Description
Italian Christmas Cookies are soft, fluffy, and buttery treats made with creamy ricotta cheese and topped with sweet homemade icing and colorful sprinkles. These traditional-inspired holiday cookies are easy to prepare and make a beautiful addition to Christmas dessert trays, cookie exchanges, and family celebrations.
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup butter, softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese (8 ounces)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Icing:
- 1½ tablespoons butter, softened
- 1½ cups confectioners’ sugar
- 2–3 tablespoons milk, as needed
- Christmas sprinkles
Instructions
Make the Cookies:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter with a hand mixer or stand mixer for 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add the granulated sugar and continue beating for another 2–3 minutes until creamy.
- Add the egg and beat until well combined.
- Mix in the ricotta cheese and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Avoid overmixing.
- Use a tablespoon or small cookie scoop to portion the dough into small balls.
- Place the dough balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 12–15 minutes, until the bottoms are lightly golden. The tops should remain fairly pale.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack.
- Let the cookies cool completely before adding the icing.
Make the Icing:
- In a medium bowl, beat the softened butter and confectioners’ sugar together for about 2 minutes.
- Add 2 tablespoons of milk and whisk until smooth.
- If the icing is too thick, add more milk, one teaspoon at a time. If it is too thin, add more confectioners’ sugar.
- Spread the icing over each cooled cookie or dip the tops into the icing.
- While the icing is still wet, decorate with colorful Christmas sprinkles.
- Allow the icing to set before serving.
Notes
- Serving: Arrange the cookies on a festive Christmas platter with other holiday desserts.
- With drinks: Serve alongside coffee, hot chocolate, tea, or warm milk.
- Decorating: Add sprinkles while the icing is still wet so they stick properly.
- Room temperature storage: Store completely cooled, iced cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4–5 days because of the ricotta.
- Freezing baked cookies: Freeze uniced cookies in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator and decorate before serving.
- Freezing cookie dough: Scoop the dough into portions and freeze on a baking sheet. Transfer the frozen portions to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before baking.
- Make-ahead tip: Bake the cookies a day ahead and prepare the icing shortly before serving.
- Prevent soggy cookies: Allow the cookies to cool completely before icing and storing.
- Keep sprinkles colorful: For the freshest appearance, decorate shortly before serving because some sprinkles may bleed color into the icing over time.