With variations throughout the world, wedding cookies are a popular tradition during the holidays. This Italian Wedding Cookies Recipe version is simple to make with just six ingredients (plus salt!). They’re tender, buttery and utterly irresistible finished with a dusting of confectioners sugar! Disclosure: This recipe is brought to you by Bob’s Red Mill.
Simple and Festive Italian Wedding Cookies
Melt in your mouth Italian wedding cookies are festive for the holidays, but also ideal anytime you want a sweet treat to share at weddings, baby or bridal showers, pot lucks or for a treat with afternoon tea.
These cookies are also known as Mexican wedding cookies, snowballs and Russian tea cakes, among others. The main difference between variations is the nut(s) and/or flavorings used to create these tasty little treats.
This recipe for Italian wedding cookies is:
- tender, with buttery almond flavor
- freezer friendly
- easy to make
- stores for up to a week
Italian Wedding Cookie Ingredients
Choosing high quality ingredients is important for flavor and health. It’s a reflection of the love and attention that goes into each recipe I create for my family, friends and the Vanilla And Bean community.
Made in partnership with Bob’s Red Mill, I’m delighted to share their pantry staples with you, highlighting a brand I trust for quality ingredients you’ll always find in my pantry. Here’s what you’ll need to create the best Italian wedding cookies (see recipe card for details):
- Butter – use unsalted high quality butter, your favorite for flavor! Make sure it’s at room temperature before you start mixing.
- Confectioners Sugar – also known as powdered sugar. This is used in the cookie batter and for rolling the cookie in twice, once while they’re still warm and again once the cookies are completely cool.
- Fine Sea Salt – salt enhances the flavors of the ingredients.
- Pure Vanilla Extract – adds warmth and richness to these easy wedding cookies.
- Pure Almond Extract – in combination with almond flour, almond extract highlights the earthy, nutty flavor of this scrumptious cookie.
- Bob’s Red Mill Organic All Purpose Flour – this versatile all-purpose flour is an excellent choice for all your baking needs.
- Bob’s Red Mill Super Fine Almond Flour – made from the finest California-grown almonds, which have been blanched and ground to a fine meal that’s ideal for almond wedding cookies.
How to Make Italian Wedding Cookies
Traditionally, Italian wedding cookies rely on coarsely chopped hazelnuts, almonds or walnuts. For this recipe, I’m using the convenience of almond flour which gives these confections a nutty flavor and tender texture.
Simple ingredients means these easy Italian wedding cookies with almond flour can be whipped up in no time. Here’s how to make these tasty cookies (see recipe card for details):
- First, whip the butter until light and creamy.
- Second, add the confectioners’ sugar and mix until incorporated.
- Third, add the salt and extracts, almond flour and all purpose flour. Mix until the dough comes together.
- Next, scoop the cookie dough and bake on a parchment lined baking sheet at 325 Fahrenheit for 16-20 minutes. They’ll be golden on the bottom and slightly golden on top.
- Last, cool the cookies for five minutes then, while still warm, gently toss in powdered sugar. Cool completely and toss again in powdered sugar. Rolling the warm cookies in confectioners sugar allows the final coat to stick.
These cookies have a long storage life which means they’re easy to send to friends and family far and wide or you can get a jump on your holiday cookie making. Store these buttery cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
Recipe FAQs
Can Italian Wedding Cookies be Frozen?
Italian cookies can be frozen, simply freeze cookie dough balls on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Once frozen, store in a freezer container or bag. Thaw in the fridge, then bake.
What are Italian Wedding Cookies?
Italian wedding cookies are little bite size confections made of butter, ground almonds, vanilla and almond extract (sometimes anise), flour and sugar, rolled in powdered/confectioners sugar. If you’ve not tried them, what are you waiting for?
Italian Wedding Cookies Other Names
These cookies are also known as Mexican wedding cookies, snowballs, butterballs and Russian tea cakes, among others. The main difference between them is the nut(s) and/or flavorings used to create these tasty little treats.
