Description
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with these delightful Italian cookies featuring a soft, buttery texture and a sweet almond-vanilla glaze. Perfectly tender and lightly golden, these glazed cookies provide a festive treat that’s easy to make and delicious to share.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3–4 tablespoons milk
Glaze
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 2–3 tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
- Green sprinkles or green food coloring (optional for St. Patrick’s Day)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to ensure the cookies don’t stick and bake evenly.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, which helps create a tender cookie texture.
- Add Eggs and Extracts: Beat in the eggs one at a time to maintain a smooth batter, then mix in the vanilla and almond extracts to infuse the dough with aromatic flavor.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening and seasoning throughout the dough.
- Mix Dry and Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, alternating with milk, to form a soft, pliable dough that is easy to handle.
- Form Cookies: Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough and roll each into a ball. Place them on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading during baking.
- Bake: Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the bottoms of the cookies are lightly golden, indicating they are cooked through but still soft inside.
- Cool: Allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack before applying glaze to ensure it sets properly.
- Prepare Glaze: Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and your choice of vanilla or almond extract until smooth. Add green food coloring if you desire a festive look for St. Patrick’s Day.
- Glaze Cookies: Dip the tops of the cooled cookies into the glaze, then place them back on a wire rack or parchment paper to let excess glaze drip off.
- Decorate and Set: Immediately sprinkle with green sprinkles if using, then let the glaze set completely before serving to avoid sticky fingers.
Notes
- For a citrus twist, add lemon or orange zest to the dough for added flavor complexity.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days to maintain freshness.
- These cookies are great for festive platters, classroom parties, or as a holiday gift treat.
