| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 4 hr 20 min |
| Active: | 25 min |
| Yield: | about 20 cookies |
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 4 hr 20 min |
| Active: | 25 min |
| Yield: | about 20 cookies |
Ingredients
- 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- Green and red food coloring
Instructions
- Beat the butter, powdered sugar, granulated sugar and salt with an electric mixer on medium speed until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and mix on low to incorporate. Add the flour and beat on low speed until the flour is just incorporated. Divide the dough into 3 equal parts and place them in bowls. Add 15 drops green food coloring to one bowl and 25 drops of red to another and mix well to combine.
- Lay a large piece of plastic wrap on a work surface. Starting with the green, pour the dough out into a long strip about 2 inches wide and 1 inch thick. Pour the white on top of the green in the same manner, forming another strip of the same dimensions; finish with the red. Wrap well, turn on its side so the colors are in the order of the Italian flag and refrigerate until firm, at least 3 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove the plastic wrap from the dough and slice the dough into 1/4-inch slices. Place the cookies 1 inch apart on the baking sheet. Bake until just barely beginning to brown around the edges, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 20 servings |
| Calories | 158 |
| Total Fat | 10 g |
| Saturated Fat | 6 g |
| Carbohydrates | 16 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0 g |
| Sugar | 5 g |
| Protein | 2 g |
| Cholesterol | 34 mg |
| Sodium | 52 mg |
| Serving Size | 1 of 20 servings |
| Calories | 158 |
| Total Fat | 10 g |
| Saturated Fat | 6 g |
| Carbohydrates | 16 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0 g |
| Sugar | 5 g |
| Protein | 2 g |
| Cholesterol | 34 mg |
| Sodium | 52 mg |
Reviews
Giada rocked again. As a 2nd grade teacher, I just wanted my students to feel some kind of holiday cheer through Zoom. So we had a virtual cookie swap! I needed a simple but great recipe and her Italian Cookies were the thing! Thanks for helping me create a Virtual Cookie Swap with my students at 2nd graders at Crocker Elementary. They loved eating cookies in class!!
I used gel colors to get a more intense red and green. I would probably add a little clear sanding sugar for taste, but they are good
Haven’t made them, but maybe a sprinkle of sugar would help with increasing the sweetness.
It was so excited to my kids and my love for me life
I have made these cookies several times and have changed the colors to the theme of whatever party im doing – they are not too sweet, which is perfect for coffee or tea or just a lil snack. Love these cookies !!
Ok, I haven’t made these cookies yet but planning on doing so. Being 100% Italian, I just wanted to mention that usually Italian butter cookies don’t have much of an explicit taste & aren’t very sweet. The basic recipe can be utilized for many different types of cookies. Try adding chocolate chips, sprinkles, dip them in semi sweet chocolate & finely ground nuts(of your choice). Dip them in your morning coffee. So many more options. Try being creative if you must.
My family & Irish husband love the flavor of Italian butter cookies & I’ll try to remember to give you my take on this recipe after I make.
I love this butter cookie recipe. Both times this cookie aired on tv Giada made them to dip in a decadent hit chocolate. The cookie is not sweet by design, and it’s a denser cookie, great for “dipping”. My daughter added icing for her cookies and I let mine as is- perfect and not very sweet! This one will be made again!
I just made this recipe and I will not be making it again, It has no taste or sweetness. I will now have to find another recipe for my cookie bake off for work tomorrow. But I love her show.
I watched Giada’s show today so decided to try out the recipe since I had all the ingredients on hand. I love her and have made many of her recipes, but this one is NOT a keeper. I am an experienced baker. The cookies are beautiful and had a nice buttery texture. However, they had absolutely no flavor or sweetness. I am going to drizzle a glaze over them to help increase the sweetness. I would not make again.
They did not double in size as the other review indicated. Perhaps the dough was not sufficiently chilled.
I just made this recipe and it’s not only fun to make, but reminded me of my grandmother cookies. Keep in mind that while they bake their size doubles, so make sure your cookie dough is rolled in a tight tube before putting it in the fridge. Otherwise your cookies will be quite large when finished baking. Try this recipe! You’ll like it.