The Pioneer Woman Tasty Kitchen
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Italian Cookies

5.00 Mitt(s) 1 Rating(s)1 vote, average: 5.00 out of 51 vote, average: 5.00 out of 51 vote, average: 5.00 out of 51 vote, average: 5.00 out of 51 vote, average: 5.00 out of 5

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Level: Easy

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Description

These are so easy and so good. They’re a staple at any get-together in my family. What I love most about this recipe is that it makes a LOT of cookies—well over 100—and they keep very well stored airtight. Another plus-they can be frozen-glaze and all….they do beautifully!

Ingredients

  • FOR THE COOKIES:
  • ½ cups Butter Or Margarine
  • ¼ cups Vegetable Shortening
  • ¾ cups Granulated Sugar
  • 4 whole Eggs
  • 2 teaspoons Anise Extract (can Use Vanilla Or Lemon Extract Instead)
  • 3 cups All-purpose Flour
  • 5 teaspoons Baking Powder
  • ½ teaspoons Salt
  • _____
  • FOR THE GLAZE:
  • 2 cups Confectioners Sugar (Sifted)
  • 2 Tablespoons (Up To 4 Tbsp.) Milk

Preparation

For the cookies:

Melt butter and shortening together. Add the sugar; mix well. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the anise extract.

Sift or whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Add to creamed mixture gradually. If the dough is too sticky to roll in the palm of your hand, add flour until firmer, but the dough should still be very soft.

Roll dough in small balls (these tend to REALLY puff up with all the baking powder in them!) and place on ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes (the bottom should be lightly browned but the tops should remain light). Remove cookies to wire rack and cool completely before glazing.

For the glaze:

Mix milk gradually into confectioner’s sugar to make a thick glaze… make sure to keep it on the thick side.

Dip top of each cookie into glaze. Sprinkle with colored jimmies or nonpareils while glaze is still wet. (I usually dip 10-12 cookies, return them to the wire rack (with wax paper under the racks to aid in clean up!) and then sprinkle those cookies before starting to dip more.)

Makes a lot of cookies, depending on how large you roll them. I usually roll the dough into 1/2- 3/4-inch balls. I get about 100 cookies from one batch when I roll them this size.

18 Comments

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shejo-thepinkmoo on 3.26.2017

We called them sprinkle cookies! Yum! Can’t wait to try them!

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mamadunk on 12.22.2010

Made these yesterday! They came out delicious. I must have made mine bigger because I only got about 55 cookies. Added some Anisette into the frosting because I love that taste. They are awesome!

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susanmcortes on 12.5.2010

this sounds like what my italian grandma would call ‘s’ cookies because she always made them into ‘s’ shapes. i desperately need a taste of home and childhood! Thank you!!!

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kristen02 on 2.10.2010

My italian grandmother (who recently passed away) used to make these. Her favorite flavor to make was with lemon extract. Sometimes she would shape them in rings and call them “ring a lings” .

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kathyingreendale on 9.26.2009

I’m going to make these for a Marching Band competition next weekend. I think I’ll use vanilla to keep all 190 members happy and use the school colors for the non pariels!

One Review

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tamala on 12.9.2010

Really yummy – a fun new cookie for us – I had to use an extra heaping 1/2 C four to be able to work the dough but then it was perfect. I used vanilla and almond extract and I got a little over 100 yay :) Thanks for the recipe!

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