Buttery Italian Easter Cookies 🍪🌸

Deliciously Soft, Sweet, and Full of Tradition!

These Buttery Italian Easter Cookies are a cherished holiday treat. With their tender, cake-like texture and a perfect balance of vanilla and lemon flavor, they’re topped with a colorful pastel glaze and sprinkles. A classic for Easter celebrations, they’re ideal for cookie trays, brunches, or gifting!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe
✅ Melt-in-Your-Mouth Goodness – Soft, buttery, and lightly sweet.
✅ Festive & Customizable – Decorate with pastel glazes and sprinkles for a fun touch.

Buttery Italian Easter Cookies Recipe

Ingredients

For the Cookies:

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp lemon zest (or almond extract for variation)
3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt

For the Glaze:

2 cups powdered sugar
3-4 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
Food coloring (pastel pink, yellow, green, etc.)
Sprinkles for decorating

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Make the Dough
Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest; mix until well combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together, then gradually add to the wet ingredients.

2. Shape the Cookies
Roll dough into 1-inch balls or twist into traditional rope shapes. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

3. Bake to Perfection
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10-12 minutes until just set (avoid browning).

4. Glaze & Decorate
In a bowl, whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Divide the glaze and tint with food coloring. Dip cooled cookies in the glaze and top with sprinkles.

Pro Tips

🌸 For the Perfect Soft Texture – Avoid overbaking! The cookies will firm up as they cool.
🍋 Lemon Zest Tip – Use a microplane for finely grated zest.