Italian Easter Cookies are a beloved treat, deeply embedded in Italy’s rich culinary heritage, especially cherished in the south.
My nonna used to whip these up regularly—not for weddings, but because they were practical: simple ingredients, easy to make, and universally loved.
Infused with the delicate essence of almond or anise, each bite transports me back to her kitchen.
These cookies were just as much a part of daily life as they were festive celebrations. They’re perfect for Easter, other holidays, or enjoying with a quiet cup of coffee.
Italian Anise Easter Cookies
EQUIPMENT (PAID LINKS)
- Electric mixer
- Cookie scoop
- Refrigerator
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened 8 tablespoons
- 1 ½ teaspoons almond extract or anise extract
For the frosting:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 –3 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon almond extract or anise extract
For decoration:
- 4 tablespoons rainbow sprinkles
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.½ cup unsalted butter softened, ½ cup sugar
- Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in eggs one at a time, then mix in almond extract (or your chosen flavor).3 large eggs, 1 ½ teaspoons almond extract or anise extract
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until combined.
- Shape Dough: Using a tablespoon or cookie scoop, roll the dough into balls and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet about 1 inch apart.
- Chill Dough: Refrigerate the cookie dough balls for at least 1 hour to maintain their shape during baking.
- Bake Cookies: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Bake the cookies for 10–12 minutes, or until they are just set and slightly golden on the bottom.
- Prepare Frosting: In a small bowl, mix powdered sugar, milk (add 1 tablespoon at a time), and almond extract to make a thick but pourable glaze.2 cups powdered sugar, 2 –3 tablespoons milk, 1 teaspoon almond extract or anise extract
- Frost and Decorate: Once cookies are completely cooled, drizzle or dip them in the glaze. Sprinkle with rainbow sprinkles while the frosting is still wet.4 tablespoons rainbow sprinkles
Classic Italian Easter Cookies: All the Little Tricks Nobody Writes Down
These are the things nobody tells you until you’ve already washed the mixer and realized you should’ve done something differently. Read this now and save Future You a mild but very real baking attitude problem.
Chill the dough even when you think you don’t need to
Every time I skip chilling, I regret it. The cookies still taste good, but they spread, go lumpy, and lose that soft little bakery puff. Cold dough is the difference between “Nonna would be proud” and “still good but emotionally disappointing.” Even 30 minutes helps, but an hour makes them behave like they actually respect you.
Almond, anise, or the chaos option
Almond is friendly. Anise is nostalgic and slightly aggressive. If you’re baking for people who “don’t usually like licorice,” don’t be a hero. Use almond. If you love that old Italian bakery smell, go anise. Sometimes I split the dough in half and flavor both, which feels excessive until you realize you’ve just avoided three separate family arguments.
Don’t overbake these. Ever.
These are not meant to brown. If you’re waiting for golden tops, you’ve already gone too far. Pull them when the bottoms are just barely kissed with color and the tops still look pale and innocent. They will finish setting on the tray while you stand there pretending not to eat one.
Your glaze should be thicker than you think
If it runs like milk, it’ll disappear. You want that slow, ribbon-y drip that sits on the cookie instead of sprinting off it. I always test one cookie and wait ten seconds. If it still looks cute, you nailed it. If not, add more sugar and whisper apologies. Good glaze doesn’t flood—it drapes.
Sprinkles wait for no one
Glaze sets fast. Faster than your confidence. Have the sprinkles open, the cookie sheet clear, and your life together before you start. This is not the time to look for scissors. Once the glaze goes on, it’s go-time.
Soft today, better tomorrow
These cookies are good the day you make them. They’re better the next day. The flavor settles, the crumb softens, and suddenly they taste like they came from a box tied with string. I keep them in a container on the counter, not the fridge. Cold air steals their soul.
Freezer trick for future you
They freeze beautifully without glaze. I roll the dough balls, freeze them solid, then dump them in a bag. You can bake them straight from frozen—just add a minute or two. Nothing feels more powerful than spontaneous Italian cookies.
When they go wrong (and they will, once)
Too flat usually means warm dough. Too dry usually means too much flour. Too bland means you were shy with the extract. These cookies reward confidence. Measure like an adult, but flavor like someone who actually wants people to remember them.
