Italian Easter Cookies with Lemon (Printable)

Soft lemon-vanilla cookies topped with sweet icing and pastel sprinkles, perfect for Easter celebrations.

# What You'll 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)

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt until well blended.
03 - In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract and grated lemon zest until fully incorporated.
05 - Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet mixture, alternating with milk, mixing until a soft, pliable dough forms.
06 - Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough and roll into 4-inch logs. Shape each log into a ring and pinch the ends firmly to seal.
07 - Place cookie rings on prepared baking sheets, spacing them approximately 2 inches apart to allow for slight spreading.
08 - Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the bottoms are lightly golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before icing.
09 - Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract in a small bowl until smooth and slightly thick, adding more milk as needed for consistency.
10 - Dip the top of each cooled cookie into the icing, then immediately sprinkle with colored sprinkles. Allow icing to set completely before serving or storing.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • These cookies strike that perfect balance between tender and substantial, not too cakey but still melt in your mouth
  • The lemon zest makes them feel special and festive without being overwhelmingly sweet
  • Kids absolutely love decorating them with sprinkles, making it a wonderful family activity
02 -
  • Dont overwork the dough once you add the flour or the cookies will become tough instead of tender
  • The icing needs to be thick enough to coat the cookie but thin enough to dip smoothly, so adjust milk carefully
  • Let cookies cool completely before icing or the glaze will melt right off and create a sticky mess
03 -
  • Use a microplane for the lemon zest to get just the bright yellow part without any bitter white pith
  • For extra festive cookies, use pastel colored sprinkles instead of bright primaries for that authentic Easter look

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