Italian Lemon Cookies Recipes

ITALIAN LEMON COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks and lemon zest. Gradually beat in flour. Refrigerate, covered, 1 hour or until firm enough to shape., Preheat oven to 350°. Shape level tablespoons of dough into 6-in. ropes. Shape each rope into an "S", then coil each end until it touches the center. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Whisk egg whites; brush over cookies. Sprinkle with colored sugar., Bake until bottoms are brown, 12-14 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

ITALIAN LEMON COOKIES

Steps:

• In a small bowl, sift flour and baking powder together.
• In mixing bowl, beat eggs with sugar until light and lemon colored.
• Add the softened butter and lemon zest.
• Slowly beat in the flour and baking powder.
• Gradually add milk and vanilla.
• Dough should be soft.
• Divide dough into 6 sections.
• Roll out each section into a rope 1/2-inch wide.
• Cut into 3-inch pieces and twist each piece to form a loop.
• Place on a greased baking sheet or a parchment lined baking sheet.
• Bake in a 350°F oven for 10-12 minutes or until light brown.
• Remove from oven and cool.
• Combine the powdered sugar and enough orange juice to form a thin icing.
• Brush on top of cookies and sprinkle with colored candies.
• Makes about 4 dozen cookies, depending on size and shape of cookie.

ITALIAN LEMON DROP COOKIES

Steps:

• HEAT oven to 375°F. Coat baking sheet lightly with no-stick cooking spray. Combine flour, sugar and baking powder in a large bowl. Add shortening. Beat with electric mixer on low speed until shortening is completely blended into flour mixture. Add milk, egg and lemon extract, mixing just until blended.
• ROLL dough into 1-inch balls. Place 1-inch apart on prepared baking sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely on baking sheet on wire rack.
• For frosting, BEAT powdered sugar, shortening, 2 tablespoons warm milk and lemon extract in medium bowl with electric mixer on low speed until blended. Beat in additional warm milk, a little at a time, until desired consistency. Spread on top of cookies.

ITALIAN LEMON SANDWICH COOKIES

Steps:

• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 350˚. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
• Beat the butter, sugar and lemon zest in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg yolks and vanilla and almond extracts and beat until combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually beat in the flour mixture until combined, then slowly add the milk and beat until just combined.
• Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a 1/2-inch open star tip. Pipe 1 3/4-inch logs about 2 inches apart on the prepared pans. (You will have leftover dough.)
• Bake, switching the pans halfway through, until the cookies are golden around the edges, 18 to 24 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes on the pans, then remove the cookies to racks to cool completely.
• Pipe the remaining dough onto one of the used parchment-lined baking sheets and bake only 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes on the pan, then remove the cookies to a rack to cool completely.
• Sandwich a thin layer of lemon curd between the cookies (1/2 teaspoon each). Microwave the candy melts and shortening in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring, until smooth. Dip the cookies partway in the candy melts, letting the excess drip off. Return to the racks and top with nonpareils. Let set, about 1 hour.

ITALIAN LEMON-RICOTTA COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Combine flour and baking soda. Beat butter, granulated sugar, dry pudding mix and lemon zest in large bowl with mixer until blended. Add ricotta and eggs; mix well. Gradually add flour mixture, mixing well after each addition.
• Roll dough into 82 (1-inch) balls. Place, 2 inches apart, on baking sheets.
• Bake 12 to 14 min. or until edges are lightly browned. Cool 5 min. on baking sheets. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.
• Whisk powdered sugar and lemon juice in medium bowl until blended. Dip tops of cookies halfway into glaze; return, dipped sides up, to wire racks. Immediately top with some of the sprinkles. Repeat with remaining cookies. Let stand until glaze is firm.

ITALIAN LEMON KNOT COOKIES

Steps:

• Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
• Cream sugar, butter, and shortening together in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs. Beat in lemon extract. Add flour mixture gradually, beating well to combine. Wrap dough in waxed paper and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 2 baking sheets.
• Place the dough on a lightly-floured surface. Break off golf ball-sized pieces of dough. Roll each piece into a rope about 7 inches long and 1/2 inch in diameter. Tie into a knot with one end poking up in the center. Place 1-inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes.
• While cookies bake, combine confectioners' sugar, milk, and lemon extract in a bowl for icing until smooth.
• Transfer baked cookies to a wire rack to cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Spread icing evenly on top of the slightly warm cookies and add sprinkles.

ANGINETTI (ITALIAN LEMON DROP COOKIES)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• For cookies, cream together sugar and shortening.
• Add eggs and lemon extract and beat well.
• Add flour, baking powder and salt; Mix well.
• The dough should be soft and sticky.
• With a small cookie scoop, drop dough onto a slightly greased cookie sheet or baking stone, spacing them about 2-inches apart.
• Bake for about 12-15 minutes, or until firm and lightly brown.
• Remove cookies from cookie sheet and allow to cool completely on wire racks.
• For frosting, combine confectioners' sugar, water and lemon extract and mix until smooth.
• Frost the tops of each cookie with a metal spatula.
• Allow cookies to dry before stacking.
• Store in an airtight container.
• ~NOTE~If you want to freeze the cookies, freeze unfrosted and frost once thawed.