Angelettis

Photo: Apples and Twinkies

Ingredients

6 dozens Makes about

4 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

1 cup granulated sugar

6 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla or anise extract

1 box (16 ounces) confectioners' sugar

1/4 cup lemon juice

Coarse sanding sugar, for decorating

Preparation

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. On medium speed, add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla; beat until incorporated. With mixer on, gradually add flour mixture; beat until dough comes together.

Scoop dough into tablespoon-size balls onto a baking sheet lined with parchment or a nonstick baking mat. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Meanwhile, stir together confectioners' sugar, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons water. Place wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Once cookies have cooled, top with icing. Sprinkle with sugar, and let stand until icing is firm.

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About

I'm done baking cookies for this year- most likely. Although you never know, my son is coming home from college next week and I may get "guilt-ed" into making more. He's not really a sweets guy, but who doesn't love Christmas cookies. I made two this morning. I made the Chocolate Hazelnut Smooches for the second time this Christmas season. Those turned out to be my family's favorite Christmas cookie. If you only have time to make one cookie this season, make those. I guarantee your family or your guests will love them.

I also finally made Angelettis. I've been eyeing the recipe all season and wondering if it would produce something like the cookies that my aunts made when I was a child. I know them as Italian Anise Cookies or Italian Lemon Cookies. I never heard them called Angelettis. My aunts always made them and would give us some around the holidays. I asked my aunts many times for the recipe, but they never used one. They made them by the feel of the dough. They would add flour, sugar, et cetera, until the dough felt right. A couple of years ago I tried to make them by following my aunt's instructions of a little of this and a little of that. That was a miserable failure.

So, today I made them by using a recipe that I got on marthastewart.com. They were simple to make and came out great. Why was I so intimidated by making these? It stated on the recipe that it made six dozen so I decided to make half of the recipe because six dozen sounded like a lot. Turns out half the recipe only made about two dozen so I wish that I had made the whole recipe. Especially because they came out so great. I used anise extract instead of the vanilla and it added a wonderful holiday taste to the cookies. In fact, next time I might add a little more anise extract to the dough. The flavor of the anise and the flavor of the lemon in the frosting are subtle and delicate flavors. Really delicious!

They brought back some wonderful memories.