Italian Lemon Knot Cookies; Italian Wedding Cookies; Italian Lemon Cookies; Italian Lemon Drop Cookies; anginetti or more appropriately, tarallucci.
As Shakespeare once said, “What’s in a name?” That famous quote from Romeo and Juliet still rings true today.
It really does not matter what you call them.
They are instantly recognizable.
You can find them throughout the year, mostly at family gatherings and special occasions, especially Christmas. Just like Amaretti and Mostaccioli, these anginetti are, without a doubt, one of the most distinguishable Italian Christmas cookies.
They are drop cookie that has been formed into a “knot”.
These Italian knot cookies are lightly sweetened and glazed. A quick glance at these cookies and your taste buds can already anticipate that burst of citrus!
It’s simply one of the best Italian Cookies!
Ingredients to make Italian Knot Cookies
As usual, the printable recipe card found at the bottom of the page has the specific amounts for each ingredient.
- Flour. All-purpose.
- Baking powder. This will help create a light cake-light texture.
- Salt. Just a pinch.
- Eggs. Ensure they are properly whisked.
- Sugar. Provides the right amount of sweetness.
- Vegetable oil. Can also use canola or corn.
- Milk. Just a splash.
- Vanilla extract. If possible, pure.
- Lemon zest. Definitely organic.
- Lemon juice. Naturally organic.
As far as accessories are concerned, a stand mixer (or handheld mixer) ensures the proper combination of the ingredients. A large bowl and whisk are required to combine the dry ingredients.
A medium-sized ice cream scoop comes in handy in order to ensure equal-sized cookies. A cookie sheet covered with parchment paper (or equivalent) is also required.
How to make
The first thing we're going to do is whisk (or sift) the dry ingredients together in a large bowl and set them aside while we start mixing the liquid ingredients together.
Using the whisk attachment of your stand mixture, beat the eggs for a couple of minutes until they are light and frothy. Gradually add the sugar and continue to beat for a couple of minutes until the batter is slightly thickened.
Add the oil, milk, extract, zest and juice of the lemons and whisk together for a minute or so. Slowly add the dry ingredients and mix until properly combined.
With the help of a medium-sized scoop portion and drop on a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a four to five-inch long strand, about half an inch in diameter.
Gently place one end towards the middle, followed by the other end, in a way to slightly overlap each other.
The secret to keeping this dough light and cake light is not over manipulating the dough. That is why these cookies give the illusion of being tied in a knot when in fact they are not.
Once these Italian knots are placed on the parchment-lined baking sheet, bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for about 12-15 minutes. They will puff up, so leave at least an inch between them.
Notice the paleness of these cookies before they get glazed.
These lemon cookies have a really soft texture, almost cake-like.
What do you think?
Recipe Origins
I have always associated these Italian cookies with the holiday season, probably because that is when my mom would make them. I can still remember how quickly she would shape those “knots” with her fingers barely touching the dough.
That’s probably why everyone loved her cookies, they were so light and airy and so so good.
If you like lemon flavored cookies, I have another simple recipe for Italian lemon cookies that I think you will love. This one is shaped into a twist!
I hope you like both recipes!
Enjoy!!!
THANKS SO MUCH for following and being part of the She Loves Biscotti community where you will find Simple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist.
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Ciao for now,
Maria
★★★★★ If you have made these Italian Knot Cookies, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!
Recipe
Italian Knot Cookies
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Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour 568 grams
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200 grams
- ⅔ cup vegetable oil
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- zest of 2 lemons organic
- juice of 1 lemon organic
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the eggs until nice and frothy (about 3-4 minutes).
- Add sugar. Continue to whisk until well combined and slightly thickened..
- Add the oil, milk, extract, zest and juice of a lemon. Combine well.
- Slowly add the flour mixture until well combined, dough will be soft.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Position rack to middle.
- Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Scoop dough with medium-sized cookie scoop and drop on a floured surface.
