These Italian Butter Cookies as just as delicious as they are easy. One big recipe make lots of cookies. And by using different cake sprinkles you can create many different Christmas Butter cookies! Use a piping bag and open star nozzle OR use a cookie press!
Decorating Cookie Options (quantities will vary depending on how you decorate)
candied cherries
powdered sugar
chocolate and chocolate chips
colored sprinkles
chopped nuts
desiccated or shredded coconut
Nutella or raspberry jam to fill cookie sandwiches
Instructions
Italian Butter Cookie Dough
Read Tips for Success in the Notes section below plus the full instructions for best results.
Preheat the oven to 320ºF/160ºC and line two or three baking sheets with non stick parchment paper.
In a stand mixer, hand mixer or even by hand thoroughly mix the butter and sugar.
Add the egg yolks, vanilla and almond extract (if using). Beat well.
Set aside ½ cup of flour. Sift or whisk the remaining flour, baking powder and salt to combine.
With the mixer on low, combine flour mixture into the butter mixture until the dough is smooth and completely mixed adding as much of the flour set aside as needed. Take care not to over mix. The dough should be firm enough to hold a good shape but soft enough to pipe.
To have some colored cookie dough, remove a portion of the cookie dough to a separate bowl then stir in a few drops of gel food color until you achieve a color you like.
If using a cookie press, you may need to chill the dough for 30 minutes.
Spoon the ⅓ of the dough into an extra large, heavy duty piping bag fitted with a large open star tip. If using a cookie press, spoon the dough in the cookie press which has been fitted with the desired coo⅓kie plate. (check manufacturers instructions).
Pipe or press out cookies onto lined baking tray.
Repeat with ⅓ of the dough two more times.
Before baking, you can press a chocolate chip or halved candied cherry into the middle of circular cookies.
Bake in preheated oven 10-12 minutes. The cookies should be a pale golden color. If you've made larger cookies, they may take 12-15 minutes until pale golden. If you prefer darker, crispier cookies, bake until golden brown all over.
Cool for a minute or two on the baking tray before moving to a cooling rack.
Decorating Cookies
Cool the cookies completely before decorating.
Sugar dusting - The simplest and very effective decoration is a dusting of powdered sugar. Just spoon a little powdered sugar into a small sieve and dust over each cookie.
Chocolate dipped - Melt chocolate in a bowl over barely simmering water, stirring regularly until completely melted. Dip cookies in the chocolate then set on non stick parchment paper until set. Before the chocolate has set, you can scatter on colored sprinkles or chopped nuts or dessicated or shredded coconut
Cookie sandwiches - Spread a little Nutella or raspberry jam on the bottom of a cookie then press a similar sized cookie onto the filling to sandwich the cookies together. These cookie sandwiches can also be dipped as above.
Notes
Butter should be slightly softened so that it combines easily and quickly with the sugar. It should NOT be melted.
Don't over beat the butter and sugar. This isn't a cake. Extra air beaten into the dough will cause the cookies to flatten.
It's correct that the dough will be firm to push out of the piping bag. If impossible, mix a teaspoon or two of milk to the dough. Don't overfill the piping bag.
Tips for Success
Be sure to measure correctly. Stir the flour to loosen before spooning into measuring cups.
Have ingredients at room temperature.
Scrape down the sides regularly when beating and mixing the dough.
This mixture does not need to be chilled if using a piping bag and an open star tip. Please chill if using a cookie press.
If you find the mixture is too moist, add small spoonful of flour.
Alternatively if too dry, add a teaspoon or two of milk
When using a cookie press, sometimes the mixture gets stuck. Simply use a small knife or your fingers, to release the cookies and place it on the baking tray.
Turn the baking sheets in the oven for even baking.