Italian Knot Cookies Recipes

ANGINETTI, ITALIAN LEMON KNOT COOKIES

Steps:

• If you prefer, dough can be made the day before which makes it nice and chilled to work with, or you can start scooping them right after you make the dough but probably you will have to chill it for a while as you're making the cookies and the dough stays out. I sometimes stick it in the freezer for a few minutes to get it to firm up again.
• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until fluffy, add eggs one at a time, then the extract and zest.
• In a smaller bowl whisk the flour, salt and baking powder, then slowly add to the creamed mixture alternately with the milk, you might not have to use all the milk.
• When everything is incorporated, let the dough rest for 5 minutes or wrap and chill overnight.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. and place cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet.
• To form the knots I like to use a cookie scoop so all will be similar in size, then take the scoop of dough and roll it into a log about 5 or 6 inches, it's the length of a bench scraper, that's how I measure mine.
• Then take one side of the log and spiral it into a circle, you can tuck the other end down or up, it doesn't matter.
• Bake for 12 to 15 minutes according to your oven, mine took exactly 12 minutes, you want the underneath to be golden brown, not dark brown.
• Cool on racks.
• LIMONCELLO ICING
• One and one half cups of powdered sugar
• Five tablespoons of limoncello Liqueur
• zest of 1 lemon
• TRADITIONAL LEMON ICING
• One and one half cups of powdered sugar
• zest of 1 lemon
• One half teaspoon of lemon extract
• and lemon juice to get the right consistency.
• I always taste my icing to make sure it has the right amount of lemon, you can always add more, and I also like to brush my icing on instead of dipping., personal preference.
• After frosting immediately put your sprinkles on and then let the whole cookie dry for about an hour.
• You can keep them in tins with wax paper in between, or you can freeze them in an airtight container right after they bake and cool down, then frost them a day or two ahead before you'll be eating them.

ITALIAN KNOT COOKIES

Steps:

• In a mixer, add melted butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Mix the flour with the baking powder and salt. Change to dough hooks and add flour mixture. Add the warm water and mix until it forms a smooth dough. Make 11/2 inch balls with dough. Roll balls out to about 4 inch worms. Bring one end over the other, then underneath and through the middle, like a knot. Place on baking sheet, four rows of four. (16 cookies on each sheet). Bake in 350F oven for 13 - 15 minutes. Let cool before icing. To Ice: Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Add a little water until desired consistency. Dip cookie upside down into icing, then turn over onto waxpaper. Sprinkle with candy sprinkles.

LOVE KNOT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Fit 2 more baking sheets with a wire rack.
• For the dough: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the granulated sugar, sour cream and vegetable oil on medium-low speed. Add the egg, vanilla extract and lemon oil and mix until combined. On low speed, add in the flour and baking powder and mix until a dough forms.
• Remove the dough from the bowl onto a clean work surface dusted with flour. Knead until the dough forms a smooth ball. Using a bench scraper, cut the dough in quarters. Working with one quarter at a time, roll the dough into a snake about 1-inch thick. Using the bench scraper, cut the snake into 8 even pieces. Take one of the smaller pieces and roll into a snake again so that it is approximately 6 inches long. Knot the dough and place the prepared baking sheets with parchment. Repeat this process with the rest of the dough.
• Bake the love knots for 10 to 12 minutes; they should turn a light golden brown on the bottom and double in size. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
• For the glaze: While the cookies are cooling, put the powdered sugar into a large bowl. Add the milk a little at a time until you reach the proper consistency; you want the icing to coat a spoon. Once the proper consistency, add the vanilla extract and lemon zest.
• After the cookies have cooled completely, dip the entire cookie into the glaze. Hold the cookie over a bowl to allow excess glaze to run off and then place on the wire rack. Allow to dry for 30 seconds before sprinkling the tops with nonpareil sprinkles. Store the dried cookies in an airtight container to maintain freshness.

ITALIAN KNOT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Cream sugar, butter, margarine, milk, vanilla extract, and almond extract together in a large bowl. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating briefly after each addition.
• Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; add 1 cup at a time to the creamed mixture until a dough forms, using your hands if and when necessary. Turn out onto a floured board and knead briefly until smooth and a bit sticky, but not sticking to your hands. Set aside to rest for 5 minutes.
• Pull off small pieces of dough, 1 at a time, and roll into a rope. Gently place one end towards the middle, followed by the other end, in a way to slightly overlap each other. Repeat to form remaining cookies and place on the prepared cookie sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven in batches until just turning a light brown on the bottom, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove to a wire rack and allow to cool slightly.
• Meanwhile mix confectioners sugar, milk, and lemon juice together in a small bowl to form a thin glaze. Dip warm cookies in the glaze and sprinkle with sugar or sprinkles. Let set on waxed paper or a cooling rack to dry.

ICED ITALIAN KNOT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Mix flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl.
• Combine butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; beat until smooth and creamy. Change to the dough hook and gradually mix in flour mixture. Add warm water and mix until a smooth dough forms.
• Roll dough into 1 1/2-inch balls. Roll each ball out to a 4-inch long worm. Bring one end over the other, then underneath and through the middle, like a knot. Place 16 cookies on a baking sheet, four rows of four.
• Bake in the preheated oven until edges are golden, 13 to 15 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Repeat to bake remaining 2 batches of cookies.
• Meanwhile, mix powdered sugar, anise extract, and salt together in a bowl. Mix in water, a little at a time, until desired consistency.
• Dip cooled cookies upside down into the icing, then turn over onto waxed paper. Sprinkle with candy sprinkles.