Italian Butter Cookies

One of my all time favorite recipes for homemade cookies are these Italian Butter Cookies. They turn out perfect all the time looking like they came from a traditional Italian bakery. I choose the finest ingredients, to get the most delicate, melt in your mouth cookies.

With my homemade version of Italian butter cookies, you can get these absolutely delicious cookies without having to travel to an Italian bakery. The most important thing about making them perfect is having the dough soft without being chewy with a tender crumb and a rich buttery flavor.

Your taste buds will let you know that you made them right with the first bite. They are so tender and full of flavor, they melt in your mouth. And I will tell you my favorite part: customizing them. Pipe them into different shapes, fill them with jam, or dip in chocolate and top them with chopped pistachios or sprinkles!

I mentioned how easy this recipe is, and I meant it, just mix the ingredients, pipe, and bake. Then, decorate and eat. Those who do not have a piping bag can use a plastic baggie, your hands, cookie cutters, or a cookie scoop.cI recommend using the finest ingredients for the best results.

Why you will love this recipe

• As easy as any other cookie: With my recipe, these are just as easy to make as any other cookie. Authentic Italian butter cookies do not have to be time-consuming and challenging to make. There is no need to have a fancy cookie press, either. Use a simple piping bag or a baggie to make these buttery treats.
• Save money making them at home: The bakery charges almost $50 a dozen but with my recipe, 32 of them can be made for about $10. That is a seriously great deal. Of course, that depends on how elaborate the decorations are.
• Make everything homemade: Making them at home means everything is made from scratch too. There are no hidden preservatives or extra sugar.
• Serve them at parties: These cookies are so pretty and yummy, that they make perfect party platters for holiday tables or birthday celebrations. They are also attractive enough to give as gifts.

What you’ll need to make Italian butter cookies

Special items

• Stand mixer – For whipping up the batter
• Cookie sheets – I use two large cookie sheets.
• Piping bag – A plastic baggie would work.
• Bowls
• Cooking utensils

Ingredients

For the cookies:

• Softened unsalted butter – The butter has to be of superior quality and unsalted to get the full flavor of the sweet creamy butter. This is essential with butter cookies since it is the main ingredient. It also has to be softened for lighter and airier tender cookies with a bit of a cakier texture without heaviness.
• Powdered sugar – I use powdered instead of granulated sugar because it emulsifies better for a smoother melt-in-your-mouth texture.
• All-purpose flour – It has a moderate protein content to make them both chewy and soft with a bit of crispness where needed.
• Large eggs – The difference in size adds up. Large eggs weigh over 2.1 ounces each while medium eggs are about 1.7 ounces. So, two large eggs would be 4.2 ounces, and two medium eggs would be 3.4 ounces. That is almost an ounce difference, which can mess up the amount of fat and moisture.  Also, make sure they are at room temperature for better stability and so they will not chill the butter.
• Egg yolk – Egg yolks add more tenderness, chewiness, and richness to the dough for an incredible flavor. 
• Pure vanilla extract – Pure vanilla extract enhances and balances flavors to make them even more tasty.
• Salt

For decorating:

• Maraschino cherries – Sweet and tangy, these candied cherries are perfect for Italian cookies.
• Fruit jam – I use my homemade instant pot strawberry jam recipe. It is easy to make with just strawberries, sugar, and one lemon.
• Chocolate – Ghirardelli dark and white chocolate wafers are what I used. They melt quickly and stay melted longer. Plus, they have a delicious rich taste better than any other chocolate I have used.
• Chopped nuts – I use cleaned and chopped unsalted pistachios, chopped pecans, and whole almonds.
• Coconut flakes – Sweetened coconut flakes are perfect for sprinkling onto the dark chocolate.

How to make Italian butter cookies from scratch?

1. Whip the butter: To begin, I whip the sugar and butter in the stand mixer with a whisk attachment for at least five minutes until it is fluffy and light.
2. Add the eggs: Next, I add one egg at a time to the butter mixture while continuing to whisk. Making sure each egg is completely absorbed before adding another. After, I add the egg yolk and vanilla extract and whisk for another two minutes.
3. Gradually incorporate flour: Then, I add the sifted flour mixture a little at a time, mixing until it is fully incorporated. The cookie dough should be soft and sticky, but it should hold its shape.
4. Fill a piping bag and use a large star piping tip: Now, ii transfer the cookie dough to a piping bag with a large star tip and pipe it into different shapes on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper. Some of the common shapes are round, horseshoes, flowers, logs, and cookies shaped like an S. I like to make some with a little indent in the middle for a candied cherry, almond, or jam variation.
5. Chill the cookies: After, I place the whole baking sheet into the fridge and let them chill for at least 30 minutes while I preheat the oven to 360 degrees F.
6. Bake the cookies: Once the oven is ready, I place the cookie pan on the middle shelf and bake for approximately 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges turn light golden brown.
7. Let the cookies cool completely: When I remove them from the oven, I place them on a wire rack to cool. Make sure they are completely cooled before serving.

