There’s no better way to kick off cookie season than with a platter of family favorites donned with Lemon Drop Italian Cookies!
This is a popular cookie in Italian households, and it’s one that my dad makes year after year. These lemon drop Italian cookies from scratch are soft and cakey and they impart a pleasing lemony flavor that’s sure to appeal to all of your cookie-loving friends!
I asked Pops for his Italian Christmas cookie, along with a couple of other family favorites, and he passed along his tried and true recipe inspired from Sweet Maria’s Italian Cookie Tray Cookbook.
I adapted the recipe slightly to include more lemon, and I substituted half-and-half for milk. I’d like to tell you that I made the switch with deliberate intention, but truth is, I was out of milk, but had half-and-half (go figure). I am here to say, it was a delicious save. The little bit of extra fat from the half-and-half plays nicely in this recipe. And it’s okay because calories don’t add up in holiday cookies. AmIright? 😉
These are the best Lemon Drop Italian Cookies – tender, tasty, and addicting! They possess all of the special qualities that we love about Christmas confections. Plus – they’re cute and adaptable.
Feel free to decorate your Lemon Drop Italian Cookies with:
- icing
- icing and sprinkles
- icing and sparkle sugar
- icing and multicolor nonpareils, as I’ve done today
So I have a little Christmas surprise for you.
It’s a gift that keeps on giving…
I’ve partnered with a group of talented blogger friends to bring you an array of gorgeous and delicious Christmas cookies…
A virtual cookie exchange, with cocoa to boot….
Whether you’re looking for gingerbread or shortbread, we’ve got you covered! #VirtualCookieExchange
The Beach House Kitchen · Hot Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies
Beyond Mere Sustenance · Brandy-Spiked Mexican Hot Chocolate
Seasons & Suppers · Lemon Pistachio Shortbread Cookies
Contemplating Sweets · Hedgehog Cookies
The Busy Spatula · S’mores Cookies
Salt & Lavender · Vegan Gingerbread Cookie Bars
Meg is Well · Bradshaw Cookies: A Sour Cream Cookie with Cream Cheese Frosting
What Should I Make For – Ugly Sweater Gingerbread Cookies
The Sweet Nerd – Gingerbread Cookies – All Spruced Up
Here’s to sweet cookies, good friends and happy holidays! Hope you try my Lemon Drop Italian Cookie recipe!
Buon Appetito!
Print
Lemon Drop Italian Cookies
- Yield: 48 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
There’s no better way to kick off cookie season than with a platter of family favorites donned with Lemon Drop Italian Cookies!
Ingredients
- Lemon Drop Italian Cookies
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup half-and-half
- 4 tsp lemon extract
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 3 cups flour
- 2 Tbsp plus 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 – 2 drops red or green food color (optional)
- colored sprinkles
- Lemon Confectioners’ Frosting
- 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 4 tsp lemon extract
- 1/3 cup water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F and line cookie sheets with parchment.
- Place eggs, half-and-half, lemon extract, sugar and oil in a large mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer or hand mixer, mix on medium speed until well blended.
- Next, add flour and baking powder and mix on low speed until just blended.
- If using food coloring, add now and give a final mix.
- The dough will be soft and sticky.
- Lightly dust the dough and your hands with a small amount of flour.
- Using a heaping teaspoonful, form dough into balls and place on cookie sheet 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 8 – 10 minutes, or until slightly browned.
- Remove from oven. Using a metal spatula, remove cookies from sheet and place on wire racks to cool.
- In the meantime, prepare frosting.
- In an electric mixer or large bowl, add the three ingredients.
- Mix until smooth.
- Using an offset spatula, frost the tops of cookies. The frosting will drip down the sides to coat the cookies.
- Add sprinkles and allow to dry on wire cooling racks.
- Store in an airtight container.
{Recipe inspired by Dad via Sweet Maria’s Italian Cookie Tray}
Forgot to pin? Here you go!
CIAO!
Instead of lemon extract, could I substitute fresh (Meyer) lemon juice/zest? If so, any suggestions on proportions?
Hi Erin, Thanks for your question! Although I have only used extract, I know that you would need more fresh juice than extract to achieve the same flavor (1 Tbsp juice to 1/2 tsp extract). But zest and extract are 1:1. I hope this helps!
Can I use almond extract instead of lemon? I don’t have lemon & i want to make them NOW! How much almond would you recommend?
Absolutely! I would match the measures…but for the glaze, at least, you can taste as you go… Enjoy!
Can I use butter in place of the oil?
I have not tried it so I can’t speak from experience but everything I’ve read says you can. You might want to increase the butter by a little. For example, the recipe calls for 1/2 cup oil – so use 5/8 – 3/4 cup melted unsalted butter in its place. (This info comes from livestrong.com) Hope this helps!
Calorie free!? Sign me up!! These look melt-in-your-mouth delicious, Annie!
You bet! 😉 Thanks, friend!
Delicious Christmas cookies! I would love to stillness have my dad around to ask fir more if his recipes… he passed away a few years ago. You are lucky to have your dad and his recipes!
I am so sorry to hear that, Marcellina. Thank you for stopping by, my friend… We are very lucky. <3
haha! Annie, I totally agree, Christmas calories do not count!!! 🙂
Love your little cookies, they look so festive and delicious!
Nope! That’s true…right? 😉 Thanks, friend! 🙂
There are no calories in Christmas cookies or birthday cake! These are so fun, Annie! I love that you adapted them from your Dad! Cheers!
Christmas cookies, birthday cake or pizza. Pushed it there, huh?! hahaha! Thank you, my friend! Dad knows his way around a sprinkle!! xoxo
These are so fun! I love the way you’ve decorated them. Lemon drop cookies are a weakness of my Mom’s, and I think I’ll have to include the half-n-half substitution just for her 😉
Yesss, your mom will love it!! Thanks so much, my friend!! 🙂
These look so good. I especially like the rainbow sprinkles! So cute!
Thank you, Natasha! Who can resist rainbow sprinkles? 🙂
These cookies are too cute Annie!! I could just gobble so many of them in a go! I love the intense lemon flavor in there!
The extra lemon is a nice touch! Thanks, Deepika!!
Ahh I love these little cookies, but I’ve never made my own. I might need to change that! These are beautiful!
Super simple and worth the short wait!! Thanks, friend!
I’ve never had lemon drop cookies, but I just asked Boy, and he has! He says they are good, and I said, well I am willing to bet Annie’s are the best! These look delish, my dear! And dangerous, because I could pop these like candy! So GOOD! Cheers, doll! xoxo
Awhhhh! You’re a sweetheart! You just can’t beat the classics! 🙂 Thanks, doll! xoxo
Love that you tweaked it with more lemon! They look like little drops of heaven <3
The lemon in both the cookie and the icing makes all the difference! Thanks, friend!
It’s cool to see that every nationality has their own Christmas cookie spin. I’m Mexican so ours are butter cookies and I can always count on them to be delicious and abundantly available on Christmas. Maybe this year we’ll have to try this recipe.
I agree! If you do try the Italian version – Enjoy!! 🙂
The best recipes have a connection, right? Your Lemon Drop Italian Cookies look and sound divine, and I’m so glad calories don’t count in December! I always bump up the lemon too, and a little extra fat always makes it taste better… Merry Christmas Annie!
Oh yes they do! Thank you so much, my dear! Merry Christmas to you and yours!
I have never had them, but I would love to start now! ;.) They are so pretty in their “meatball” shape, one that invites you to bite in! The decoration is so festive and lovely, it brings a smile to my face! Happy Holidays, Annie!!
I think you would really enjoy them, Nicoletta! Happy holidays, my friend! 🙂