Italian Christmas Cookies

Italian Christmas Sesame Seed Cookies

1/2 lb sesame seeds
4 cups sifted flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk (add 1 tablespoon at a time)
1 tbsp baking powder

Sift dry ingredients in a bowl.
Cut in oil until mixture resembles small peas.
Stir in slightly beaten eggs.
Add milk and mix thoroughly.
Pull of small pieces and shape into a 1” log.
Roll each in sesame seeds.
Place on cookie sheet or on parchment paper 3/4 apart.
Bake at 375 for 20 minutes.



Sicilian Mocha Cookies

For Cookies:
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup cooled strong coffee
4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp vanilla extract
8 oz finely chopped walnuts
1 cup granulated sugar

Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup strong coffee, cooled
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp unsweetened butter, softened
1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder


Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Sift together spices, flour, cocoa powder and baking powder. Cream sugar and butter.
Add vanilla egg. Add half of the coffee and then half of the flour.
Add remaining half of coffee and then the flour and the walnuts. Roll dough into 1" balls.
Place on ungreased cookie sheets and bake 11-12 minutes. Cool completely.
Make glaze by mixing together cocoa powder, vanilla, butter, and powdered sugar.
Dip tops of cookies in glaze and let dry on a rack.



Italian Butter Cookies

orange zest
3 eggs
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tsp almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp lemon juice
1 cup sugar
1 cup Crisco cooking oil
3 tsps baking powder

Frost:
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp orange juice
3 cups powdered sugar
2 tsps grated orange rind
4 tbsps butter, softened

Process ingredients in food processor till smooth.
Mixture will be thick.
Bake at 350 degrees 10- 12 minutes don't overcook.
Prepare frosting and frost.



Italian Xmas Pizzelle Cookies Recipe

1 cup oleo or butter
1 1/3 cups sugar
6 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsps baking powder
1 ounce anise flavoring

Melt butter or oleo and mix in sugar.
Let mixture cool.
Add flour and eggs.
Add baking powder and anise flavoring.
Add additional flour as needed to make soft dough.
Refrigerate dough to make it easier to work with.
Drop by spoonfuls onto your pizzelle iron.
Cook 1 minute.
Let them cool before stacking, this will help make your cookies crisp.

Enjoy our Italian Christmas cookies page!