Sweet and crumbly, with a hint of salt and vanilla. These Christmas sugar cookies are super easy to make and are the classic Italian Christmas cookies. They're not linked to any regional traditional recipe, they're simple and humble and that's why everybody loves them! A double dough of chocolate and vanilla to please everybody. They will make a beautiful cookie box to gift to your family and friends.
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Italian Christmas sugar cookies, known as "Biscotti di Natale," are a perfect holiday treat that captures the essence of Italy's rich culinary traditions. These cookies, shaped into festive designs like stars, angels, and bells, are not only visually appealing but also incredibly delicious.
The secret to their irresistible charm lies in their buttery, tender texture and a subtle sweetness that perfectly complements the aromatic hints of vanilla and orange. What makes this recipe truly special is the opportunity for creative decorating, where icing and colorful sprinkles can transform each cookie into a work of edible art.
Whether you're sharing them with loved ones or using them to adorn your Christmas tree, Italian Christmas sugar cookies are a heartwarming tradition that will undoubtedly be cherished by all.
If you love simple Italian Christmas cookies, check also these Italian Almond Cookies and these Orange and Chocolate Biscotti, these Pinolate (Pignoli Cookies), or these Bakery-Style Italian Butter Cookies.
What are Italian Sugar Cookies?
In Italy, we call them "Pastafrolla" cookies. They have a crumbly, buttery dough used in Italy to make cookies and "Crostate". They are a mix between shortbread and sugar cookies and that's what makes them so delicious.
The classic shortbread recipe follows the 3:2:1 ratio, 3 parts of flour, 2 parts of butter, and 1 part of sugar. But the Pastafrolla recipe in Italy has many small variations to make it more or less crumbly, with the addition of eggs which makes it more similar to the classic American sugar cookies. For these cookies, for example, the 3:2:1 ratio is not exactly followed, plus it has the addition of 1 egg. This is to make the dough easier to roll out and cut out with cookie cutters.
How to make the Best Italian Christmas Cookies
You can use a food processor to make the dough, which is very fast and easy. But if you don't have one, you can also do it by hand.
Add in the food processor the cold butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla and mix at low speed for a few seconds until the butter is all chopped up. Then add the egg, flour, and baking powder and mix again for a minute or two until the dough starts coming together.
Divide the mix into 2 bowls and in one add the cocoa powder. Knead well with your hands until the dough comes together into a smooth and solid ball. At this point, it shouldn't crumble anymore. Cover both doughs in plastic wrap and flatten it into a disk so later it will be easier to roll out. Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Use this time to preheat the oven.
Now comes the fun part! On a wooden board or table dusted with flour, roll out the cookie dough with a rolling pin and cut out all the shapes with a cookie cutter. Place them on a lined cookie sheet and bake! When you take them out of the oven transfer them immediately to a cooling rack and let them cool down completely before you decorate them.
Why do you put the dough in the fridge before baking?
While kneading the dough, the butter will start melting from the heat of your hands and the temperature of the room. it's important that the butter is as cold and solid as possible before you put your cookies in the oven, or they might lose their shape and consistency.
To do so, it's essential to chill the dough in the fridge for at least 30 minutes so that the butter will solidify again. Use this time to preheat the oven. After the chilling time, you can immediately roll the dough, cut out your cookies, and bake them.
How to Decorate the Cookies
I personally like homemade cookies as they are, simple and plain, like shortbread. The only decoration I do is to add a little bit of melted dark chocolate (simply melted in the microwave) on some and salt flakes on some. But of course, you can do all the decorations that you like.
You can add icing, sprinkles, chocolate, candied fruits, and more! Since they keep their shape very well and they are nice and flat, you can decorate them just like any sugar cookie, with a simple sugar icing.
FAQ & Tips
Yes, you can freeze the baked and cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 months. If you stack them, make sure you separate the layers with parchment paper.
If stored properly, in a cookie tin box or airtight container, they can keep they flavor and consistency for about 5-7 days. After 1 week, they will start to become dry but they will still be edible for up to 2 weeks.
I found that the cookies thick about ¼ inch ( 6 mm) were the ones cooked perfectly and with the best consistency, crumbly and soft. If you roll them too thin, they will easily overcook and become very crunchy. If you roll them too thick they might be undercook and stay too soft.
The Recipe
If you like this recipe, try also these other cookie recipes:
- Orange and Chocolate Biscotti
- Cavallucci, Christmas Walnut Cookies
- Cantucci, Classic Almond Biscotti
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📖 RECIPE
Ingredients
Method
- In a food processor, add the cold butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract. Mix at low speed for a few seconds until the butter is all chopped up.
- Add the egg, flour, and baking powder and mix again for a minute or two until the dough starts coming together.
- Divide the mix into 2 bowls and in one add the cocoa powder. Knead well with your hands until the dough comes together into a smooth and solid ball. At this point, it shouldn't crumble anymore.
- Cover both doughs in plastic wrap and flatten it into a disk so it will be easier to roll out.
- Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven at 350°F / 180°C.
- Take the dough out of the fridge and place it on a wooden board or table dusted with flour. Roll it out with a rolling pin about ¼ inch (6mm) thick and cut out the shapes with cookie cutters.
- Transfer the cookies to a lined cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes.
- Take them out of the oven and transfer them immediately (carefully!) to a cooling rack and let them cool down completely before you decorate them.
- You can melt a couple of tablespoons of dark chocolate for a minute in the microwave and drizzle the melted chocolate on the cookies with a teaspoon.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Notes
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