Angeletti Italian Christmas Cookies Food

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.

ANGINETTI

Steps:

• With a mixer, combine the granulated sugar, butter, olive oil and lemon zest . Add the eggs, one at a time, and continue to beat for 1 minute.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt, and mix into the lemon mixture until a soft dough forms. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate, 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
• Divide the dough into thirds. Cut each third in half, then repeat. (You should have 12 small pieces of dough.)
• On a surface lightly dusted with flour, roll each piece out into a 1/2-inch-thick log, then cut each into 3 pieces. Coil each piece into a small bun shape, bringing the end up over the top and pinching to seal. (Don't worry if they look funny; the glaze will cover any screw-ups.) Repeat with all the pieces, then arrange on the prepared cookie sheets at least 3 inches apart.
• Bake in batches, rotating the pans halfway through, 18 to 20 minutes. Set aside to cool completely, about 20 minutes.
• Place the confectioners' sugar in a small bowl and break up any large clumps with a whisk. Add the juice of 1/2 a lemon and whisk until a smooth glaze forms (if the glaze is too thick, add a bit more lemon juice; if it is too thin, add a bit more sugar).
• Dip the tops of each cookie into the glaze and allow the excess to drip back into the bowl. Place on a wire rack to dry, then store in an airtight container. Cookies will keep for 5 days at room temperature, or 3 weeks frozen.

ANGELETTI (ITALIAN CHRISTMAS COOKIES)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a large cookie sheet.
• Whisk together sugar, butter, milk, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl until blended.
• Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Add to the wet ingredients and stir until evenly blended. Cover the surface of the dough with plastic wrap or waxed paper and let stand for 5 minutes.
• With floured hands, shape dough by level tablespoon into 1-inch balls. Place balls 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until puffed on top and light brown on the bottom, 7 to 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool, about 30 minutes. Shape remaining dough into cookies and baking instructions.
• Whisk together confectioners' sugar and water in a small bowl until blended. Dip the top of each cooled cookie into the glaze, then place on a wire rack set over waxed paper (this will catch any drips.) Immediately sprinkle cookies with candy sprinkles. Allow glaze to set for about 20 minutes.