Authentic Italian Easter Cookies Recipe

Ingredients

• 1.75 cups white sugar
• 0.5 cup butter
• 3 eggs eggs
• 0.25 cup milk
• 0.25 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 3.75 cups all-purpose flour
• 5 teaspoons baking powder
• 4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 0.5 cup butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 3 drops red food coloring
• candy sprinkles

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease your cookie sheets for baking.
2. For the cookies: In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter using an electric mixer until the mixture is smooth. Incorporate the eggs, adding one at a time and ensuring each is well combined. Mix in the milk, oil, vanilla extract, and almond extract. In a separate bowl, combine the flour and baking powder; gradually add this to the wet ingredients to form your cookie dough.
3. Take the dough and roll it into 1-inch balls; on a lightly floured surface, roll each ball into a 5-inch rope. Shape each rope into a loose knot by bringing one end over the other, then underneath and through the middle; place the shaped cookies about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until the cookie bottoms turn a golden brown, approximately 5 minutes on the lower shelf, followed by 5 minutes on the upper shelf. Transfer the baked cookies to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely.
5. For the icing: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together confectioners' sugar, butter, vanilla extract, and almond extract until smooth. Gradually add milk, one tablespoon at a time, beating until you reach your desired consistency. Stir in food coloring until the icing is uniformly colored.
6. Once the cookies are completely cooled, dip them upside down into the prepared icing, then generously sprinkle with your favorite candy sprinkles.

Nutrition

• Calories: 134 kcal
• Fat Content: 5 g
• Fiber Content: 0 g
• Sugar Content: 12 g
• Sodium Content: 87 mg
• Protein Content: 2 g
• Cholesterol Content: 22 mg
• Carbohydrate Content: 20 g
• Saturated Fat Content: 3 g
• Unsaturated Fat Content: 0 g