Description
These traditional Italian cookies are perfect for celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with a festive twist. Soft and fluffy with a hint of anise extract, they are lightly baked to a tender texture and finished with a sweet, thick glaze topped with colorful sprinkles, making them as delightful to look at as they are to eat.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 5 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter or margarine
- 1/4 cup shortening
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 4 eggs
- 2 teaspoons anise extract (or vanilla or lemon extract as alternatives)
Glaze
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 2-4 tablespoons milk
- Colorful sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Set your oven to 375°F to prepare it for baking the cookies.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set this mixture aside.
- Prepare wet ingredients: Melt the butter and shortening in a microwave-safe bowl. In a separate mixing bowl, combine the melted butter and shortening with granulated sugar, mixing well.
- Add eggs and flavoring: Incorporate eggs one at a time into the butter-sugar mixture, beating well after each addition. Then add the anise extract for flavor.
- Combine mixtures: Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredient bowl and mix just until combined. If the dough feels too sticky to roll, add a little more flour, but keep the dough very soft.
- Form cookies: Roll the dough into small balls and place them on ungreased cookie sheets. Remember, these cookies puff up considerably due to the baking powder.
- Bake: Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes, aiming for lightly browned bottoms with tops that remain light. Once baked, remove the cookies to wire racks and let cool completely before glazing.
- Make glaze: Gradually mix milk into the sifted confectioners’ sugar to create a thick glaze. Keep it thick enough for dipping.
- Glaze and decorate: Dip the top of each cooled cookie into the glaze, then immediately sprinkle colorful jimmies or nonpareils on top. Dip about 10-12 cookies at a time, placing them back on the wire rack lined with wax paper to catch drips before moving on to the next batch.
Notes
- The dough is intentionally soft and sticky; add flour only sparingly if needed for rolling.
- The baking powder causes the cookies to puff, so small dough balls are recommended to manage size.
- Use anise extract for the classic flavor or substitute vanilla or lemon extract if preferred.
- To avoid mess during glazing, use wax paper under wire racks.
- Cookies should cool completely before glazing to ensure the glaze sets properly.
