Anginetti Cookies – Italian Lemon Cookies
This post may include affiliate links, meaning I will earn a small commission if you purchase through my link. Affiliate Disclaimer.
Anginetti Cookies, also known as Italian Lemon Cookies or Italian Wedding Cookies, are probably one of the most popular cookies on the Italian cookie tray. This is no surprise since they are cakey, moist, and softly sweet little pillows of love. Simply dipped in icing and covered with sprinkles, they are perfect for any occasion.
Most Italian wedding or holiday cookie platters will include Anginetti, Ricotta Cookies, Pizzicati, Italian Butter Cookies, Cuccidati, Italian Chocolate Spice Cookies, Sesame Cookies, and Almond Paste Cookies.
My mother is the Italian cookie queen, but Anginetti was never in her cookie repertoire. Although she did not make the cookies herself, she did have a recipe for them when I asked for it.
She is not sure where she got the recipe, but I decided to try it and see what we thought. We were not disappointed. They are now a family favorite. In fact, I made the cookies pictured here for my niece’s wedding, and they were a huge hit!
What are Anginetti Cookies?
Anginetti is a simple Southern Italian cookie with a texture that falls somewhere between a cookie and a cake. They are not overly sweet and can be lightly flavored with lemon, anise, almond, or vanilla. I love the traditional lemon version. The cookie is dipped in a white glaze frosting to seal in moisture and add a hint of sweetness, and then decorated with sprinkles. One bite and you will understand why they are so popular.
Anginetti Ingredients
No need to worry about special ingredients for this recipe. Your pantry is already stocked with what you need. Just make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature.
How to Make Italian Lemon Cookies
This recipe is as straightforward as it comes, and an electric mixer will make this a very quick process
Step 1: Make the dough
Combine the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.
Mix the egg, sugar and vegetable oil until the sugar has dissolved.
Add the milk, lemon juice and lemon zest and mix well.
Slowly add the flour and mix until it is thoroughly combined.
Step 2. Bake the cookies
Roll the dough into 1″ – 1 1/2″ balls and place 2 ” apart on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
Bake 13-15 minutes or until the bottom of the cookie is a light golden brown.
Remove the cookies from the oven and place them on a cookie rack to cool completely.
Baking Tip
Flour your hands before rolling the dough into balls. This will keep the dough from sticking to your hands, and you will be able to make smooth, even cookie balls.
Don’t overbake the cookies. Keep an eye on them as you get close to the end of the baking time. Overbaked cookies will be dry.
Step 3: Frost the Cookies
The frosting can be whisked by hand. Simply combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk until the frosting is completely smooth and pourable. The frosting should not be liquidy. You should be able to dip the cookie in the frosting and have it coat the cookie.
Baking Tip
If the frosting is too liquidy, add more confectioners’ sugar. If it is too stiff, add more milk. You should also taste the frosting and adjust the flavor as you make it. If you like a strong lemony flavor, you may want to add more lemon juice, one teaspoon at a time, until you achieve the flavor you are looking for.
How to Decorate Anginetti Cookies
Traditionally, these Anginetti are decorated with a white glaze frosting and sprinkles. Let the occasion dictate how you decorate them. Colorful non-perils are a very popular topping for the holidays and family celebrations, but I love the elegant look of decorating sugar against the white frosting for a wedding or any occasion, really.
How to Keep Non-Perils From Bleeding
Colorful non-perils look so festive on anginetti cookies, but one drawback is that the color often bleeds into the frosting. Here are a few tips to prevent this from happening:
- Make sure the frosting is not too thin, and use milk instead of water to make it.
- Frost and decorate your cookies on the day that you plan to serve them.
- Don’t decorate the cookies on a hot, humid day or in a warm environment.
- Wait a minute or so after frosting the cookies to add the non-perils.
- Store your decorated cookies in a cool, dry place.
- Use decorating sugar or food coloring to decorate your cookies.
Cookie Variations
Some recipes call for the cookie dough to be rolled out and formed into a knot. These are known as Italian Knot Cookies or Lemon Knot cookies. While others just make drop or dome-shaped cookies. Either way, they are very pretty and, of course, delicious. The cookie dough is soft and sticky, so I found that forming it into balls was the easiest method, and I love the elegant result!
Anginetti Cookies FAQs
The frosted cookies can be stored in a tin or plastic container with waxed paper between each layer. Make sure the frosting is completely dry before attempting to layer them. They will stay fresh for up to a week.
Yes these cookies freeze nicely. The cookies should be placed in an airtight container with waxed paper between the layers of cookies. You can also freeze them in a single layer in a freezer zip lock bag. The cookies will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 2 months. Just take them out of the freezer about an hour before you plan to serve them.
Other Delicious Cookies for Your Cookie Platter:
These are some our favorite Italian cookies. Two crowd pleasers that are perfect for any occasion are Lemon Biscotti with Pistachios and Double Chocolate Espresso Cookies. You might also like Nonna’s Pani Di Cena – Sicilian Anise Cookies for Lent, which we make during the Easter season, and Ossa di Morto, traditional cookies for All Souls’ Day in Sicily.
