Jolly Holiday Italian Christmas Cookies Recipe That Sparkle
During holiday seasons, these delightful Italian Christmas cookies dance with traditional flavors that blend perfectly with sweet almond icing.
Family gatherings buzz with excitement when these delicate treats arrive on festive platters.
Generations have passed down cherished recipes, creating memories through every carefully crafted bite.
Crisp edges and soft centers make these cookies melt in your mouth with European charm.
Powdered sugar dusts each cookie like fresh winter snow, adding a magical touch to every sweet morsel.
The aroma of vanilla and almonds promises a delectable experience that connects you to authentic Italian baking traditions.
You’ll savor every moment of preparing and sharing these beloved holiday delicacies.
Quick Recipe Overview
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Calories: 140 kcal
Servings: 36
What You’ll Need for Italian Christmas Cookies
For Cookie Base:
Almond Flour: Provides a nutty, rich texture and gluten-free foundation with exceptional softness.
All-Purpose Flour: Adds structure and traditional cookie consistency, selecting unbleached flour enhances flavor.
Powdered Sugar: Creates delicate sweetness and contributes to smooth, melt-in-mouth texture.
Salt: Balances sweetness and heightens overall flavor profile.
For Binding and Flavor Enhancement:
Unsalted Butter: Delivers rich, creamy taste and helps bind ingredients smoothly, using room temperature butter ensures better mixing.
Vanilla Extract: Introduces warm, aromatic undertone with deep flavor complexity, choose pure extract for authentic taste.
For Decadent Finishing:
Dark Chocolate: Provides luxurious, intense chocolate coating, selecting high-quality chocolate with 70% cocoa content creates elegant finish.
Tools to Craft Holiday Cookies Like Nonna
Mixing bowl: Large, sturdy bowl for combining dry and wet ingredients.
Measuring cups and spoons: Precise measurement tools for accurate ingredient quantities.
Baking sheet: Flat metal pan for baking cookies evenly.
Parchment paper: Prevents cookies from sticking and helps with easy cleanup.
Wire rack: Essential for cooling cookies and preventing soggy bottoms.
Heatproof bowl: Used for melting chocolate smoothly.
Optional spatula: Helpful for mixing and spreading chocolate.
Baking Italian Christmas Cookies with Love
Whip Up the Cookie Dough Gently mix together almond flour, all-purpose flour, powdered sugar, and salt in a bowl. Add softened butter and vanilla extract, blending until a smooth dough forms.
Shape Delicate Treats Roll small portions of dough into tiny walnut-sized balls. Arrange them carefully on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving space between each cookie.
Bake to Golden Perfection Slide the cookie sheet into a preheated oven at 325F. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the edges turn a light golden color.
Cool and Rest Allow cookies to cool completely on a wire rack, giving them time to settle and firm up.
Create Chocolate Sandwich Melt dark chocolate using a double boiler or microwave. Gently spread a small amount of melted chocolate on one cookie's bottom, then press another cookie on top to create a delightful sandwich.
Set and Serve Let the chocolate filling firm up before serving these delectable Italian Christmas treats to your loved ones.
Tips for Decorating These Classic Cookies
Baking Magic Mastery: Learn how to perfectly shape cookie dough by chilling it for 30 minutes before rolling, which prevents spreading and maintains crisp edges.
Texture Perfection Trick: Use a small cookie scoop for uniform size and shape, ensuring even baking and professional-looking results every single time.
Dietary Flexibility: Swap almond flour with gluten-free flour blend for celiac-friendly cookies, or use coconut sugar instead of powdered sugar for a lower glycemic option.
Flavor Adventure: Experiment with different chocolate fillings like milk chocolate, white chocolate, or add a hint of orange zest to the dough for a citrusy twist that elevates the classic recipe.
Storage Wisdom: Store these delicate cookies in an airtight container between layers of parchment paper at room temperature for up to one week, or freeze for longer preservation without compromising their delightful texture.
Serve Italian Cookies with Holiday Cheer
Festive Cookie Display: Arrange the Baci di Dama cookies on a beautiful holiday platter with pine sprigs and cinnamon sticks for a stunning Christmas presentation.
Gifting Delight: Package these delicate cookies in clear cellophane bags tied with red or green ribbons, creating a charming homemade gift for friends and family.
Dessert Pairing Perfection: Serve alongside a steaming cup of espresso or rich hot chocolate to complement the cookies' rich chocolate and almond flavors.
