Italian Wedding Cookies
These classic Italian Wedding Cookies are the epitome of simple elegance. Featuring finely ground almonds and pure vanilla, they bake up into irresistibly tender, melt-in-your-mouth spheres (or crescents!) generously coated in a sweet, snowy layer of confectioners’ sugar. Perfect for holidays, special occasions, or just a comforting treat, Sophie has tested this recipe over 9 times to ensure a foolproof, delightful result every time. Get ready to bake a batch of pure joy!
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 18
- Total Time: 38
- Yield: About 4 Dozen Cookies (48 cookies)
- Category: Dessert, Cookie
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian, American
Ingredients
1 ½ cups unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup confectioners’ sugar
¾ teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 ½ cups finely ground almonds
4 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
⅓ cup confectioners’ sugar, for rolling
Instructions
1. Gather all ingredients. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Prepare ungreased cookie sheets.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened unsalted butter, ¾ cup of confectioners’ sugar, and salt. Using an electric mixer, beat on medium speed until the mixture is light, fluffy, and creamy, which should take about 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
3. Add the finely ground almonds and vanilla extract to the creamed butter mixture. Mix on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to overmix at this stage to maintain the cookie’s delicate texture.
4. Gradually incorporate the sifted all-purpose flour into the dough mixture. Mix on low speed until the flour is just combined and no streaks remain. Overmixing the flour can lead to tough cookies, so mix until just blended.
5. Take about 1 teaspoon of dough for each cookie and roll it between your palms to form small, uniform balls. Alternatively, shape them into delicate crescents. Place the shaped cookies approximately 1 inch apart on the ungreased cookie sheets.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the edges are just barely browned and the centers are set but still look pale. The key to their melt-in-your-mouth texture is to avoid overbaking.
7. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let the cookies cool on the sheets for about 10-15 minutes. While they are still slightly warm (but not hot to the touch), generously roll each cookie in the remaining ⅓ cup of confectioners’ sugar. For an extra snowy, festive finish, you can roll them a second time once they have completely cooled.
Notes
**Sophie’s Pro Tips for Perfection:**
* **Butter Temperature:** Ensure your butter is truly softened, not melted. It should give slightly when pressed. This is crucial for the creamy texture.
* **Don’t Overmix:** Overmixing the flour will develop too much gluten, resulting in tough cookies. Mix only until just combined.
* **Bake Until Just Set:** These cookies should remain pale with only a hint of browning at the edges. Overbaking leads to dry, hard cookies.
* **Double Roll for Snowiness:** Rolling them once while warm and a second time when fully cooled ensures that beautiful, thick powdered sugar coating.
* **Nut Options:** While almonds are traditional, you can experiment with finely ground pecans or walnuts for a different twist.