Happy Cookie Friday! Easter is just around the corner which means I got some Easter cookies for you today. Italian Easter Cookies to be precise. We don’t have traditional cookies for Easter here in Germany so I had to go to Italy and find something nice to bake. Lemony sweet and spring-appropriate colors – I could not ask for more ;)
If you take a look at a German Easter table for breakfast or brunch you will find a lot of yeast bakes, cakes with Eierlikör, the occasional colored Easter egg, and maybe a baked Easter lamb, but no Easter cookies. As far as I know, we don’t have any traditional cookies for Easter. At least I haven’t seen anything so far. Maybe that changes with the Easter Sandwich Cookies I made the other day – they could become a tradition for all of Germany… or at least they should. Let’s check back in 100 years. Maybe they are in every Easter nest by then ;P
Anyway. If there is nothing we can bake from Germany there is always the possibility to take a look at other countries. Some of them definitely bake cookies for Easter. Italy, for example. They have these cute little knots (that’s what I would call them) – I think they are called “Uncinetti” or “Anginetti”. Most of the time lemon-flavored cookies, sometimes flavored with vanilla, almost always decorated either with some colored glaze or sprinkles – in my case I did both ;) I think the pastel colors are perfect for Easter. I could have used less color though to make them even more “pastelly” (probably not a real English word). Well… always be careful when using food color – one tiny drop might be enough already ;P
Alright. These cookies normally don’t last long when you serve them with your afternoon coffee or tea, but if you have leftover cookies you should store them in an airtight container – this way they should be good for several days. Means you can still eat them when Mister Easter Bunny took off for his yearlong vacation already ;P
INGREDIENTS / ZUTATEN
For the dough:
1 1/2 cups (200g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tbsp. sugar
1 pinch salt
zest of one organic lemon
1.8 oz. (50g) butter, melted
1 large egg
4 tbsp. milk
For the glaze/decoration:
about 1 1/4 cups (150g) confectioners’ sugar
1 tbsp. lemon juice
2-3 tsp. heavy cream
food color (pink, yellow, green, etc.)
some sprinkles (optional)
Für den Teig:
200g Mehl (Type 550)
1 TL Backpulver
2 EL Zucker
1 Prise Salz
Abrieb von einer Bio-Zitrone
50g Butter, geschmolzen
1 Ei (L)
4 EL Milch
Für die Glasur/Dekoration:
ca. 150g Puderzucker
1 EL Zitronensaft
2-3 TL Sahne
Lebensmittelfarbe (rosa, gelb, grün, etc.)
einige bunte Streusel (optional)
DIRECTIONS / ZUBEREITUNG
2. Add the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and lemon zest to a large bowl and mix to combine. Add the melted (and cooled) butter, the egg, and milk and mix with a fork until the dough is roughly combined. Continue with your hands and knead until you get a nice smooth dough. Divide the dough into 15 pieces and shape each piece into a 7 inches (18cm) long log/sausage. Create a knot with each piece and place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15-18 minutes until the cookies are lightly browned. Take out of the oven and let cool down on a wire rack.
3. For the glaze add the confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice to a bowl, gradually add heavy cream until you get a thick and not too runny glaze. Take 1-2 tablespoons of the glaze and transfer it to a second bowl, color it (very) lightly with food color (you want pastels not bright colors) and glaze some of the cookies with it – also top with some sprinkles if you like. Repeat with more glaze and different colors until all cookies are glazed.
2. Mehl, Backpulver, Zucker, Salz und Zitronenabrieb in eine große Schüssel geben und vermischen. Die geschmolzene (und abgekühlte) Butter, Ei und Milch dazugeben und mit einer Gabel verrühren, bis der Teig grob vermischt ist. Mit den Händen dann zur einem glatten Teig verkneten. Den Teig in 15 Portionen aufteilen und jeweils zu einer Wurst mit etwa 18cm Länge formen. Diese Würste dann zu Knoten verknoten und auf das vorbereitete Blech setzen. Für etwa 15-18 Minuten backen, bis die Plätzchen leicht Farbe bekommen haben. Aus dem Ofen holen und auf einem Kuchengitter abkühlen lassen.
3. Für die Glasur Puderzucker und Zitronensaft in einer Schüssel vermischen und dann nach und nach Sahne hinzufügen, bis eine dickflüssige Glasur entsteht. Etwa 1-2 Esslöffel der Glasur in ein separates Schüsselchen geben und mit (sehr) wenig Lebensmittelfarbe (es sollen Pastelltöne werden, keine grellen Farben) einfärben. Einige Cookies damit glasieren, mit ein paar Streuseln dekorieren (optional) und dann trocknen lassen. Vorgang mit verbliebener Glasur und weiteren Farben wiederholen, bis alle Cookies dekoriert sind.
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Here is a version of the recipe you can print easily.
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Italian Easter Cookies
- Prep Time: 00:15
- Cook Time: 00:18
- Total Time: 00:45
- Yield: 15 1x
- Category: Cookies
- Cuisine: Italy
Description
Delicious sweet and lemony Easter Cookies to celebrate that special day.
Ingredients
For the dough:
1 1/2 cups (200g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tbsp. sugar
1 pinch salt
zest of one organic lemon
1.8 oz. (50g) butter, melted
1 large egg
4 tbsp. milk
For the glaze/decoration:
about 1 1/4 cups (150g) confectioners’ sugar
1 tbsp. lemon juice
2-3 tsp. heavy cream
food color (pink, yellow, green, etc.)
some sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 320°F (160°C). Line a baking sheet with baking parchment and set aside. Melt the butter and let cool down again.
2. Add the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and lemon zest to a large bowl and mix to combine. Add the melted (and cooled) butter, the egg, and milk and mix with a fork until the dough is roughly combined. Continue with your hands and knead until you get a nice smooth dough. Divide the dough into 15 pieces and shape each piece into a 7 inches (18cm) long log/sausage. Create a knot with each piece and place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15-18 minutes until the cookies are lightly browned. Take out of the oven and let cool down on a wire rack.
3. For the glaze add the confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice to a bowl, gradually add heavy cream until you get a thick and not too runny glaze. Take 1-2 tablespoons of the glaze and transfer it to a second bowl, color it (very) lightly with food color (you want pastels not bright colors) and glaze some of the cookies with it – also top with some sprinkles if you like. Repeat with more glaze and different colors until all cookies are glazed.
Notes
Enjoy baking!
