Italian S Cookies Recipe
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These traditional Italian cookies have a lovely lemon flavor, a little bit of vanilla, and are sweetened with just the right amount of sugar. These crunchy cookies are ideal dunked in a coffee for breakfast or enjoyed on their own as part of a cookie platter or afternoon snack. For a more tender variation on this cookies, see the Notes section below.
Servings: 48 cookies
Ingredients
- 3 cups (375 grams) all purpose flour (See Note 1)
- 4 ounces (115 grams) cold unsalted butter (Cut the butter into small pieces.)
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- finely grated zest of one lemon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs (at room temperature)
- 1-2 tablespoons whole milk (if needed)
Instructions
- Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350ºF/180ºC.
- In a large bowl, combine the butter with flour. Rub the flour and butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.3 cups (375 grams) all purpose flour, 4 ounces (115 grams) cold unsalted butter
- Stir in granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the middle and add the eggs, vanilla extract and lemon zest,.2 eggs, 1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, finely grated zest of one lemon, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Use a fork to whisk together the eggs and gradually bring in and incorporate the other ingredients and the flour mixture.
- When it becomes too hard to use a fork, use your hands to gently press, squish, and knead the mixture until it forms a smooth, but firm dough. Add 1-2 tablespoons of milk if the dough seems too dry. Form into a ball.
- Cut the dough ball into quarters then divide the quarters in half. You will have 8 even portions.
- Take one portion and roll it into a 6 inch (15 cm) long log. If it helps, dust the counter with extra flour. Cut the log into 6 even pieces.
- Roll each piece into 4 inch (10 cm) long sticks and form the shape of an “S”.
- Transfer the cookies to a prepared baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. All ovens vary, so check after 10 minutes if your oven runs hot.
- Transfer to wire rack to cool completely. These cookies will become crunchier as they cool.
Notes
- Remember to measure the flour correctly by stirring it to lighten and fluff it up, and then spoon it into cups without packing down. Alternatively, use kitchen scales for greater accuracy.
- Use cold butter and just the tips of your fingers when combining the butter into the flour.
- Please be sure not to over-knead the cookie dough.
- If your kitchen is warm, the dough may be sticky. In this case, pop it into the fridge for 30 minutes to cool.
- If still too sticky, add a little flour.
- Reduce the all-purpose flour to 2⅓ cups (287 grams).
- Reduce the sugar to ⅔ cup (133 grams).
- Reduce the baking powder to 1 teaspoon.
Nutrition
Calories: 65kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 27mg | Potassium: 29mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 69IU | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 0.4mg