How to Store Italian Wedding Cookies
Store in an airtight container for up to a week, or you can freeze unbaked cookie dough balls for up to a several weeks. Thaw unbaked cookies in the fridge before baking.
A Few Recipe Tips
- Portioning: Using a small cookie scoop or a #50 scoop makes portioning a snap!
- Plan Ahead: The little dough balls need to rest in the fridge before baking – give them at least thirty minutes.
- Dairy Free/Vegan: I tested this recipe with Earth Balance Buttery Sticks. Simply reduce the salt and increase the bake time slightly (see recipe notes).
- Holiday Foodie Gifts: These little treat bags show off your hand made Christmas cookies. Baker’s twine in red makes for a festive finish!
- Kitchen Tools: I recommend an oven thermometer and weighing your ingredients using a digital kitchen scale for best outcome. Use the scoop and sweep method for volume measurements if a scale is unavailable.
For more recipes using Bob’s Red Mill Organic All Purpose Flour and Almond Flour, head to their website and see my short list below!
More Cookie Recipes to Love
Italian Wedding Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 sticks (6 oz / 170 grams) Unsalted Butter room temperature
- 1 1/3 cup (115 grams) Powdered Sugar divided, or confectioners' sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 teaspoon Almond Extract use pure or organic
- 1 1/4 cup (170 grams) Unbleached All Purpose Flour I use Bob's Red Mill Organic
- 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (90 grams) Almond Flour I use Bob's Red Mill Super Fine, sifted or whisked to loosen clumps
Instructions
- Get Ready: Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside. Make room in the fridge for resting the cookies.
- Mix the Dough: In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on speed 4 for about five minutes, stopping to scrape down the bowl at least once while beating. The butter will be creamy, soft and slightly lighter in color. Scrape the bowl down again.
- To the butter, add 1/3 cup (40 grams) of powdered sugar. Beat for about 2 minutes on speed 4 until the sugar and butter are incorporated. Scrape down the bowl and add the salt, vanilla and almond extract. Mix for 30 seconds. Scrape down the bowl.
- To the butter mixture add the all purpose and almond flour all at once. Beat on speed 4 for about 40 seconds or until a dough forms. It will be soft and stick to the paddle. Scrape the bowl down.
- Scoop and Pan: Scoop cookie dough with a #50 scoop or 1 1/4 tablespoons to portion individual cookies – no need to roll if scooping – they should be flat on the bottom. Transfer to prepared cookie sheets spacing dough balls about 1.5 inches apart. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Freezer TIP: At this point the scooped cookie dough can be frozen solid and stored in a freezer container for up to two weeks. Thaw in the fridge on a parchment lined sheet pan, then bake.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 325 Fahrenheit (180 Celsius) and arrange oven rack in the middle of the oven. Bake cookies for 16-20 minutes OR until the bottoms are starting to turn golden. Use an offset spatula to gently lift the cookie to check for proper color. If you have two sheet pans in the oven at the same time, switch the cookies between racks half way through baking.
- Finish the Cookies: Transfer individual cookies to a cooling rack and cool for 5 minutes. Place the remaining 1 cup (75 grams) of powdered sugar in a medium lidded bowl (if your powder sugar is clumpy, simply sift it into the bowl). While still warm, gently toss three to four cookies at a time in the lidded container of powdered sugar (this allows the sugar to stick to the cookies). Transfer back to the cooling rack and repeat with the remaining cookies until all the cookies are lightly coated. Allow the cookies to cool completely, then repeat gently tossing the cookies in the powdered sugar until all the cookies are coated. TIP: to freshen the cookies at anytime before serving or gifting, sift powdered sugar over the cookies – to give them a fresh snowy finish!
- To Store: Store cookies in a lidded container at room temperature for up to a week.
These look absolutely delicious Traci! The perfect addition to the holiday cookie tray! January is going to be a tough month at the gym for me!
Thaaank you Mare!! We are on the same page come January! lol!