These Italian S Cookies are a specialty from Southern Italy and Sicily. This cookie recipe is generations old and oh so delicious. The cookies make the perfect addition to your holiday cookie platter or cookie exchange. They are buttery with a touch of lemon and they're the perfect Christmas holiday cookie.
Jump to:
❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- Old Fashioned Recipe that is perfect for the holidays.
- Melt in your mouth cookies with a light lemon flavor.
- Pairs great with a cappuccino or cup of espresso.
- Easy to make and only requires a few simple ingredients.
This Italian S Cookie recipe is a classic Italian cookie that your entire family will enjoy. The Christmas season wouldn't be the same without these delicious biscotti.
🛒 Ingredients
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Note: The full list of the Italian s cookie recipe ingredients with their amounts and options are listed in the recipe card below.
- All purpose flour -- the base for the biscotti.
- Eggs -- act as the binder for the flour.
- Butter -- the fat necessary to lend the buttery goodness in the biscotti.
- Granulated sugar -- sweetens the cookie.
- Baking powder -- rising agent in the cookie.
- Lemon extract -- the flavoring in the cookie and glaze.
- Powdered sugar -- makes the sweet glaze.
- Milk -- the liquid necessary to make the glaze.
🗒 Instructions
Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the recipe card below.
- With an electric mixer at medium-low speed, combine the softened butter and butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each egg. Mix in the lemon extract.
- In a separate mixing bowl add the flour.
- Whisk in baking powder to the flour in a mixing bowl.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Mix until a dough forms.
6. Pinch about a 1-inch dough piece and roll the dough into a 3-inch long log. Shape the log into an "S". Place the cookie on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Bake in a 350℉ preheated oven for 7-8 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
7. Meanwhile, gather the ingredient to make your glaze.
8. Make a simple glaze with powdered sugar, lemon extract, and milk. (optional)
9. Add several drops of yellow food coloring gel to the glaze and mix to get a light sunny hue.
10. Dip the tops of the S cookies into the glaze.
11. After glazing the cookies, dip them in the optional colored sugar.
12. Set the cookies on a cooling rack on top of a baking sheet and allow them to dry.
🔪 Equipment
The following are affiliate links. We are a participant i the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
You’ll need the following items to make this recipe successfully.
- Electric mixer
- Baking trays
- Parchment paper
- Wooden spoon
- Whisk
- Glass mixing bowls
- Metal spatula
🤔 FAQs
These are the questions we are most frequently asked about making Italian S Cookies.
Italian S cookies are a classic Italian cookie that is a specialty from Southern Italy and Sicily. This cookie recipe is generations old and oh so delicious.
The most popular cookies are Amaretti, Ricciarelli, Baci di dama, Chocolate-Pistachio Biscotti, Savoiardi, Canestrelli, Biscotti al Cocco, Pizzelle. But if you are at a Christmas party or family holiday celebration in Southern Italy you will most likely find the Italian Esse cookies on the dessert table.
There are so many different types of Italian cookies, such as seven-layer cookies, pizzelles, biscotti, and so many other types of cookies.
These are 38 calories in one of these homemade Italian S cookies. I don't know about you but I think they are worth it.
👩🏻🍳 Tips
- Try to make sure that you get your cookie dough shaped into an even log before you shape it into an S.
- These cookies do not spread much, but make sure that you place them far enough apart so that they do not touch when another when they bake. References
- These cookies are not overly sweet which makes them perfect to go with a cup of coffee or tea.
📚 Variations
- Using orange extract in place of the lemon extract will give these cookies a slightly sweet and orange flavor.
- Using almond extract in these traditional Christmas S Cookie recipe is another great way to change up the flavor.
- Give your Italian s cookie recipe a slight licorice flavor by using Anise extract in place of lemon extract.
🥫 Storage
Store your Italian S cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
You can also freeze these homemade cookies in a freezer-safe container for up to three months. Be sure to protect your cookies against getting crushed in your freezer.
📗 Related Recipes
If you love holiday cookies like these you will want to try out these Festive Cranberry Oatmeal cookies. If making a holiday cookie platter these Italian Chocolate Toto cookies would look amazing on it. Brown Butter makes everything taste better, so be sure to add these Brown Butter Snickerdoodle to your cookie tray.
🍽 Serve with
These Italian s cookies would look great on a platter alongside my Chocolate Drizzled Pistachio Cookie recipe. Gather your friends and family and enjoy these traditional cookies with your favorite warm beverage or a traditional Italian meal like this Italian Sausage Pasta recipe.
📞 Chiacchierata (chat)
This traditional Southern Italy cookie is typically written as "Esse" in Italian. No matter what you call this cookie you are going to love its sweet and light citrus flavor. Another popular Christmas cookie at our house is the Peanut Butter Blossom Cookie Recipe.
What's new? Check out my All Our Way Store on Amazon. We'll be adding more items we love and use or wish we had to make cooking fun and easy.
📝 Recipe Card
Who doesn't love a classic Italian cookie? With their smooth, buttery texture and sweet, lemon flavor, there's nothing not to like about them. This Italian s cookie recipe will impress friends and guests. The delicious taste is the very reason they have been a tradition during the Christmas holidays.
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
📖 Recipe
Italian S Christmas Cookies
Equipment Needed
Ingredients
Cookie
- 2 cups All-purpose flour (250 grams)
- 2 Eggs
- ½ cup Butter (1 stick or 113 ½ grams)
- ½ cup Granulated sugar (100 grams)
- 3 teaspoons Baking powder (13 ¾ grams)
- ½ teaspoon Lemon extract (2 ⅛ grams)
Glaze
- 1 ½ cups Powdered sugar (300 grams)
- 1 teaspoon Lemon extract (4.79 grams)
- 3 Tablespoons Milk (45 ¾ grams) You may need more.
Instructions
cookie
- With an electric mixer on medium low speed, combine the softened butter and butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each egg.
- Mix in the lemon extract.
- In another bowl whisk together the flour and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix well.
- Pinch about a 1-inch dough piece and roll the dough into a 3-inch long log. Shape the log into an "S".
- Place the cookie on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake in a 350℉ preheated oven for 7-8 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
Glaze
- Make a simple glaze with powdered sugar, lemon extract, and milk. (optional) Add several drops of yellow food coloring gel to the glaze to get a light sunny hue. Sprinkle colored sugar on top.
