Italian Christmas Cookies

 If you’re looking for a global spin on Christmas sugar cookies, this classic Italian version, made with lemon and ricotta, is one you won’t want to miss.



Ingredients

Cookies

  • 2 1/2
    cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
  • 2
    teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2
    teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/4
    cups granulated sugar
  • 1/2
    cup butter, softened
  • 1/3
    cup whole milk ricotta cheese (from 15-oz container)
  • 2
    teaspoons grated lemon peel
  • 2
    eggs
  • 1
    teaspoon vanilla

Frosting

  • 2 1/4
    cups powdered sugar
  • 3
    to 4 tablespoons lemon juice
  • Betty Crocker™ gel food colors, as desired
  • Betty Crocker™ candy sprinkles, as desired

Steps

1 Heat oven to 350°F. In small bowl, stir flour, baking powder and salt.

2 In large bowl, beat granulated sugar, softened butter, ricotta cheese and lemon peel with electric mixer on medium speed about 1 minute or until fluffy; scrape side of bowl. Beat in eggs, one at a time, just until smooth. Stir in vanilla. On low speed, beat flour mixture into sugar mixture until well blended. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.

3 Using floured fingers, shape dough into 54 (1-inch) balls; place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until set but not brown. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.

4 In small bowl, beat powdered sugar and 3 tablespoons lemon juice with spoon until smooth and spreadable. If frosting is too stiff to spread, add additional lemon juice, 1 teaspoon at a time. Tint with food color. Using knife, spread 1/2 teaspoon frosting on each cooled cookie; immediately top with sprinkles. Let stand about 30 minutes or until frosting is set. Store covered in airtight container at room temperature.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Brownie-Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

Image
  Oh yes, we did make a pan of brownies just to stuff them inside chocolate chip cookies! And once you try 'em, you'll understand why. Ingredients 1 box (18.3 oz) Betty Crocker™ Chocolate Fudge Brownie Mix Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on brownie mix box 1 pouch (17.5 oz) Betty Crocker™ Cookie Mix Chocolate Chip 1/2 cup butter, softened 2 tablespoons Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour 1 egg Steps 1  Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom only of 13x9-inch pan. Make and bake brownie mix as directed on box. Cool completely in pan, about 1 hour. 2  In medium bowl, crumble a 6x3-inch rectangle of the baked brownies (about 1/2 cup, firmly packed). Shape into 20 (3/4-inch) balls; set aside. (Reserve remaining brownies for another use.) 3  Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, mix cookie mix, butter, flour and 1 egg until soft dough forms. Shape dough into 20 (1 1/2-inch) balls. Press thumb into center of each ball to form indent. Press 1 brownie ball into center of each cooki...
Read more

Chocolate-Stuffed Gingerbread Cookies

Image
  Shortcut gingerbread cookies stuffed with melty Hershey's™ chocolate make for an impressive cookie tray addition that’s so easy to pull off! Ingredients 1 pouch (17.5 oz) Betty Crocker™ gingerbread cookie mix Butter, water and egg called for on cookie mix pouch 2 bars (1.55 oz each) Hershey'smilk chocolate candy 1/2 cup coarse white sparkling sugar Steps 1  Heat oven to 375°F. Make cookie dough as directed on pouch. 2  Shape dough into 20 (1 1/2-inch) balls. Break candy bars into individual rectangles. Press 1 rectangle into center of each cookie, making sure to form dough around chocolate to enclose; reshape into balls. Reserve remaining rectangles for another use. Roll balls in sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. 3  Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are set. Cool on cookie sheet 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Store covered in airtight container at room temperature.
Read more

Easy Apple Pie Cookie Cups

Image
  These adorable cookie cups are easy as pie—actually, they’re easier! Betty Crocker™ sugar cookie mix and spiced pie filling provide a shortcut start to these irresistible apple treats that are perfect for fall. Ingredients 1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker™ sugar cookie mix Flour, butter and egg called for on cookie mix pouch for cutout cookies 1 1/2 cups apple pie filling with more fruit (from 21-oz can) 1 teaspoon sugar 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon Steps 1  Heat oven to 375°F. Grease 24 regular-size muffin cups with shortening; lightly flour. 2  In large bowl, mix cookie mix, flour, butter and egg with spoon until soft dough forms. Measure 2 cups of the dough, and set aside remaining dough. Using the 2 cups of dough, firmly press a heaping tablespoon of dough into bottom of each muffin cup. 3  Chop apple pie filling into small pieces; place a generous 2 teaspoons pie filling in center of each cookie cup. On floured surface, roll remaining dough 1/8 inch thick. ...
Read more