Gina's Italian Butter Cookies

This Italian butter cookie recipe is for traditional Italian-American bakery-style butter cookies, just like the ones you can buy from your favorite local bakery in New York! Fill them with raspberry or apricot preserves, or chocolate, or dip one side in chocolate and cover with sprinkles — or do both! Whatever you choose, these are sure to be your new favorite recipe for every holiday and celebration to come!

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 20 mins
• Total Time: 40 mins
• Calories: 122 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon almond extract
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 2 large eggs
• 2 ¼ cups cake flour
• ½ cup vegetable shortening
• 4 ounces almond paste

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 2

Combine cake flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.

Step 3

Combine butter, sugar, and shortening in a large bowl; cream with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Mix in almond paste until thoroughly combined. Add eggs, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and almond extract. Reduce the mixing speed to low and slowly add flour mixture. Scrape down the bowl, then mix on medium speed until evenly combined, about 30 seconds.

Step 4

Fit a large pastry bag with a French star tip (#864) or an open star tip (4S); fill the pastry bag with batter. Pipe evenly sized cookies onto an ungreased cookie sheet 1 1/2 to 2 inches apart, giving cookies space to puff slightly during baking.

Step 5

Bake in the preheated oven, in batches if necessary, until bottom edges are slightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.