Italian Christmas Cookies, 15 best Italian cookies and perfect for the best cookie exchange cookies! Some traditional and authentic Italian cookies, and some just for fun!
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15 Italian Christmas Cookies, for all those cookie trays and Christmas parties this year! I put together a list of some traditional and authentic Italian cookies, and some not so traditional Italian Christmas Cookies. Nonetheless, all these Italian cookies sound delicious!
1. Cannoli Cookies (Snappy Gourmet) -Not a very authentic Italian Christmas cookie, but a fun twist on the cannoli, an Italian pastry. Full of flavor including ricotta cheese, orange, pistachios, and chocolate chips. These cookies have been going crazy on Pinterest, so check it out. Check out all my other fun cannoli recipes like dip, cake, milkshake, and more.
2. Wine Cookies Ciambelle al Vino (An Italian In My Kitchen): Light and crunchy Italian cookies made with wine! Can’t beat that, right?
3. Florentine Cookies (Culinary Ginger): Lace cookies made from chopped almonds, orange, and vanilla with a chocolate filling. I need these in my life!
4. Pizzelles (Williams Sonoma): You’ll need a pizzelle maker to make these Italian cookies. These pizzelles are thin and crispy and flavored with a little lemon and vanilla.
5. Amaretto Tricolor Cookies (Karen’s Kitchen Stories): Also known as Neapolitan cookies or Italian Rainbow Cookies. The most common version is red, white, and green to represent the colors of the Italian flag, but check out this fun version with Amaretto.
6. Italian Lemon Cookies (Growing Up Gabel): These cute round lemon cookies, are frosted and covered in sprinkles. Such a fun Italian cookie!
7. Double Chocolate Biscotti (Namely Marly): You can find biscotti all over now, but if you’ve never tried making it yourself, give it a try! There are all sorts of flavors and variations, but check out this chocolate version. Biscotti has always been one of my family’s favorite Italian Christmas cookies.
8. Amaretti Cookies (King Arthur Flour): Easy Italian almond flour cookies with a little almond extract.
9. Italian Fig Cookies – Cucidati (Saving Room For Dessert): Moist, tender, and sweet fig filled cookies with a touch of lemon and orange.
10. Italian Anisette “S” Cookies (Wishes and Dishes): These “S” shaped cookies are flavored with anise extract (think black licorice).
11. Pignoli Cookies (Food Network): Made with almond paste and pine nuts, with a little cinnamon and honey. Easy!
12. Mostaccioli Cookies (Giada de Laurentiis): Chocolate iced cookies with a little cinnamon, nutmeg, citrus, and rum!
13. Ugly But Good Cookies – Biscotti Brutti ma Buoni (Food and Wine): The name says it all for these Italian cookies made primarily of hazelnuts.
14. Lady Kisses – Baci di Dama (David Lebovitz): Hazelnut cookies sandwiched with chocolate. Can’t wait to make these!
15. Strufoli (Epicurious): Small pieces of fried dough coated in honey and sprinkles. I personally would consider this more of a pastry, but many call it an Italian cookie so thought I’d include since they can be quite popular!
Want some fun cocktails to serve with these cookies? Check out my Cranberry Limoncello Spritzer and this dessert cocktail, Mississippi Mudtini! Both festive, fun, and delicious!
What are your favorite Italian Christmas Cookies? Would love to hear about your favorite Italian cookies in the comments below!
Angela Sciurca says
You can’t do an Italian Cookie Tray and not include Biscotti Regina, the sesame seed cookies. They also are a little time consuming, but they make so many, it’s worth the time spent. My family looks forward to this display every year. We are having a cookie exchange in a few weeks and I can’t wait to see what the family comes up with. Thanks for the memories.
Lisa Huff says
I love experimenting. :) Hope you find a recipe you like here.
joan cox says
I haven’t done much baking this summer because of the heat but I really love doing cookies of any sort and am ready to experiment
Lisa Huff says
Thanks! I have seen a lot of recipes for S cookies but unfortunately, I don’t remember seeing any with rum. I think I’d just experiment and try to recreate on your own. :)
Sarah says
Oh my gosh….I’m so glad I came across this post! I was given a recipe years ago by a friend who got it from an Italian friend. I never knew what to call them except “Italian S Cookies” but I always wanted the proper name. My recipe, however, falls between the Wine Cookie and the Anissette Cookie recipes… It’s more similar to the anissette recipe but it calls for rum instead of anise extract, or instead of wine. They are an absolute Christmastime staple, they offset some of the rich chocolate cookies. Have you heard of this? What would this recipe be called?
Lisa Huff says
Oh sounds fabulous! Thanks for sharing!
AMY Castronova says
my mother and her sisters (my aunts) WOULD MAKE THE MOST WONDERFUL COOKIES CALLED WANDES .VERY TIME CONSUMING BUT SO WORTH IT.THE ARE A FRIED COOKIE. WHILE HOT SPRINKLE WHITH POWERED SUGER YUM!!
Lucy @ Supergoldenbakes says
They all sound like great Italian cookies. Good it’s not quite December yet – there’s still plenty of time to bake a few of them.
chris says
Oh wow, cookie heaven! I can see me eating my way through that entire list without stopping for air! Thanks for sharing :)
Monica | Nourish & Fete says
I am always amazed at the huge variety of Christmas cookies out there. So many of these look fantastic – what a festive and delicious holiday spread!
Suzy | The Mediterranean Dish says
Calling my name! Which to start with?!!
Ben Myhre says
I don’t know what my favorite is, but I tell you what… I will eat all the cannolis