Sunday, December 27, 2020

Italian Cookie




 For the cookie:

  • 3/4 cup salted butter 1 1/2 sticks
  • 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

For the icing and decoration:

  • 2 cups confectioner's sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons or more of water
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • rainbow sprinkles

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  1. In a mixing bowl, beat butter for 30 seconds or until softened.
  2. Add sugars and beat until combined.
  3. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until incorporated.
  4. Add flour and baking powder and mix on low until combined.
  5. On a lightly floured surface, take a scoop of dough and roll out into a long log about 1/2" thick (about the size of your pinky finger.) You want just enough flour so that the dough doesn't stick to your surface, but you want it to hug it a little so you can roll it out. Too much flour will make the surface too slick and your dough will just slide instead of roll.
  6. Cut long roll into 5" lengths. If you have an extra bit of dough at the end that isn't long enough, just put it aside and roll with the next scoop.
  7. Take one 5" section, bring ends together and twist twice (see video.) Place on your cookie sheet about an inch and a half to two inches apart.
  8. Bake for 6-10 minutes until cookie is set and firm but not browning around the edges. Mine took about 8 minutes.
  9. Cool for a couple of minutes on the cookie sheet, then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling.
  10. Make your icing. Mix confectioner's sugar, vanilla and enough water to get a good drizzling consistency.
  11. Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper (for easier clean up later.)
  12. Dip the top of each cooled cookie into the icing, scraping the excess off on the side of the bowl before placing onto the prepared cookie sheet.
  13. After you've dipped a few cookies, stop to add your sprinkles before the icing hardens, then continue dipping and sprinkling until all cookies are decorated.
  14. Allow icing to set.
Recipe+image: https://www.themerchantbaker.com/italian-biscotti/