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🇺🇸 America's Top Recipes 🇺🇸

Italian Sugar Cookies

VegetarianDessertsItalian

Time: 50 minutes

Yield: 36 servings

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About

There's a tantalizing thrill in opening one of those classic white boxes wrapped with string and finding a pile of tender Italian Sugar Cookies inside. It's even more thrilling to stack a plate of Italian Sugar Cookies fresh from your own oven! The pillowy cookies are positively heavenly, especially when topped with creamy, sweet icing and crunchy coarse sugar. Add in a few drops of food coloring and you have a rainbow of vanilla-flavored baked goods you can't help but love! These are perfect to serve up for parties, holidays, or just as a surprise treat for friends or neighbors!

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Ingredients

  • For the cookies:
  • 3/4 cup shortening
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • For the icing:
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
  • food coloring, optional, to taste, of your choice
  • coarse sugar, optional, to taste, of your choice

Directions

Step 1 -Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Step 2 -In a large bowl, cream the shortening and the sugar together until light and fluffy.

Step 3 -Beat in the eggs and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla.

Step 4 -In a separate bowl, combine the flour, the baking powder, and the salt.

Step 5 -Gradually add the dry ingredients mixture into the shortening mixture and mix well.

Step 6 -Shape the dough into individual 1 1/2-inch balls.

Step 7 -Place the balls 1 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet.

Step 8 -Bake until lightly browned, for about 8-10 minutes. Bake in batches if necessary.

Step 9 -Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool for about 15 minutes.

Step 10 -In a small bowl, whisk together the milk, the butter, the remaining vanilla, and the confectioners' sugar until smooth.

Step 11 -Tint the icing with the food coloring, if desired.

Step 12 -Dip the tops of the cooled cookies into the icing, allowing any excess to drip off.

Step 13 -Sprinkle the tops of the cookies with the coarse sugar.

Step 14 -Place the cookies on waxed paper and let them stand until the icing sets.

Step 15 -Serve.

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