about 40 minutes. Yield: about 30 cookies.

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or chocolate chips
• 1 cup powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons milk, for the glaze

Instructions

1. Whisk the flour, cocoa, cinnamon, cloves and baking soda together.
2. Cream the butter and brown sugar until fluffy.
3. Beat in the egg and honey.
4. Mix in the dry ingredients, then fold in the walnuts or chocolate chips.
5. Scoop tablespoons of dough onto a lined sheet.
6. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10 to 12 minutes, until just set.
7. Cool completely, then whisk the powdered sugar and milk together and drizzle over the top.

Ricotta Cookies

Soft, pale, almost cake-like: ricotta is the ingredient that keeps these from ever going dry, even sitting in a tin for a week. Italian Christmas cookies are a holiday treat with a soft vanilla flavored ricotta cookie topped with an almond glaze and sprinkles.

Use whole milk ricotta and drain it briefly in a sieve if it looks watery; too much liquid is the only thing that throws this recipe off.

Prep time: 20 minutes. Cook time: 12 minutes. Total time: about 40 minutes. Yield: about 40 cookies.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 (15 oz) container whole milk ricotta
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk and sprinkles, for the glaze

Instructions

1. Cream the butter and sugar together until light.
2. Beat in the eggs, ricotta, vanilla and almond extracts.
3. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together, then fold into the wet mixture.
4. Scoop rounded tablespoons onto a lined sheet.
5. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges turn pale gold.
6. Cool completely on a rack.
7. Whisk the glaze ingredients together, dip the tops of the cookies, and add sprinkles before it sets.

Almond Crescent Cookies

Buttery little half-moons rolled in so much powdered sugar they look snowed on: almond crescents are the cookie that photographs well without any effort, which matters when you are the one holding the tray on Instagram.

They are forgiving on shape, so if your crescents come out a bit lopsided, nobody will notice once the sugar goes on.

Prep time: 20 minutes. Cook time: 12 minutes. Total time: about 35 minutes. Yield: about 30 cookies.

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup almonds, finely ground
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup powdered sugar, for dusting

Instructions

1. Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy.
2. Beat in the almond extract.
3. Mix in the flour, ground almonds and salt until a soft dough forms.
4. Take a tablespoon of dough and roll into a short rope, then curve into a crescent.
5. Place on a lined sheet and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10 to 12 minutes, until pale golden.
6. Let cool for 5 minutes.
7. Dust heavily with powdered sugar while still slightly warm, then again once fully cool.

Sesame Cookies

Also called biscotti regina, these are the overlooked cookie on most trays and genuinely should not be: a crisp, slightly savoury log coated completely in toasted sesame seeds, closer to a cracker in the best way.

They hold their crunch far longer than glazed cookies, which makes them the one to bake first if you are spacing the work out.

Prep time: 20 minutes. Cook time: 15 minutes. Total time: about 40 minutes. Yield: about 30 cookies.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup milk, plus extra for dipping
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together, then cut in the cold butter until the mixture looks sandy.
2. Beat the eggs, milk and vanilla together, then stir into the flour mixture to form a dough.
3. Divide the dough and roll into small logs about 3 inches long and 3/4 inch thick.
4. Dip each log briefly in milk, then roll in sesame seeds until coated.
5. Place on a lined sheet.
6. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 13 to 15 minutes, until golden and firm.
7. Cool completely on a rack; they crisp fully as they cool.

Chocolate Amaretti

Same chewy almond centre as classic amaretti, with cocoa folded in so the crackled top turns a deep, matte brown instead of pale gold. These read as the grown-up cookie on the tray, the one you put slightly apart from the rest.

They are naturally gluten free, same as the plain version, so keep a few aside before the sprinkled cookies start touching them in the tin.

Prep time: 15 minutes. Cook time: 15 minutes. Total time: about 30 minutes. Yield: about 28 cookies.

Ingredients

• 2 cups almond flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 large egg whites
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar, for rolling

Instructions

1. Stir the almond flour, sugar and cocoa powder together in a bowl.
2. Whip the egg whites to soft peaks, then fold in the almond extract.
3. Fold the egg whites into the almond mixture until a thick, sticky dough forms.
4. Scoop and roll into 1-inch balls.
5. Roll each ball in powdered sugar until fully coated.
6. Place on a lined sheet and bake at 325°F (165°C) for 13 to 15 minutes, until crackled and set.
7. Cool completely on the sheet before moving.

Lemon Ricotta Cookies

The brighter cousin of classic ricotta cookies: more zest, more juice, a glaze that actually tastes of lemon instead of just sugar. These cut through a table full of almond and chocolate cookies like something cold on a hot day.

If your lemons are small, use the zest and juice of two instead of one; you want the flavour loud enough to notice.

Prep time: 20 minutes. Cook time: 12 minutes. Total time: about 40 minutes. Yield: about 36 cookies.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 (15 oz) container whole milk ricotta
• 2 tablespoons lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons lemon juice, for the glaze

Instructions

1. Cream the butter and sugar together until light.
2. Beat in the eggs, ricotta, lemon zest and lemon juice.
3. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together, then fold into the wet mixture.
4. Scoop rounded tablespoons onto a lined sheet.
5. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges set but stay pale.
6. Cool completely on a rack.
7. Whisk the powdered sugar and lemon juice together, dip the tops, and let the glaze set before stacking.

