Italian Lemon Drop Cookies

Bake up these Italian Lemon Drop Cookies like the pros at your local bakery. These cookies have a cakey, lemony texture and are baked to a light golden brown. After they cool, they are smothered in a bright, fresh lemony icing. Yum!

Italian lemon drop cookies are synonymous with holiday baking. Sometimes referred to as anginetti these cookies always make their way to our Easter (or Christmas) table.

These lemon drops are soft and pillowy on the inside, not dense like some store-bought varieties. You will often find them adorned with tiny multicolored sprinkles called nonpareils. But we like ours naked, with a shimmery, satiny lemon icing.

Our dear friend Christine gave us this recipe, and we have been friends ever since. Make a batch for your friends and family today (or make them our good Italian lemon pizzelle)!

What you will need

Stock up on lemons so you can make these bright cookies any time of the year!

• Flour
• Baking powder Gives the cookies their rise.
• Sugar
• Eggs
• Milk
• Shortening Look for vegetable shortening such as Crisco.
• Lemon You will need the juice and the zest.
• Powdered sugar For making the lemon icing.
• Multicolored sprinkles (nonpareils) Optional. Look for these in the bakery aisle.

Step by step instructions

Use this visual to learn how to bake up the most good Italian lemon cookies. For full detailed instructions, please see the recipe card.

In a large bowl, combine the flour and baking powder. In an electric mixer, beat the sugar and shortening on medium speed until light and fluffy (see above).

Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until well blended. Then add the milk, lemon juice, and lemon zest.

Add the dry ingredients and beat until combined and smooth.

Cover and chill the dough for 1 hour. When ready, pinch off some dough and roll lightly (roughly the size of a golf ball), and place about 2 inches apart on a baking sheet.

Bake for about 15 minutes until firm when pressed. The bottoms will have only a light golden brown.

Let cool completely. Prepare the icing (it should be thick). When ready to ice, you can dip the tops in the icing or spoon it over the top.

Expert tips

• Don't skip the resting time in the fridge. You want the shortening to be cold for a good rise in the oven.
• We use a cookie scoop to ensure the cookies are even in shape and size. You could also weigh each ball for consistency. They will not only bake evenly in the oven, but they will also look better for serving. This recipe yields 36-40 cookies.

Icing the cookies

Spreading the icing on the lemon cookies is our favorite part! This is the solid time to enlist any helpers, so long as they don't eat all the icing (like we're always tempted to do). Immediately after icing the cookies, add your sprinkles if using.

Your icing should be THICK. If it's too runny, add more powdered sugar. Icing too hard to spread? Add a drop of milk. The icing won't set up immediately. Let the cookies stand to set, or place them in the fridge to speed up the process.

Keeping leftovers

Lemon drop cookies can be stored in an air-tight container for up to 5 days for maximum freshness. If you live in a humid environment, you can store the cookies in the fridge to prevent the icing from melting.

Other Italian favorites

Try some of our favorite Italian dishes!

Ingredients

Makes 36 cookies

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup white granulated sugar
• ½ cup vegetable shortening (Crisco)
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• ½ cup milk, room temperature
• 2 tsp lemon zest (from about 1 medium lemon)
• 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (zest the lemon first before squeezing)
• 4-6 tbsp multicolored sprinkles (optional)

Lemon Icing

• 3 cups powdered (confectioner's) sugar
• 4 tsp lemon zest (from about 1 large lemon)
• 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (zest the lemon first before squeezing)
• 2-4 tbsp milk; more if needed

Equipment

• large bowl
• stand mixer
• baking/cookie sheets

Method

1. Line 2-3 large baking sheets with parchment paper. If you don't have parchment paper, you can use 2-3 ungreased cookie sheets.

2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder. Set aside.

3. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the sugar and shortening at medium speed, until light and fluffy (it will resemble freshly packed snow).

4. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until well blended.

5. Stir in the milk, lemon juice and lemon zest.

6. Add the flour mixture, and beat until combined and smooth.

7. Gather the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour. We cover our mixing bowl and place the whole bowl in the fridge.

8. Preheat the oven to 350℉. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Pinch off a piece of the dough (either by hand or using a cookie scoop- #60, or weighing the dough, about 0.5 ounces each). The dough should be roughly the size and shape of a golf ball. Place on the prepared baking sheet 1.5 inches apart.

9. Place the sheets in the middle and/or top rack of the oven (no more than 2 sheets at a time- so they bake evenly). Bake for 12-15 minutes, until firm when pressed, but not brown on top. The bottoms should be lightly golden brown. When ready, remove from the oven to a wire rack to cool.

10. Let cookies completely cool before frosting, or you can put them in the refrigerator to speed up the cooling process.

11. When the cookies have cooled, dip or spoon the icing over the tops. Place them over foil or wax paper to avoid any mess. If using sprinkles, add them right after you ice them. Allow to set and enjoy!

Lemon Icing

1. Whisk the lemon juice, zest, and powdered sugar. Add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time to thin slowly until it reaches a very thick, but spreadable consistency.

Kitchen notes

• Don't skip the resting time in the fridge. You want the shortening to be cold for a good rise in the oven.
• Avoid the bottom rack of the oven, as it will cause the bottoms to brown too quickly. Bake in the middle/top racks of the oven, rotating halfway through for best results. Don't bake more than 2 sheets at a time to prevent uneven baking.
• Your icing should be THICK. If it's too runny, add more powdered sugar. Icing too hard to spread? Add a drop of milk. The icing won't set up immediately. Let the cookies sit to set, or place them in the fridge to speed up the process. We like a LOT of icing, so we make a double batch.