The first time I tried to make my Nonna’s Italian Christmas cookies, I was a nervous wreck. Flour dusted every surface like a gentle snowfall, and the scent of almond extract and butter slowly warming in the oven felt like a hug from my childhood. I remember my hands were a bit clumsy as I shaped the dough, worried I’d never capture that perfect, tender crumb she was famous for. But when that first batch emerged, golden and fragrant, and I watched my own family’s eyes light up with that same nostalgic joy, I knew this recipe was more than a list of ingredients—it was a piece of my heritage, baked into something sweet and shareable. Now, making these cookies is the official start of the holiday season in my kitchen.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 5 tbsp whole milk
- 1½ tsp almond extract
- 6 cups all-purpose flour (measured correctly—see tip below!)
- 2½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 cups powdered sugar (for the glaze)
- Sprinkles or nonpareils for decorating
A quick note on the ingredients from my own trials: do not substitute the almond extract. I’ve tried using vanilla, and it’s just not the same. That distinct, fragrant almond flavor is the soul of this cookie. Also, please use real unsalted butter. I tested this with margarine once during a pantry emergency, and the texture was greasy and the flavor flat. Trust me, the butter makes all the difference. For the flour, the most common mistake is scooping it right from the bag, which packs it in. I gently spoon it into my measuring cup and level it off. It seems like a small step, but it prevents dense, dry cookies.(See the next page below to continue…)