Italian Wedding Cookies (Anginetti)
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These traditional Italian cookies are served at many holidays and weddings in the old Italian neighborhood! They are very simple lightly sweetened cookies that are traditionally flavored with anise, almond, or lemon and then dipped in a sweet sugar glaze. Everyone will love them!
Baking for an event or holiday? Take a peek at a few of my other Italian cookie recipes!
Watch How to Make
Why Anginetti?
Here’s a favorite, basic, Italian cookie – Anginetti (also referred to Ancinetti)! They go by a number of different names and in Italy they are made for weddings and holidays like Easter or Christmas. In the USA many people refer to them as Italian wedding cookies, Italian Christmas cookies, or Anise or anisette cookies (…but mine are almond flavored.) When they are formed into knots and flavored with lemon zest/extract, they are called lemon knot cookies.
These cookies are soooo good. They are soft, almost like a cross between a cake cookie and a traditional crispy cookie.
Growing up, it seemed that everyone’s mom or grandmother in the old neighborhood made a version of these cookies. Sometimes, when the baker would add too much flour, these cookies would taste quiet dry – but those were good for dunking in coffee!
Flavoring the Italian Cookies (Anginetti)
Traditionally, these cookies were flavored with lemon. But they are very commonly made with anise, almond, or even vanilla.
As a kid, I did not like anise-flavoring. My mom would make pizzelles the traditional way with anise as the flavoring and I’d always beg her to make them vanilla or lemon flavored instead. She eventually came around:)
But this is a very versatile recipe as far as flavorings go – feel free to substitute the almond or anise with vanilla, lemon, orange, or whatever flavoring appeals to you.
Decorating the Cookies
The traditional way to decorate these is to top them with a simple drizzle of sugar glaze and then add the rainbow non-pareils (or sprinkles), which are usually widely available at the grocery store.
Keeping Ball-Shape Cookies During Bake
When making this cookie, it’s important to refrigerate them for at least an hour in order for the cookie to bake in its characteristic tall shape. If you don’t refrigerate, they will come out flatter, more like a traditional drop cookie. Still good, but I love how they bake up if you refrigerate the dough.
I find it easiest to make the dough the day before and they bake it up the next day or so.
Notes on Dough Consistency
Please note that this dough is a little sticky. I know everyone’s definition of “a little” can vary but here is a photo of the mixed dough; hope this helps to visualize the finished dough.
Here you can see that I didn’t soften the butter too much for this particular batch:
Tips to Prevent the Sprinkles from Bleeding into the Icing:
To prevent bleeding of colors from sprinkles into the icing see the following suggestions:
- Omit the sprinkles
- Ensure cookies are cool before icing and sprinkling (since heat will cause icing and sprinkles to run)
- Don’t ice the cookies until the day you need them
- Make sure icing consistency is thick and not runny or thin
- Roll in confectionary (powdered) sugar instead of icing and sprinkles
- Make sure you use milk, not water to make the icing
- Use pastel colors, they don’t run/bleed as much
- Let the icing set a tiny bit before adding the sprinkles
- Avoid serving or frosting them on a humid day
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📖 Recipe
Italian Wedding Cookies (anginetti)
Video
Ingredients
For the cookie dough:
- 2 1/4 cups (281.25 g) flour (all purpose)
- 2 teaspoons (8 g) baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon (1.5 g) salt
- 3 (150 g) large eggs
- 1/2 cup (100 g) sugar
- 1/2 cup (113.5 g) unsalted butter , softened (DO NOT MELT THE BUTTER (8 tablespoons))
- 1.5 teaspoons (6 g) almond extract (or anise [licorice flavor])
To make the frosting:
- 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar
- 2 to 3 tablespoons (30 g) milk
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) almond extract (or anise extract)
To decorate
- 4 tbsp (40 g) non-pareils or sprinkles
Instructions
To make the cookie dough
- Mix the baking powder, salt, and flour in a small bowl and set aside
- Using a electric mixer, combine sugar and butter on medium speed for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy
- Add the eggs, one at a time, until combined and then add the extract and mix until combined.
- Add the flour/baking powder and combine slowly just until mixed.
- Using a tablespoon, roll the dough into balls and place onto a parchment lined baking sheet, about 1 inch apart.
- Chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350F, and then bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
To Frost
- Mix the ingredients for the frosting, adding the milk one tablespoon at a time
- I prefer to use a teaspoon and pour a bit of frosting over the cooled cookies but some like to dunk their cookies in the frosting to frost
- Make sure that the cookies are completely cooled before frosting otherwise, the frosting will just drip off
- Add sprinkles/non-pareils while the frosting is still wet or they won’t stick. I usually frost a few at a time and then decorate so the frosting doesn’t dry before I have a chance to decorate
Marie, Is this the same cookie as the “Italian Knot Cookie” except made into a ball instead?
Yes, there are some slight variations among recipes. I typically see the knot cookies in lemon flavors. These can be made into knot shapes and customized to flavors like lemon, anise or almond.
Your comment about the sprinkles bleeding is correct —they are made with wax and are melting. Some sprinkles are made with the same wax that birthday candles are made from. https://wilton.com/rainbow-sprinkles-mix-10-oz/191008532/?srsltid=AfmBOopIHDMfwbuAekyiztz-kB1QPR9LSSDGrv2R6xbhRptbvGhhVd5Q
I have not tried this yet, but I’m wondering if you freeze the sprinkles they might not melt as fast. Also, has anyone tried making their own sprinkles without the wax? https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-sprinkles-for-cupcakes-cookies-and-cakes-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-138957
I am excited to try your recipe! The other recipe I tried is very bland.
Italian cookies are mostly not too sweet and this one gets most of the flavor from the icing – I do love the almond extract in this one but you can also add lemon zest or anise if you’d prefer. Happy baking!
After I bake and let them cool, can I put them in the freezer until ready to use?
Then allow them to get to room temp and then dip in icing?? My party is 6 days away and want to prep as much as I can prior…
Thank you for your help.
Yes, absolutely! I would do the same.
Hi Marie. I am excited that I found your recipe. I grew up with my grandma making these cookies for big events. We have a family wedding this weekend and I took it upon myself to make these for it. My first attempt, I hope I make grandma proud.
I love these cookies. My mom always made them at Christmas, and now my daughter and I make them every year! Do you have the recipe for pizzelle’s? I got a recipe from my mother-in-law, but when I make them, it doesn’t taste like there’s enough anise flavoring.
I’m so glad to hear it! I am working on my pizzelle recipe, but you might want to try using crushed anise seeds. They are pretty potent and have a great flavor. I can’t recommend an amount because I’m not sure how much batter you’re making. Try a comparable amount to your extract and go from there.
HI PAM,
TRY USEING ANISE OIL INSTEAD OF EXTRACT. THAT’S WHAT I USE & IT IS WAY MORE FLAVORFUL! DON’T NEED AS MUCH OIL AS YOU DO WITH AN EXTRACT.
I’D START WITH 1/2-3/4 TSP & SEE IF THAT’S ENOUGH ACCORDING TO YOUR TASTEBUDS. HOPE THIS HELPS YOU!!
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I grew up outside of Boston and ate these at every family gathering as a kid. Now I live in Dallas and can never find them at the Italian bakeries here (people really don’t offer anything past tiramisu and cannolis). So glad to have a way to make them for myself and my family 🥹🙂
What’s the best way to store them? I put them in tins but seems like they’re getting moist in there.
Were they still warm when you put them in the tin? If they’re completely cooled in an airtight container, moisture should not be a problem. Some people will place a piece of bread in their containers so that might help also.
I can’t wait to make these as part of my desserts on Christmas. I would rather use anise seeds than the extract. How much should I use?
I’d start with 1 to 2 teaspoons (lower end if you want less or higher end for more pronounced).
I made these using 2 teaspoons anise seed. They were delicious!!! In fact, we loved them so much at Christmas that I am making another batch for New Year’s. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
Love this recipe !How to store the dough if making a day before baking ? Do you roll in balls? TIA!
Yup 🙂 That’s exactly what I do and then refrigerate but you can also store it in bulk and refrigerate (but then you’d have to wait for it to warm up a bit in order to shape)
These cookies are easy and delicious only problem is mine crack on the top. Is there a way to prevent that from happening?
You can try a few things, one is not incorporating too much air into the dough when making it also baking a little less sometimes they’ll try out when they crack