- Roll into a 4 inch strand about ½ inch in diameter.
- Shape into a concentric circle, with the ends overlapping.
- Place on parchment-lined baking sheets.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned.
- Transfer cookies to the wire rack to cool.
- Glaze cookies before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Maria Ponzo
Hello Maria I did your lemon knot cookies this morning. They came out very good . Your instructions were precise . I made them bigger and got 37 out of the recipe .
Maria
Fantastic Maria! Thanks so much for sharing!
Sandra Nugara
I am not a baker and I have my son’s wedding this year. I can’t believe how good they came out there r just delicious. Thanks for the recipe. I will definitely be making these cookies for the bridal shower.10++
Maria
Congratulations Sandra! How exciting.
I am thrilled to hear you enjoyed these lemon cookies. Thanks for taking the time to comment, appreciate it!
Sandra Nugara
Everyone that tried my cookies are still talking about how much they love this cookie. I’m looking forward in trying out some more of ur recipes.
Maria
Thanks so much Sandra!
Linda
Can I make these cookies with almond extract instead of lemon extract?
Maria
Yes, they can Linda. Enjoy!
Liz Sciaccotta
Hi! I will be making these for our New Year’s Eve get together. One quick question which might sound silly but does the glaze need to be warm before I glaze them?
Thanks so much,
Liz Sciaccotta
Maria
Hi Liz! Not a silly question… no, the glaze for these lemon cookies is at room temperature. As it dries, it hardens. Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pauline Stevens
I found your Koulourakia recipe, thank you.
Maria
My pleasure Pauline! Enjoy!!!
Pauline Stevens
I will be trying these for this Christmas, would you please post your Koulourakia recipe again?
Maria
Enjoy Pauline. Just read your message, glad you found it!
Masanori
Now that my son and I have “mastered” soft amaretti cookies (more or less), we tried these lemon cookies. Shaping the dough into knots was challenging, but it was pretty easy otherwise. These cookies taste lemony and are delicious!
A quick question. I assume we need to keep them in an airtight container. How long do they keep?
Maria
Thanks, Masanori. It does take a little practice, but once you get the hang of it, it does become easier. That is why they taste so amazing… the texture of the dough is very light.
They will keep for a couple of days in an airtight container. I will usually freeze them, without the glaze. Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing, appreciate it!
Kota Jean
Hi there! They sound amazing! Would they still work if I used olive oil?
Thank you!
Maria
Thanks so much Kota. Yes, absolutely. Enjoy!
Annie Meza
Can these be frozen before glazed and if I triple the recipe do I have to adjust any ingredients
Thank you, Annie Meza
Maria
Yes, the lemon cookies can be frozen without the glaze and then glazed before serving. I would suggest you make the recipe once, just so that you get a feel for this soft dough. I have never tried tripling the recipe… there should be no need to make any adjustments, but then again, it all depends on how you measure the flour. I have provided a weight in grams, if you have a kitchen scale, I would use it to measure the flour. It has been my experience that the number one source of baking difficulties is the flour…everyone measures flour differently. (I am slowly introducing weights in all of my recipes).
Thanks for stopping by.
Martha
My ratings for some reason would not go up to 5 but I would definitely give it a 10 .
I have tried many different recipes and none compare to yours. Truly outstanding tasting cookies, the only thing is the dough was too soft so I piped the dough onto the cookie tray . It worked out well.
Maria
Martha, thanks so much Martha for taking the time to comment. I am thrilled to hear you enjoyed these Lemon Knots. Thanks for letting me know about the ratings, I will investigate.
Maryann K Helm
Piped? Not sure what this means. I am guessing you put it in a pastry bag and piped on cookie sheet?
Maria
That’s correct Maryann. Piping them just makes the whole process a lot faster and easier.
That being said, even though this is a soft dough, once you get the hang of it, they are easy to roll. I have also refrigerated the dough with success. Thanks for stopping by.