Description
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with these festive Italian cookies, featuring a soft vanilla dough tinted green and topped with a sweet glaze and sprinkles. Perfect for holiday baking, these cookies are buttery, tender, and decorated to impress.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
- 2 tablespoons milk
- Green food coloring
Glaze
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3–4 tablespoons milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Green food coloring
- Green sprinkles or sanding sugar for decorating
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening and seasoning.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, use a mixer to cream the softened unsalted butter with the granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, helping to incorporate air for a tender cookie texture.
- Add Eggs and Flavorings: Beat in the eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Stir in the vanilla extract, almond extract if using, and milk to flavor and moisten the dough.
- Add Green Food Coloring: Mix in green food coloring gradually until you achieve your desired shade for the festive look.
- Combine Dry Ingredients with Wet: Gradually blend the dry flour mixture into the wet ingredients, stirring until a soft dough forms that holds together but is not too sticky.
- Shape Cookies: Using a tablespoon or cookie scoop, form 1-inch balls of dough and arrange them on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the bottoms are just lightly golden and the tops remain pale, indicating a soft interior.
- Cool the Cookies: Let the cookies cool slightly on the baking sheet, then carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely to ensure the glaze adheres properly and the texture sets.
- Prepare the Glaze: Whisk together the powdered sugar, 3 to 4 tablespoons milk, vanilla extract, and green food coloring until the glaze is smooth and pourable, perfect for dipping.
- Glaze and Decorate: Dip the tops of the cooled cookies into the glaze, then immediately sprinkle green sprinkles or sanding sugar on top to decorate.
- Set the Glaze: Allow the glaze to set on the cookies for 20 to 30 minutes before serving to ensure a firm but delicate coating.
Notes
- These cookies can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week, maintaining freshness.
- For other holidays, swap the green food coloring and sprinkles to match different seasonal themes.
- Make sure cookies are fully cooled before glazing to avoid melting the glaze.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
