Description
Crumbly, buttery Italian s cookies blend nostalgic family traditions with sweet memories. Delicate almond-scented treats melt in your mouth, transporting you to warm kitchen gatherings where love is shared through simple, perfect bites.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients:
- 2 ½ cups (315 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients:
- ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) milk (optional, for softer dough)
Flavor Enhancers:
(none in this recipe)
Instructions
- Prepare the baking environment by warming the oven to 350F (175C) and arranging parchment-lined baking sheets to ensure optimal cookie performance.
- Create a delicate dry mixture by whisking flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl, ensuring even distribution of ingredients.
- Transform butter and sugar into a creamy, airy foundation by vigorously beating them until they develop a light, voluminous texture, approximately 2-3 minutes.
- Introduce moisture and flavor by incorporating eggs individually, followed by vanilla extract and lemon zest, blending until the mixture achieves a smooth, harmonious consistency.
- Gently marry the dry and wet components, folding the flour mixture into the creamy base until a supple dough emerges. If the texture seems rigid, introduce a splash of milk to soften and relax the mixture.
- Craft elegant cookie shapes by rolling tablespoon-sized dough portions into slender 4-5 inch ropes, artfully curving them into distinctive S-formations on the prepared baking sheets, maintaining generous spacing between each cookie.
- Shepherd the cookies through a transformative baking process, allowing them to develop a delicate golden edge within 12-15 minutes, carefully monitoring to preserve their tender interior.
- Facilitate cooling by letting cookies rest momentarily on baking sheets, then transition them to a wire rack for complete temperature reduction. Present these delectable treats either in their natural state or adorned with a whisper of powdered sugar.
Notes
- Soften butter thoroughly at room temperature to ensure smooth, creamy mixing without lumps.
- Use fresh, high-quality ingredients like pure vanilla extract and fresh lemon zest for maximum flavor depth.
- Adjust cookie thickness by rolling dough slightly thinner or thicker for desired texture and crispness.
- Experiment with alternative flavor variations by substituting lemon zest with orange zest or adding almond extract for a different taste profile.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 130
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 30 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg