Italian Easter Cookies with Lemon (Printable Version)

Soft lemon-kissed cookies topped with vanilla icing and colorful sprinkles

# Ingredient List:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 3 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

04 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
06 - 3 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
08 - 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
09 - 2 tablespoons milk

→ Icing

10 - 1 cup powdered sugar
11 - 2-3 tablespoons milk
12 - 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Decoration

13 - Colored sprinkles (nonpareils or confetti)

# How to Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt until well blended.
03 - In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Blend in vanilla extract and lemon zest until fully incorporated.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, alternating with the milk. Mix until a soft, cohesive dough forms, being careful not to overmix.
06 - Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough and roll into 4-inch logs. Shape each log into a ring, pinching the ends firmly to seal.
07 - Place the cookie rings on the prepared baking sheets, leaving approximately 2 inches of space between each ring to allow for slight spreading.
08 - Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the bottoms are lightly golden. Remove from oven and let cool completely on a wire rack before icing.
09 - Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and slightly thickened. The icing should coat the back of a spoon without dripping off.
10 - Dip the top of each cooled cookie into the icing, allowing excess to drip off. Immediately sprinkle with colored sprinkles. Let the icing set completely before serving or storing.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • These cookies manage to be festive without being overly sweet, letting the bright lemon shine through
  • The dough comes together in minutes but tastes like something that required hours of patience
  • Kids absolutely love helping shape the rings and decorate with sprinkles
02 -
  • The dough will feel slightly sticky but that is exactly right, so resist adding more flour
  • Let the cookies cool completely before icing or the glaze will melt right off
  • Work quickly once you start dipping because the sprinkles need the wet icing to stick properly
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients prevent the dough from seizing up when you mix them
  • Grate the lemon zest directly into the sugar to capture every drop of those aromatic oils

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