Desserts Cookies International Cookie Recipes Italy Italian Wedding Cookies 4.8 (365) 303 Reviews 80 Photos These Italian wedding cookies are sometimes called Mexican wedding cookies or butterballs and can be shaped into crescents. They're also delicious made with pecans or hazelnuts instead of almonds. Great for gifting! This recipe was given to me by a friend who grew up in central Europe; they are the best wedding cookies I've ever had. Submitted by Chris Hetherington Updated on November 13, 2024 Save Rate Print Share Add Photo 80 80 80 80 Prep Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 15 mins Additional Time: 15 mins Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Servings: 80 Yield: 80 cookies Jump to Nutrition Facts Jump to recipe Italian wedding cookies are balls of buttery goodness rolled in powdered sugar. What's not to love? lutzflcat Italian Wedding Cookies Ingredients You'll need just six easy-to-find ingredients to make this classic Italian wedding cookie recipe: Butter: This Italian wedding cookie dough starts with three sticks of unsalted butter.Confectioners' sugar: Confectioners' sugar blends perfectly into these melt-in-your-mouth cookies.Salt: Salt enhances the flavors of the other ingredients, but they won't make your cookies taste salty.Almonds: Finely ground almonds are the key ingredient in traditional Italian wedding cookies.Vanilla: A hefty dose of vanilla extract enhances the overall flavor of the cookies.Flour: All-purpose flour creates structure and helps hold the cookie dough together. How to Make Italian Wedding Cookies You'll find the full, step-by-step recipe below — but here's a brief overview of what you can expect when you make these Italian wedding cookies: Beat the butter, sugar, and salt.Mix in the almonds and vanilla, then gradually add the flour.Shape the dough into balls and bake until lightly browned.Roll the warm cookies in confectioners' sugar. Nicole's Best Italian Wedding Cookies Tips "There's not a Christmas that goes by that we don't enjoy a tin full of Italian wedding cookies," says culinary producer Nicole McLaughlin (a.k.a. NicoleMcMom). Here are a few of Nicole's favorite tips and tricks for baking the perfect Italian wedding cookies every time: The cookie dough won't spread out much, so don't worry — you'll be able to fit quite a few on one baking sheet, according to Nicole.Let the cookies cool until they're just cool enough to handle. They still need to be quite warm to hang onto all that powdered sugar!"Bring in the family," Nicole advises. "Because this one batch makes a whole lot of cookies." How to Store Italian Wedding Cookies You can store Italian wedding cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. If you stack the cookies, place a piece of parchment paper between each layer to prevent sticking. Allrecipes Video Can You Freeze Italian Wedding Cookies? Yes, you can freeze Italian wedding cookies — but it's best to freeze the dough before baking and rolling in powdered sugar. Arrange the dough balls on a baking sheet, cover, and freeze for a few hours or up to overnight. When the dough is frozen, transfer to zip-top bags or another freezer-safe container. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then bake according to the instructions. Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise "I make these frequently, and they always go fast," says pam. "My variation is that instead of using almonds, I use finely ground pecans. Delicious!" "Very light, delicious cookies," according to per464. "One tip: Use a strainer to sprinkle with confectioners sugar after baking. Less breakage!" "These cookies were a big hit!" raves Carol D. "I made them into crescent shapes rather than balls. Will definitely make again." Editorial contributions by Corey Williams Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 1x 2x 4x Oops! Something went wrong. Our team is working on it. Original recipe (1X) yields 80 servings 1 ½ cups unsalted butter ¾ cup confectioners' sugar ¾ teaspoon salt, or to taste 1 ½ cups finely ground almonds 4 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract 3 cups sifted all-purpose flour ⅓ cup confectioners' sugar for rolling Directions Gather all ingredients. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Place butter, 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, and salt in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Mix in ground almonds and vanilla. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Blend in flour gradually until well-combined. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Shape into balls (or crescents) using about 1 teaspoon for each cookie; place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Bake in the preheated oven until just browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Let sit until slightly cooled, about 15 minutes. Roll cookies in remaining confectioners' sugar. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios I Made It Print 780 home cooks made it! Nutrition Facts (per serving) 70 Calories 5g Fat 6g Carbs 1g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 80 Calories 70 % Daily Value * Total Fat 5g 6% Saturated Fat 2g 12% Cholesterol 9mg 3% Sodium 19mg 1% Total Carbohydrate 6g 2% Dietary Fiber 0g 1% Protein 1g 2% Calcium 8mg 1% Iron 0mg 2% Potassium 26mg 1% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. ** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data. (-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.