Elegant Entertaining: Create a dessert charcuterie board featuring these cookies with other Italian sweets, nuts, and seasonal fruits for a sophisticated holiday spread.
Holiday Cookie Storage Tips for Bakers
Smart Cookie Storage: Keep cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, ensuring they remain crisp and delicious.
Freezing Magic: Wrap individual cookies or layers in plastic wrap, then store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for best texture.
Chocolate Care: Separate chocolate-filled cookies with parchment paper to prevent sticking and maintain their gorgeous sandwich appearance when stored.
Make-Ahead Brilliance: Prepare cookie dough in advance and refrigerate for 2-3 days before baking. This technique enhances flavor development and makes holiday prep easier.
Classic Italian Christmas Cookies blend generations of sweet tradition from Naples kitchens. Regional recipes passed through families create delightful treats celebrating holiday memories.
Ingredients
Scale
3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
2 tsps baking powder
¼ tsp salt
3 large eggs
½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
¼ cup (60 ml) milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
1 ½ cups (180 g) powdered sugar
2 3 tbsps milk
1 tsp vanilla or almond extract
Holiday sprinkles
Instructions
Dough Preparation: Sift almond and all-purpose flour with powdered sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl, creating a uniform dry mixture.
Dough Blending: Fold softened butter and vanilla extract into the dry ingredients, kneading methodically until a smooth, pliable dough forms that holds its shape.
Cookie Shaping: Roll the dough into consistent walnut-sized spheres, maintaining precise and equal dimensions for uniform baking.
Baking Preparation: Strategically place cookie spheres on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them to allow gentle expansion during cooking.
Oven Transformation: Bake at 325F (165C) for 10-12 minutes, watching for delicate golden edges that signal perfect doneness without over-browning.
Cooling Process: Transfer freshly baked cookies to a wire rack, allowing complete temperature reduction and structural stabilization.
Chocolate Filling Creation: Melt dark chocolate using a double boiler, stirring continuously to achieve a glossy, smooth consistency without scorching.
Cookie Assembly: Pair cooled cookies and sandwich them with a thin layer of molten chocolate, pressing gently to create elegant, connected halves.
Final Setting: Allow chocolate-filled cookies to rest at room temperature, permitting the filling to solidify and create a seamless, delectable Baci di Dama treat.
Notes
Select High-Quality Ingredients: Use fresh, premium almond flour and pure vanilla extract for richer, more authentic flavor profiles.
Master Dough Consistency: Knead gently to prevent gluten development, ensuring tender cookies with a delicate, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Control Baking Temperature: Watch cookies closely during baking; golden edges indicate perfect doneness without over-browning or drying out.
Chocolate Bonding Technique: Allow chocolate to cool slightly before sandwiching to prevent cookie crumbling and achieve a smooth, clean chocolate layer.
Recipe development with a focus on single-dish meals.
Fusion of traditional and modern Australian cuisines.
Food styling and photography for digital platforms.
Education
Box Hill Institute, Melbourne
Degree: Advanced Diploma of Hospitality Management
Focus: Specialized in practical food and beverage service, responsible alcohol and hygiene compliance, legal risk management, and hands‑on experience in a simulated restaurant environment.
William Angliss Institute, Melbourne
Program: Certificate IV in Patisserie
Focus: Specialized in pastry and bakery techniques, cookery and specialty food preparation, recipe planning and costing, commercial kitchen operations, sustainable and inclusive work practices, food safety and hygiene compliance, and workplace health and safety.
Jenna is the heart of Picture Perfect Meals, turning simple ingredients into beautiful, easy‑to‑make dishes.
Growing up around family meals in Melbourne, she trained at Box Hill Institute and then perfected her pastry skills at William Angliss Institute. She loves mixing classic Australian flavors with fresh ideas to keep cooking fun and stress‑free.
Jenna Hartley
Founder & Recipe Creator
Expertise
Education
Box Hill Institute, Melbourne
William Angliss Institute, Melbourne
Jenna is the heart of Picture Perfect Meals, turning simple ingredients into beautiful, easy‑to‑make dishes.
Growing up around family meals in Melbourne, she trained at Box Hill Institute and then perfected her pastry skills at William Angliss Institute. She loves mixing classic Australian flavors with fresh ideas to keep cooking fun and stress‑free.