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Authentic Bakery-Style Italian Butter Cookies

A pile of freshly baked, star-shaped Italian butter cookies filled with bright red jam.
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Make rich, melt-in-your-mouth Italian butter cookies with this straightforward recipe, perfect for holidays or gifting.

Ingredients

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  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Optional: 1/2 cup jam for filling
  • Optional: 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate for dipping

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
  3. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until combined.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined to form a soft dough. Do not overmix.
  6. Transfer the dough to a cookie press fitted with your desired shape disc (like a star or wreath) or roll the dough into small logs or balls.
  7. Place the cookies about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
  8. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
  9. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  10. For jam-filled cookies, sandwich two cooled cookies together with a small amount of jam.
  11. For chocolate-dipped cookies, melt the chocolate and dip the tips or bottoms of the cooled cookies. Let the chocolate set before serving.

Notes

  • For a stronger vanilla flavor, substitute 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract with 1/4 teaspoon of almond extract.
  • If you do not have a cookie press, you can chill the dough for 30 minutes and slice it, or roll it into small balls and flatten them slightly with a fork.
  • These cookies store well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://delishdiarist.com/italian-butter-cookies-recipe/