Italian Easter Lemon Cookies (Printable Version)

Soft lemon-kissed Italian cookies topped with vanilla icing and colorful sprinkles, ready in 35 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 3 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

04 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
06 - 3 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
08 - 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
09 - 2 tablespoons milk

→ Icing

10 - 1 cup powdered sugar
11 - 2-3 tablespoons milk
12 - 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Decoration

13 - Colored sprinkles (nonpareils or confetti)

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
03 - Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract and lemon zest.
05 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, alternating with milk, mixing until soft dough forms.
06 - Scoop tablespoon-sized pieces of dough and roll into 4-inch logs. Shape each log into a ring and pinch ends to seal.
07 - Place rings on prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
08 - Bake for 12-15 minutes or until bottoms are lightly golden. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
09 - Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth and slightly thick.
10 - Dip top of each cooled cookie into icing, then sprinkle with colored sprinkles. Allow icing to set before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • These cookies manage to be incredibly light while still feeling special and festive
  • The lemon scent alone will make your whole kitchen feel like spring arrived
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients blend together so much better than cold ones
  • The icing sets quickly so have your sprinkles ready before you start dipping
03 -
  • Grate your lemon zest before juicing any lemons, it is easier to handle the whole fruit first
  • If the icing feels too thick, add milk one drop at a time until it flows like honey

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