Italian Christmas Cookies: Ricotta Anginetti Guide
Soft, glazed italian christmas cookies (anginetti) with ricotta, lemon glaze, and sprinkles—easy, make-ahead, and freezer-friendly.
What Are italian christmas cookies?
italian christmas cookies are tender, glazed, cake-like bites—often called anginetti—flavored with lemon, almond, or anisette and finished with nonpareils. They sit alongside classics like pizzelle, ricciarelli, mostaccioli, struffoli, biscotti, and pignoli on a holiday dessert platter. “Aim for a soft, pillowy crumb with a thin, shiny glaze,” notes our test kitchen. For more seasonal baking context, see our guides on best christmas cookies, cookie swaps, and icing techniques.
Description
Here’s the newsroom-tested, home-baker-approved roadmap to italian christmas cookies—the crowd-pleasing anginetti you’ll see at every cookie exchange. If you’re browsing christmas cookie recipes and christmas cookies recipes for something soft, glazed, and make-ahead friendly, these deliver. The method uses whole-milk ricotta for moisture, baking powder for lift, and a quick lemon glaze, producing the hallmark tender crumb and festive sparkle.
Who it’s for: busy families, office potlucks, and anyone assembling a holiday tray with pizzelle, biscotti, or pignoli. Time & steps: 20 minutes to mix, about 30 minutes to bake and glaze (6 simple steps). “Chilling the dough for 10–15 minutes tightens the structure so cookies bake domed instead of flat,” our kitchen notes explain.
Technique: Creaming butter and sugar aerates the base; ricotta adds moisture without heaviness; a higher ratio of baking powder to fat gives that cake-like bite. Almond extract intensifies aroma; swap for pure lemon extract or anisette to echo classic flavors of italian christmas cookies. Variations: fold in citrus zest, sub part of the flour with almond flour for nuttier notes, or finish with a vanilla glaze. Gluten-free bakers can use a 1:1 GF blend; expect a slightly denser crumb.
Serving & pairing: serve italian christmas cookies with espresso, vin santo, or hot chocolate. On a mixed platter, place them beside ricciarelli for chew and pizzelle for crunch. Storage & prep: store airtight 4 days at room temp; refrigerate up to 1 week; freeze glazed or unglazed up to 2 months. Re-glaze lightly after thawing if needed.
Nutrition & allergens: contains wheat, dairy, and eggs. Each cookie sits around 110 kcal, making them a reasonable pick among the best christmas cookies when portioned smartly.
Common mistakes: over-mixing (tough crumb), hot cookies before glazing (runny glaze), and too-cold butter (poor aeration). “If the glaze looks opaque and sets in under 20 minutes, you nailed the ratio.”
Soft CTA: Save this guide, share it with your baking group, and try the anisette version next time you make italian christmas cookies.
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups (270 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temp
- ¾ cup (180 g) whole-milk ricotta, well drained
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp almond extract (or ½ tsp anisette extract)
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Glaze: 1 ½ cups (180 g) powdered sugar + 2–3 Tbsp milk + 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- Multicolor nonpareils or white sprinkles, for finish
Nutritional Information
- Calories: 110 kcal
- Fat: 5 g (Sat. fat: 3 g)
- Carbohydrates: 15 g (Sugars: 8 g; Fiber: 0.5 g)
- Protein: 2 g
- Sodium: 65 mg
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
- Allergens: Wheat/Gluten, Dairy, Eggs (sprinkles may contain traces of tree nuts)
Directions
1.
Whisk dry. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt.
2.
Cream base. Beat butter and sugar 2–3 minutes until pale and fluffy.
3.
Add wet. Mix in eggs one at a time, then ricotta, vanilla, almond extract, and lemon zest.
4.
Combine. Add dry ingredients just until no streaks remain. Chill dough 10–15 minutes for easier scooping.
5.
Bake. Scoop 1-Tbsp mounds onto lined sheets; bake at 350°F (175°C) for 11–13 minutes until set and barely golden underneath. Cool 10 minutes.
6.
Glaze. Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and lemon juice to a pourable glaze. Dip tops of cookies; add sprinkles. Let set 20–30 minutes.
7.
Serve. Arrange with other italian christmas cookies for a festive assortment.
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