Popular Italian Easter Cookies

Popular Italian Easter Cookies

My mom has been making these Popular Italian Easter Cookies ever since I was a little kid! Today, I carry on this tradition and make them for my kids!

Popular Italian Easter Cookies on a plate

These Popular Italian Easter Cookies are just one of the many Italian traditions I have grown up with. Today, I am sharing my family recipe with you. They are sweet, delicious and these cookies will make a memorable Easter treat to share with both your family and friends.

Popular Italian Easter Cookie on a plate

When my mom was young, her grandmother used to make these cookies every Easter. Topped with a hard boiled egg, the Italians used to eat these cookies along with the egg for breakfast. My great-grandmother called them “caduduaculova,” which means a sweet cookie with a hard boiled egg. Since Italians love to celebrate holidays with family and their love for food, these cookies became most popular at Easter time. Probably because they were rolled into baskets and bunnies, as well as other festive and fun shapes!

Popular Italian Easter Cookies on a wire rack

Enjoy this Easter season by making this recipe with your family. I hope it becomes a tradition for you, for many more years to come!

Let’s get started…

Popular Italian Easter Cookies-Ingredients

Cinnamon, flour, milk, vegetable shortening, pure vanilla extract, sugar, baking soda, salt and eggs.

Popular Italian Easter Cookies-Ingredients-Cinnamon, flour, milk, vegetable shortening, pure vanilla extract, sugar, baking soda, salt and eggs

Instructions

Optional: (for decoration) Hard boil 6-12 eggs. Place eggs in a sauce pan, cover with water about 1 inch over the eggs. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, turn off heat, cover and set a timer for 10 minutes. Once done, run eggs over cold water. Place eggs on a paper towel to dry. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat eggs and sugar using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer.

Eggs and sugar in a mixing bowl

In a microwave safe bowl, melt the vegetable shortening. Add pure vanilla extract and milk.

Melted vegetable shortening, milk and pure vanilla extract

Pour mixture into the egg mixture and beat until fully incorporated.

Beaten eggs, sugar, melted vegetable shortening, milk and pure vanilla extract in a mixing bowl

In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Add dry ingredients, a little at a time, and beat until a soft dough forms.

Flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a mixing bowl

If dough is too sticky, add a one tablespoon of flour at a time, until you get a workable dough.

Dough on a lightly floured board
dough rolled into a "log" on a lightly floured board

Lightly flour a wooden board or working surface. Take a chunk of dough and roll into a 12-inch rope.

dough rolled into a 12 inch rope

Fold in half, twist the two pieces together, form a circle and pinch the ends together.

Rope folded in half
Rope rolled into a circle

Place the hard boiled egg in the center (optional).

Rope rolled into a circle with a hard boiled egg placed on top

Place onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Decorate with additional dough pieces.

Rope rolled into a circle with a hard boiled egg placed on top

Feel free to experiment with these, making baskets, bunnies, nests, or twists.

Italian Easter Cookies in nest, bunny and basket on a parchment lined baking sheet
Italian Easter Cookie rolled and twisted into a circle

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly brown.

Cooked Italian Easter cookies cooling (i.e. basket, twisted circle, bunny, nest) on a wire rack

Remove from baking sheet and transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely.

Frosting-Ingredients

Pure vanilla extract, powdered sugar, milk, butter and non pareils (for decorating).

Frosting-pure vanilla extract, powdered sugar, milk, butter and non pareils

Frosting-Instructions

In a small mixing bowl, beat the butter.

Beaten butter in a mixing bowl

Add powdered sugar, vanilla and milk and beat until creamy and smooth. (If frosting is dry add one tsp of milk at a time).

Butter, powdered sugar, pure vanilla extract and milk in a mixing bowl beaten with a hand mixer

Frost cookies, add non pareils to the top. Let the frosting set.

Popular Italian Easter Cookies

Serve and enjoy! To store: Place in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days. To freeze: Wrap in heavy duty foil and place in a freezer bag for up to three months.

For more popular Italian desserts try my Cannoli Cupcakes, Quick Cannoli Dip, Cannoli Tart, Irresistibly Delicious Italian Cream Cake, Homemade Italian Chocolate Pizzelles, Homemade Italian Pizzelles with Anise, Homemade Italian Zeppoles or The Best Ricotta Pie Recipe.

Popular Italian Easter Cookies

Popular Italian Easter Cookies

My mom has been making these Popular Italian Easter Cookies ever since I was a little kid! Today, I carry on this tradition and make them for my kids!
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Breakfast, Cookies, Dessert, Eggs
Servings 12 cookies

Equipment

  • stand mixer or hand mixer
  • Baking Sheets
  • Wire racks

Ingredients
  

Popular Italian Easter Cookies

  • 6-12 eggs hard boiled-optional (decoration)
  • 6 eggs for cookie dough
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup vegetable shortening melted
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 4 1/2 cups flour plus more if dough is very sticky
  • 3 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Frosting

  • 1/4 cup butter softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup milk add one tsp at a time if more is needed
  • non pareils sprinkle on the top of the cookie

Instructions
 

  • Optional: Hard boil 6-12 eggs. Place eggs in a sauce pan, cover with water about 1 inch over the eggs. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, turn off heat, cover and set a timer for 10 minutes. Once done, run eggs over cold water. Place eggs on a paper towel to dry. Set aside.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Beat eggs and sugar using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer.
  • In a microwave safe bowl, melt the vegetable shortening. Add pure vanilla extract and milk.
  • Pour mixture into the egg mixture and beat until fully incorporated.
  • In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
  • Add dry ingredients, a little at a time, and beat until a soft dough forms. If dough is too sticky, add a one tablespoon of flour at a time, until you get a workable dough.
  • Lightly flour a wooden board or working surface. Take a chuck of dough and roll into a 12-inch rope. Fold in half, twist the two pieces together. Form a circle and pinch the ends together. Place onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Place the hard boiled egg in the center (optional) and decorate with additional dough pieces. Feel free to experiment with these, making baskets, bunnies, nests, or twists.
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly brown.
  • Remove from baking sheet and transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely.

Frosting

  • In a small mixing bowl, beat the butter. Add powdered sugar, vanilla and milk and beat until creamy and smooth.
  • Frost cookies, add non pareils to the top. Let the frosting set.
  • Serve and enjoy!
  • To store: Place in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days. To freeze: Wrap in heavy duty foil and place in a freezer bag for up to three months.
Keyword Easter breakfast, Easter treats, Hard Boiled Egg, Holiday Cookies, Italian Cookies, Italian Easter Cookies, Popular Cookies
Popular Italian Easter Cookies
Popular Italian Easter Cookies
Popular Italian Easter Cookies
Popular Italian Easter Cookies
Popular Italian Easter Cookies
Popular Italian Easter Cookies

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