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These Italian Cookies are light, fluffy and full of full of orange flavor. Add these to your holiday cookie platters or bring them to a cookie exchange. Everyone is sure to love these delicious and easy to make cookies.
How to Make Italian Cookies
To start, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Then, in a large bowl using a hand mixer or stand mixer cream together room temperature butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Next, add eggs and orange extract (or vanilla extract). Mix until combined well.
Then, add baking powder and half of flour and stir to combine. Add half of orange juice and mix well. Add remaining flour and orange juice alternately. Mix until combined well. Dough will be sticky after mixing.
Drop dough in tablespoon-sized scoops onto cookie sheet. Bake cookies at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Remove from baking sheet and cool completely on a wire rack.
While cookies cool it is time to make the icing. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and extract. Slowly add water 1 tablespoon at a time until you have a thin glaze. Pour icing over completely cooled cookies and top with sprinkles. Let icing set then serve.
If not serving immediately, store cookies in an airtight container for up to 7 days.
Baker’s Tip: lined baking sheets and cookie sheets make for easy clean up! This also helps keep cookies from sticking to baking sheets. Use parchment paper for this trick!
Frequently Asked Questions
These cookies are best stored in an airtight container for up to 7 days. Place wax paper or parchment paper in between layer to help keep the icing from sticking to the next cookie. The icing can melt off of these cookies if frozen.
Any homemade cookie is best the first few days after baking since they do not contain preservatives. These cookies will be good to keep in an airtight container for at least 7 days, possibly longer.
If you cannot find or do not want to use orange extract it can be replaced with lemon or vanilla extract.
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If you enjoy these Italian Cookies and are looking for more cookie recipes try our Reindeer Poop Cookies, Cranberry Noel Cookies, Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Cookies, Homemade Slice and Bake Sugar Cookies, Chocolate Pecan Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies, Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies, Peppermint Crescent Cookies and Ricotta Cookies. If you are looking for Christmas cookies, be sure to check out our Christmas Cookie List!
Italian Cookies
Italian Cookies are light, fluffy and full of orange flavor. These cookies make the perfect addition to your holiday platter or bring them to a cookie exchange.
Ingredients
- 10 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon orange extract (or vanilla)
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 5 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon orange extract (or vanilla)
- 4-5 tablespoon water
- Sprinkles, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs and orange extract. Mix until combined.
- Add baking powder and half of flour. Stir to combine.
- Add half of orange juice. Stir to combine.
- Repeat steps 3 and 4 to add remaining flour and orange juice.
- Drop in tablespoon-sized scoops onto baking sheet.
- Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until lightly golden brown.
- Remove from baking sheet and cool on wire rack.
- While cookies cool, mix together powdered sugar and extract. Slowly add water 1 tablespoon at a time until you have a thin icing.
- Pour icing over cookies and top with sprinkles.
- Let icing set.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Store cookies in an airtight container to extend freshness.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 36 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 114Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 100mgCarbohydrates: 19gFiber: 0gSugar: 12gProtein: 1g