Cookies that are not Italian but still incredibly delicious, like my Apple Cookies and Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies, also make great additions to your cookie tray.
Anginetti Cookies – Italian Lemon Cookies
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I’ll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Enza’s Quail Hollow Kitchen
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 Egg large
- ¾ cup Sugar granulated
- ½ cup Vegetable Oil
- ½ cup Milk
- 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 1 tbs Lemon Zest
- 3 cups Flour
- 3 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 pinch Salt
Frosting
- 1½ cups Confectioners Sugar
- 1 tsp Lemon Juice
- 2 tbsp Milk
Instructions
- Pre heat oven to 350°. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl and set aside.
- In a large bowl add sugar, egg and vegetable oil and beat for 2 minutes.
- Mix in the milk, lemon juice and lemon zest until fully blended.
- Add flour mixture and beat until a dough is formed and the flour is completely blended in to the batter. The dough will be sticky.
- Use a teaspoon or a cookie scoop to measure the amount of dough for each cookie. Flour your hands and roll the dough into 1½" balls. Place the dough on a prepared cookie sheet leaving about 2 inches between each cookie. The cookies will rise and spread as they bake.
- Bake the cookies for 13-15 minutes. The cookies are done when the bottom of the cookie is golden brown. Remove from the oven and place the cookies on a rack to cool.
Frosting
- Combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth. If the frosting is too thick, add a teaspoon at a time of milk until you have a smooth, thick but pourable frosting.
- When the cookies are completely cooled, dip the tops in the frosting and place them on the cooling rack to dry. You can sprinkle decorating sugar or nonpareils on the cookies before the frosting dries if you like.
Notes
- Flour your hands before rolling the dough into balls. This will keep the dough from sticking to your hands, and you will be able to make smooth, even cookie balls.
- Don’t overbake the cookies. Keep an eye on them as you get close to the end of the baking time. Overbaked cookies will be dry.
- If you use Non-Perils to decorate your cookies here are some tips to prevent them from bleeding:
- Make sure the frosting is not too thin.
- Frost and decorate your cookies on the day that you plan to serve them.
- Avoid decorating cookies on a hot, humid day or in a warm environment.
- Wait a minute or so after frosting the cookies to add the non-perils.
- Store your decorated cookies in a cool, dry place.
- Use decorating sugar or food coloring to decorate your cookies instead of non-peril sprinkles.
Can I substitute Butter for the oil?
Hi Marilyn: I have never used butter to make these cookies, so I can’t say how they would come out. I think you might have to make other adjustments to the recipe in order to get the right balance between the wet and dry ingredients.
If you are worried about the flavor, I can tell you that the cookies are really delicious and very moist. Please let me know how you like them if you decide to make the recipe.
I have to make 3 dozen cookies for a cookie swap I’m assuming to double up on receipe the f I make these any suggestions
Hi Monica! This recipe will make about 36 cookies or 3 dozen cookies. I use a 1 tablespoon size cookie scoop to measure out the dough. If you double it you will have about 6 dozen cookies.
I hope this answers your question.
We used olive oil for the vegetable oil and they turned out so beautiful! Thank you for the recipe. I wish Stela D’oro would make again but these are much better!
Kathy Thank you so much for letting me know you enjoyed these cookies! I love the homemade version so much more too!
came out amazing!! I added a little lemon zest to the icing as well. Thank you for the recipe
Nicole, I am so happy you loved the cookies! Thank you for letting me know! Merry Christmas!
Do these cookies come out moist not dry some I tried in the past were very dry and I prefer my cookies more moist
Hi Danielle, These cookies have always come out moist for me. Just make sure that you measure the flour by the spoon and level method I discuss in the post so that you don’t add more then you need. Good luck and I hope you like them!
These stay so well in the freezer and are just the perfect cookies for any party!
Do you have a recipe for a vanilla version of this cookie?
Hi Clare
You can easily change the flavor of these cookies by by leaving out the lemon juice and zest and replacing it with 1 – 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract. If you try them be sure to let me know how you like them. Happy baking!
Thank you so much!
I’m wanting to make these for my daughters wedding. Can they be frozen successfully? Thank you.
Hi Catherine! Congratulations on your daughter’s wedding! Yes these cookies freeze beautifully. We have made them and frozen them many times.
Do you freeze them with the glazez.
Hi Ann. Yes you can freeze them after you frost them, but make sure the frosting is completely dry first.
Hi, I am planning on making these in a few days. Should I put the rolled out cookies in the fridge for a period of time before baking them? Thanks!
Hi Yasmin! I have not found that I need to refrigerate the dough in order for the cookies to maintain their round shape, but it won’t hurt if you want to place the formed cookies in the refrigerator or about 15-20 minutes before baking them. Let me know what you decide to do and how you make out.
Made these cookies, with lemon, today. They came out so good. They actually taste like sicilian taralli cookies. My family loved them. Thank you
Maria I am so happy that your family loved these cookies. They are one of my favorites too. The lemon is so nice for a spring time cookie. Thank you for leaving a message!