ITALIAN CHRISTMAS COOKIES WITH COCOA AND ORANGE LIQUEUR

Italian Christmas Cookies with Cocoa and Orange Liqueur image

Very good! Decorate cookies with your favorite sprinkles.

Provided by Ignazia Vella

Categories World Cuisine Recipes European Italian

Time 40m

Yield 24

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

3 ½ cups all-purpose flour, or as needed
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup white sugar
½ cup butter, softened
4 eggs
1 cup cocoa powder
2 tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Steps:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease 2 baking sheets.
Sift flour and baking powder together in a bowl. Beat white sugar and butter together in a separate bowl using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy; beat in eggs. Stir creamed butter mixture, cocoa powder, 2 tablespoons liqueur, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract into flour mixture until dough is just combined.
Turn dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead, adding flour as needed to keep from dough sticking to your hands. Roll dough, 1 to 2 tablespoons per cookie, in your hands and form a log-shape; twirl log into desired shape. Place cookies on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake in the preheated oven until edges of cookies are lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
Stir confectioners' sugar, 2 tablespoons liqueur, water, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract together in a bowl until icing is creamy. Dip cookies into icing. Place a piece of waxed paper under a wire rack and place cookies on wire rack to cool.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 204 calories, Carbohydrate 36 g, Cholesterol 41.2 mg, Fat 5.4 g, Fiber 1.7 g, Protein 3.7 g, SaturatedFat 3 g, Sodium 121.6 mg, Sugar 19.8 g