The BEST Italian Wedding Cookies (Anginetti). The texture of these soft cookies is amazing (similar to butter cookies), and they literally melt in your mouth!

Italian wedding cookies are the perfect cookies for dipping in hot chocolate! Try these recipes: Authentic Thick Italian Hot Chocolate, or a more traditional, Homemade Chocolate Syrup (hot or cold).

If you love Italian cookies, try these recipes: Soft AMARETTI Cookies Sardinian Recipe and Basic Italian Biscotti (Cantucci) Dough, Heart Thumbprint Cookies Recipe with Jam, Homemade Italian Ladyfinger Recipe (Savoiardi), Italian Pignoli Cookies Recipe (pine nut). or Italian Butter Cookies Recipe (bakery style).

BEST Italian Wedding Cookies (Anginetti)

These traditional Italian cookies are frosted with simple sugar and milk glaze and topped with colorful sprinkles. They make special holiday cookies for Christmas, Easter, and weddings.

Similar cookies: Mexican wedding cookies, snowball cookies, spritz cookies, and Russian tea cookies. You will also love these Lemon Ricotta Cookies (Italian Recipe), Rainbow Cookies, and Authentic Struffoli Recipe (Italian Honey Balls).

Simple Ingredients for Anginette Cookies

No fancy ingredients to make this Italian Cookie recipe.

• Butter
• Powdered sugar (more for icing)
• Sugar
• Eggs
• Baking powder
• All-Purpose flour
• Salt
• Pure Lemon extract (other flavorings: pure vanilla extract, anise, lemon, orange, almond)
• Sprinkles for decorating

Full measurements are in the printable recipe card below.

How to Make the BEST Italian Wedding Cookies (Anginetti)

The process of making these easy cookies is very simple.

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and set them aside. 
2. In a large bowl cream butter and sugar with a hand mixer. Add eggs and lemon extract and beat well until incorporated.
3. Sift in the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, and salt; Mix again on low speed until incorporated.
4. The dough should be soft and sticky. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
5. With a small cookie scoop, drop dough 1-inch balls onto prepared baking sheets spacing them about 2-inches apart.
6. Bake cookies for about 12 minutes, or until firm and lightly brown.
7. Remove cookies from cookie sheets and allow to cool completely on wire racks.
8. For the glaze, combine confectioners’ sugar, milk, and lemon extract and mix until smooth.
9. Dip each cookie into the glaze. Top with sprinkles. Tip: dip in glaze and top with sprinkles just before serving. Allow cookies to dry before stacking.
10. Store in an airtight container.

Italian Wedding Cookie Variations

Traditionally, these cookies were flavored with lemon. But they are very commonly made with anise, almond, or even vanilla.

This is a very versatile cookie base recipe. You can substitute the almond or anise with vanilla, lemon, orange, or whatever flavoring you love best.

Decorating Italian Wedding cookies

The traditional way to decorate these is to top them with a pretty white sugar simple glaze and add rainbow nonpareils (little pearls), or sprinkles. The white glaze looks like a snowy cap.

These kinds of sprinkles are available at most grocery stores.

Festive Italian Wedding Cookies

Decorate these Italian lemon cookies with themed sprinkles for different holidays and even birthdays!

These cookies are delightful! They are soft and almost like a cross between a cake cookie and a traditional crispy cookie. Despite their name, “Italian Wedding Cookies”, they are not just for weddings! These cookies are great for ANY occasion!

Pro Tips

Do not add the glaze or sprinkles until right before serving the Italian wedding cookies. The sprinkle color could bleed into the glaze if it sits for too long.

Ball-Shape During Baking

Refrigerate Italian wedding cookies for at least an hour in order for the cookie to bake in their characteristic tall shape. If you don’t refrigerate the dough, it will come out flatter, more like a traditional drop cookie.

I love the look when they bake into a ball shape if you refrigerate the dough.

Storage

I like to store these cookies at room temperature in an airtight container. If frozen freeze them unglazed. Prior to serving, just dip in glaze and then garnish with sprinkles.

How Long Will Italian Wedding Cookies last?

They will keep up to three months in the freezer and about seven days in a food storage container on your counter. If you freeze them, frost them after they are thawed.

Serving Suggestions

These are a festive addition for holiday events and bridal showers and baby showers! This Italian cookie recipe is served at many wedding receptions.

It also makes the best Christmas cookie since you can change up the sprinkles on the tops of the cookies.

More Italian desserts you will love

• Zeppole Recipe (Easy Italian Donuts)
• Chiacchiere di Carnevale Recipe (Italian Fried Pastries)
• Simple Italian Apple Cake (one bowl)
• Easy Almond Sponge Cake with Italian Cream
• Classic Italian Tiramisu (without alcohol)
• Italian Cream Crumb Cake (sbriciolata alla crema)
• Cinnamon Sugar Baked Donuts Cream Filling

This popular cookie is ready for all your special occasions. They are soft, almost like a cross between a cake cookie and a traditional crispy cookie. They are an authentic taste of Italy right in your home!

Print