Italian Wedding Cookies

How to Make Italian Wedding Cookies

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1. Heat the oven to 175°C / 350°F (155°C / 310°F fan) and line 2 baking trays with baking paper.

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2. Beat the butter and the 60 g of icing sugar together for 3 minutes until pale and creamy. Beat in the vanilla and almond extract, if using.

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3. Stir in the flour and salt until the dough comes together, then mix in the chopped nuts.

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4. Roll the dough into balls of about 15 g, roughly 2.5 cm across, and place them 3 cm apart on the trays.

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5. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes until the bottoms are golden brown and the tops are still pale.

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6. Let the cookies cool on the trays for 5 minutes. While they are still warm, roll them in half of the icing sugar for rolling and set them on a wire rack.

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7. Once they are completely cool, roll them a second time in the remaining icing sugar to give them a thick, snowy coating.

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Tips for Making Italian Wedding Cookies

• Roll the cookies in sugar twice. The first coat melts into the warm surface, and the second sticks on top and stays white.
• Chop the nuts very finely, almost to a coarse powder. Large pieces make the cookies crumble apart before they reach your mouth.
• Bake them only until the bottoms are golden. The tops should stay pale, and overbaked cookies are dry and hard.

What to Serve with Italian Wedding Cookies

• A cup of espresso
• A glass of Vin Santo
• A pot of tea

Storing & Reheating Italian Wedding Cookies

Keep in an airtight tin for up to 2 weeks; the icing sugar may need a fresh dusting before serving. They freeze well for up to 3 months, before the second roll in sugar.

Italian Wedding Cookies FAQ: Common Questions

Italian Wedding Cookies Nutrition

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.