Hi, I’m Anne from Beyond The Bayou Blog, your food-loving friend! Guess what? Today, I made a batch of classic Italian butter cookies from scratch, and let me tell you, they’re a real treat
These cookies are pure bliss-buttery, delicate, and oh-so-delicious. Whether you’re a baking pro or just starting out, you’ll love making these treats. Imagine the aroma wafting through your home as they bake to golden perfection.
Perfect for sharing with loved ones or enjoying a cup of coffee, these cookies are sure to become a favorite. Prepare to delight your taste buds and impress everyone with your baking skills.
Let’s dive into the magic of Italian Butter Cookies!
Overview: How To Make Italian Butter Cookies?
Italian Butter Cookies, with their slight sweetness and perfect crumb, were a must-have at holiday gatherings during my childhood. You can recreate these beloved bakery treats using simple ingredients and my grandmother’s fail-proof recipe.
To start, ensure you have your equipment ready: a stand mixer, baking sheet, piping bag, and a large open star tip. Then gather your ingredients: unsalted butter, confectioners sugar, egg yolks, vanilla extract, all-purpose flour, baking powder, fine sea salt, melted chocolate, coconut oil or shortening, and sprinkles.
Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F and lining a baking sheet with parchment paper. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat room-temperature butter until light and fluffy. Add sifted powdered sugar and continue beating until smooth with soft peaks. Incorporate egg yolks one at a time, followed by vanilla extract.
Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt, then gradually add to the butter mixture, mixing until just combined. Fit your piping bag with a large open star tip and pipe 2-inch sections of batter onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 13-15 minutes until lightly golden, then cool on a wire rack.
Once cooled, melt chocolate in the microwave in intervals, stirring in coconut oil or shortening until smooth. Dip each cookie halfway into the melted chocolate, place it on a parchment-lined sheet, and add sprinkles. Allow the chocolate to harden completely before enjoying, for best results let them sit at room temperature for 24 hours.
Try More Cookies Recipe!
Italian Butter Cookies Recipe
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Whisk
- Measuring Cups
- Baking sheet
- Parchment Paper
- Cookie Scoop
Ingredients
- 1 PlugraÌ Block Unsalted Butter
- 1 confectioners sugar sifted
- 2 large egg yolks room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 c all purpose flour sifted
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 c melted chocolate wafers or chips
- 1-2 teaspoon coconut oil or shortening
- sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Beat butter in a stand mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add powdered sugar gradually, beating until smooth with soft peaks.
- Mix in egg yolks and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
- Combine sifted flour, baking powder, and salt, then add to the mixture in batches, mixing until just combined.
- Pipe 2-inch sections of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between each. Bake for 13-15 minutes until lightly golden. Let cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Nutrition
Tips that Will Work!
- Measuring: Ensure fluffy flour by stirring it, then spoon into the measuring cup and level off. Electronic scales work like a charm.
- Temperature: Let ingredients reach room temp for seamless blending, avoiding separation issues.
- Techniques: Regularly abrade bowl sides for even mixing. Sieve dry ingredients and mix just until combined after adding flour.
- Baking: Rotate sheets halfway through for even baking. Look for pale golden tops and light browning underneath.
- Cooling: Patience is key-let cookies cool fully before decorating.
- Decorating: Use minimal jam or chocolate to prevent sliding. Fill a small bag for precise drizzling.
Variations and Substitutions You Will Love Trying!
Variations:
- Chocolate Cookies: Fancy a chocolaty twist? Swap out ¼ cup of flour for ¼ cup of cocoa powder. Voila! Chocolatey goodness awaits.
- Cookie Press Fun: Don’t have a piping bag? No worries! Use a cookie press instead. Just make sure to chill the dough for at least 30 minutes beforehand for the best results.
- Toppings Galore: Get creative with toppings! Press a candied cherry or chocolate chip into the center of a rosette or star cookie for a sweet surprise. Or jazz them up with colored sugar, sprinkles, or chopped nuts. Let your imagination run wild!
Substitutions:
- Vanilla Extract: Ran out of vanilla extract? No problemo! Use the seeds from the insides of a split vanilla bean for an intense burst of vanilla goodness.
- Flavor Adventures: Feeling adventurous? Skip the vanilla and almond extract and instead add finely grated lemon or orange zest to the dough. It’ll give your cookies a refreshing citrusy kick!
What to Serve with Italian Butter Cookies?
Store Them for Later!
- Storage: Keep your cookies fresh by storing them in an airtight container. They’ll stay tasty for up to a week this way. If you’ve got plain or dipped cookies, they’re fine at room temperature. But, if you’ve added jam or ganache, pop them in the fridge to keep them happy.
- Freezing and Prep Tips:
- Planning ahead? Make your cookie dough in advance and stash it in the freezer or fridge. Just remember to let it warm up to room temperature before piping. Trying to handle cold dough is like wrestling with a rock!
- Want to freeze your cookies for later? Go for it! Freeze them plain or dipped in chocolate. When you’re ready to enjoy, let them thaw out at room temperature (keep them uncovered to avoid moisture buildup). Then, if you’re feeling fancy, sandwich them with any filling you like before serving. You can freeze them for up to 3 months-perfect for planning ahead for those cookie cravings!
How to pipe Italian Butter Cookies?
Grab a piping bag and an open star tip nozzle to pipe out this buttery dough. I prefer using a disposable piping bag-it’s convenient! Just snip off a bit from the end and slide the piping tip right inside until it peeks out. Fold the top edge of the bag down and scoop in about half of the dough. Don’t go overboard with filling!
Now, twist the bag just above the dough and keep twisting until the dough gets all snug into the tip. As you pipe the cookies, keep on twisting the bag. And here’s a tip: hold the bag near the twist with one hand and apply pressure evenly to squeeze the dough out. With your other hand, guide and steady the bag. I like to keep the bag almost at a right angle to the baking sheet-it helps control the flow. Easy peasy, right?