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Italian knot cookies with white glaze and rainbow sprinkles on a baking tray with lemons and a zester

Italian Knot Cookies (Anginetti)

Soft, cake-like Italian knot cookies flavored with anise or lemon, dipped in a sweet glaze and finished with rainbow nonpareils. A classic for Christmas, Easter and wedding cookie trays.
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Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Chill 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 22 minutes
Servings: 48 cookies
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian, Italian-American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cookie dough
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour 500 g, spooned and leveled
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter 113 g, softened
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar 150 g
  • 3 large eggs room temperature
  • 1/2 cup whole milk 120 ml, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon anise extract or zest of 1 large lemon
Glaze
  • 3 cups powdered sugar 360 g, sifted
  • 4 to 5 tablespoons milk
  • 1 teaspoon anise extract or 1 tablespoon lemon juice in place of 1 tablespoon milk
  • rainbow nonpareils for decorating

Equipment

  • Stand or hand mixer
  • Baking Sheets
  • Parchment paper
  • Wire cooling rack

Method
 

  1. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
  2. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla and anise extract (or lemon zest).
  3. On low speed, add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk in two parts, mixing just until no dry streaks remain. The dough will be soft and sticky.
  4. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (up to 1 day).
  5. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment. Scoop level tablespoons of dough (about 20 g), roll each into a 6-inch rope and tie into a loose knot, tucking the ends under. Space 2 inches apart.
  6. Bake one sheet at a time for 10 to 12 minutes, until the tops are pale and spring back and the bottoms are barely golden. Cool 2 minutes on the sheet, then completely on a wire rack.
  7. Whisk the powdered sugar, flavoring and 4 tablespoons milk into a thick, smooth glaze, adding more milk by the half teaspoon if needed.
  8. Dip the top of each cooled cookie in the glaze, let the excess drip off, set on the rack and immediately add nonpareils. Let dry at least 2 hours until the glaze is firm.

Notes

Flour: weighing the flour (500 g) gives the most reliable, soft results. Too much flour makes the cookies dry.
Make ahead: freeze baked, unglazed cookies up to 2 to 3 months; thaw and glaze. Glazed cookies keep 4 to 5 days in an airtight container at room temperature with parchment between layers.
Flavors: swap anise for lemon, vanilla, almond (use half the amount) or orange.