Hazelnut Baci Di Dama

The name means lady’s kisses, and the shape explains why: two small hazelnut domes sandwiched around melted chocolate, meeting in the middle like a tiny, polite kiss. They look fussy and are actually one of the simpler doughs here.

Toast and skin the hazelnuts yourself if you can; pre-ground hazelnut flour works in a pinch but loses some of the toasted depth that makes these worth making.

Prep time: 25 minutes. Cook time: 14 minutes. Total time: about 50 minutes, plus chilling for the chocolate. Yield: about 24 sandwich cookies.

Ingredients

• 1 cup hazelnuts, toasted, skinned and finely ground
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• Pinch of salt
• 6 oz dark chocolate, melted

Instructions

1. Cream the butter and sugar together until light.
2. Mix in the ground hazelnuts, flour and salt until a firm dough forms.
3. Roll into small balls, about a scant tablespoon each.
4. Place on a lined sheet and bake at 325°F (165°C) for 12 to 14 minutes, until set but not browned.
5. Cool completely on the sheet.
6. Spread a little melted chocolate on the flat side of half the cookies, then sandwich with the remaining halves.
7. Chill for 15 minutes, until the chocolate sets firm.

Raspberry Almond Thumbprints

A dent pressed into each cookie before baking, filled with jam after: thumbprints are the one recipe here where the shape is the whole decoration, no glaze or sprinkles required. The jam sits like a jewel against the cream-coloured crumb.

Apricot or fig jam work just as well as raspberry if you want to vary the colour across one batch for the plate.

Prep time: 20 minutes. Cook time: 14 minutes. Total time: about 40 minutes. Yield: about 30 cookies.

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup almonds, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup raspberry jam

Instructions

1. Cream the butter and sugar together until light.
2. Beat in the egg yolks and almond extract.
3. Mix in the flour and salt until a soft dough forms.
4. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls, then roll each ball in the chopped almonds.
5. Place on a lined sheet and press a thumbprint into the centre of each.
6. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 8 minutes, then remove and press the centres again if they have puffed.
7. Fill each indent with raspberry jam and bake for 6 more minutes, until the edges are set.

Anise Pizzelle Sandwiches

Two anise pizzelle, a whipped filling in between, crushed pistachio pressed around the edge for colour and crunch: this is what to do with the pizzelle recipe once you have made it once and want to dress it up for a party plate.

Fill these the same day you plan to serve them; pizzelle soften once they sit against a creamy filling for more than a few hours.

Prep time: 20 minutes. Cook time: 20 minutes. Total time: about 40 minutes, plus 15 minutes chilling. Yield: about 12 sandwich cookies.

Ingredients

• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 tablespoon anise extract
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 cup mascarpone cheese
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup shelled pistachios, finely chopped

Instructions

1. Make the pizzelle batter: whisk the eggs and sugar, beat in the butter and anise extract, then fold in the flour and baking powder.
2. Cook tablespoons of batter in a preheated pizzelle iron for 30 to 45 seconds per batch.
3. Cool the pizzelle completely flat on a rack.
4. Whip the mascarpone, powdered sugar and vanilla together until smooth.
5. Pipe or spread the filling onto the flat side of half the pizzelle.
6. Top with the remaining pizzelle to form sandwiches, pressing gently.
7. Roll the exposed filling edge in chopped pistachios.
8. Chill for 15 minutes before serving so the filling firms slightly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Italian Christmas cookies be frozen?

Most of them, yes, as long as you freeze before glazing. Yes they can. It’s best to freeze the cookies before glazing them. The sugar sprinkles look best when they aren’t frozen. The colors in the sprinkles may run when the biscotti thaw. Thaw the baked, unglazed cookies at room temperature, then dip and sprinkle right before serving so the colour stays sharp.

How long do Italian Christmas cookies last?

Glazed, soft cookies like ricotta or anginetti are best within 4 to 5 days at room temperature or up to 1 week in the fridge. Crisper cookies such as biscotti, sesame cookies and amaretti hold their texture for longer stretches in an airtight tin, since they have far less moisture to begin with.

What is the most popular Italian Christmas cookie?

There is no single national answer since every region leans differently, but what seems to be very popular throughout Italy are the Amaretti. These are almond-flavored biscotti. Pizzelle, pignoli and struffoli all run close behind on most holiday tables.

Can I make the cookie dough ahead of time?

Yes, and it genuinely helps spread the baking across a week. Most butter-based doughs in this collection, including anginetti, ricotta cookies and butter cookies with sprinkles, keep well wrapped and chilled for a day or two before you shape and bake, and shaped cuccidati crescents or pignoli dough balls can go straight into the freezer unbaked.

Which Italian Christmas cookies are best for a cookie exchange or mailing?

Cucidati would be a great choice as it’s a high-yield recipe, producing around eight dozen small cookies, with their warmly-spiced dried fruit filling and flaky pastry. Delicate cookies travel less well: pizzelle and Italian wedding cookies are on the more delicate side and risk arriving with some broken, so shape wedding cookies into balls and not crescents for the best odds.

What do Italian Christmas cookies taste like?

It depends entirely which one lands on your plate. Many of the classics in this collection run like a sugar cookie, only a touch less sweet and a bit more cake-like, with a buttery crumb, while amaretti lean toward deep almond, cuccidati toward warm spice and dried fruit, and pizzelle toward anise or vanilla depending on which extract you choose.