To decorate the cookies:

1. Melt the chocolate: First, use a microwave-safe mixing bowl or double boiler to melt the chocolates. Make sure the chocolate is completely melted but let it cool a little bit before dipping.
2. Decorate: Now, dip some of the buttery cookies into either one of the melted chocolates and then sprinkle them with decorations like coconut flakes, or chopped pistachios, or you can add sprinkles or holiday decorations. Rainbow sprinkles would be the perfect touch for a birthday celebration.
3. Or don’t decorate: Alternatively, if you want your cookies plain, that is fine too.

Expert tip

Getting the best butter for Italian butter cookies

It may seem like all butter is the same. However, that is not the case. The most important thing I look at first is quality. I want to have the best butter I can afford to make these cookies taste extraordinary. Then, I look at the salt content. I do not want any salt in my butter.

After that, I check the butterfat percentage. European butter has a higher butterfat percentage than American butter. The more butter fat, the better because the butter fat makes them taste and feel more decadent.

In America, the USDA states that butter has to have at least 80% fat, while the EU has to have between 82 and 90% butterfat. It may not seem like that big of a deal, but it really affects the taste and texture of these cookies and baked goods.

It gives them a more tender crumb with a buttery flavor. One of my favorite European butters is Kerrygold pure Irish butter because it is from grass-fed cows. It is 82% butterfat and tastes incredible.

That said, there are American creameries that sell European-style butter with up to 85% butterfat. For example, Straus Family Creamery in California has organic dairy products with 85% butterfat from grass-fed cows that are also burn-resistant and have a reputation as exceptionally creamy and sweet. 

Recipe variations:

• Chocolate version: For chocolate butter cookies, mix a 1/4 cup of cocoa powder into the flour.
• Vanilla extract: Instead of extract, you can use a scraped vanilla bean.
• Almond extract: Also, I like to use almond extract for an even more authentic taste.
• Other flavors: In fact, try some other flavors of extract like orange, cherry, peppermint, banana, or whatever you like.
• Add some zest: Another way to add some flavor is with your favorite zest such as orange, lemon, or lime.
• Italian sandwich cookies: Fill two cookies with jam or melted chocolate to make Italian sandwich cookies.
• Use a scoop: If you do not have a pastry bag or baggies, just use a cookie scoop or spoon and make round cookies. You can still decorate them, and they will still be delicious.
• Different colors: Add food coloring to your cookie dough to make rainbow-colored Italian butter cookies.

How to serve:

• They taste yummy with a glass of ice-cold milk or try them dipped into my hot cocoa.
• Another way to serve these is with a bowl of vanilla ice cream. Actually, any flavor would be great.
• To make these incredibly buttery cookies even more delicious, drizzle some of my caramel sauce on top of them.
• They would also be delicious dipped into homemade fruit sauce like my tangy strawberry sauce.
• Butter cookies pair perfectly with the vanilla and butter flavors of Chardonnay. It is an amazing combination to try.

Frequently asked questions

How to store leftovers:

• Store: Before storing the cookies, make sure they are completely cool. Then, put them in an airtight container in a dry and cool space in the kitchen. Place parchment or wax paper between them to prevent them from sticking together.
• Freeze: The best way to freeze these is to do it before making them. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and put it in a freezer bag where you can store it for about 30 days in the freezer. If they are already baked, you can freeze them in the airtight container you put them in for up to six months.
• Thaw: To thaw, remove them from the container while still frozen and spread them out on a baking sheet until they reach room temperature. Remember to put your frozen leftovers in the fridge to thaw overnight before serving.
• Reheat: To reheat, bake at 325 degrees F for two or three minutes.

More cookie recipes:

Recipe tips

• Butter is the number one ingredient in these cookies, so be sure to choose the best. 
• Overmixing the butter and sugar may cause the cookies to spread in the oven because the air pockets in the butter get smaller. 
• On the other hand, not mixing the butter and sugar enough can prevent it from having the air pockets it needs to hold its shape. 
• Not having enough butter will cause the cookies to be crumbly and dry. 
• Measure the flour with the spoon and level method to keep from having too much flour. 
• Do not make the cookies too thick or take them out too soon, or they will be gooey in the middle.