When other kids were salivating for chocolate chip cookies, I was nuts for Italian Knot cookies. They might not be as easy to make as grabbing some spoonfuls of dough, slopping it onto a pan, and baking, but they're delicious and worthy of the extra time it takes to make them.
The recipe that follows was handed down to me as a child, by an old friend of the family, Rosie. I've been making them ever since. What I particularly like about these cookies is that you can flavor them to fit your audience. The dough is always the same, but Italian Cookies aren't complete without the icing. If you want a soft and perfect match, go for a little anise extract in your icing. Or, you can try lemon, orange, or a myriad of other flavors. Personally, I'm anxious to find a day to sit down, whip up a batch, and pull out my coffee extract.
Check out the gallery below to see how to make them, and the recipe after the jump.
Italian Knot Cookies
This recipe makes a lot. Feel free to halve the recipe if you so desire. I also find it is best to hand mix this without the aid of an electric mixer. However, if you are using a regular stand mixer like a KitchenAid Artisan, definitely halve the recipe.
Ingredients:
8 cups flour
2 cups sugar
6 eggs
1 lb butter (4 sticks)
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp baking powder
1 cup milk
1 tbsp vanilla
- Measure flour, cut in butter, and mix well with hands. (A dough blender also works wonderfully.)
- Add sugar, salt, and baking powder. Mix well.
- Make well in center and add milk, eggs, and vanilla. Mix until the dough comes together.
- Wrap in Saran and chill at least 1/2 hour.
- Roll out, form cookies, and bake at 375 degrees for at least 15 minutes.
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