A traditional Italian lemon cookie with lemon icing and colorful sprinkles, perfect for holiday celebrations. The dough must be chilled before shaping into knot forms.
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Adapted from a video by Buon-A-Petitti
Italian Grandma Makes Lemon Knot Cookies (Anginetti)
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1
Gather all ingredients: one stick of softened butter, half cup sugar, three extra large eggs, zest from two lemons, juice from one lemon, three cups flour, three teaspoons baking powder, and one quarter teaspoon salt.
2
Mix the baking powder and salt into the flour, combining well.
3
Beat the butter with an electric mixer until soft.
4
Add the sugar and continue mixing.
5
Beat in the eggs.
6
Add the lemon zest and lemon juice.
7
Gradually add the flour mixture in small amounts, mixing as you go.
8
Stop the mixer when it can no longer handle the dough, then finish mixing by hand, ensuring all flour is fully incorporated.
9
Work the dough on a lightly floured surface by hand until smooth. The dough will be somewhat sticky, which is normal.
10
Place the dough in a plastic bag or container and refrigerate for at least two hours, or prepare it the night before and finish the next day.
11
Remove the chilled dough and cut it into small pieces, about the size of a fingertip.
12
Roll each piece into a rope and tie it into a knot shape. Alternatively, shape it as desired—some people make loops or other forms. Feel free to shape them any way you prefer.
13
Arrange the shaped cookies on a baking sheet and place in a preheated 315°F oven. Watch constantly during baking.
14
Bake until the edges just begin to turn light red, about 20-25 minutes. Remove when they show slight browning. Allow to cool completely.
15
Prepare the icing by mixing lemon juice with 1-2 cups of powdered sugar until you reach the desired consistency. You can make it thicker or thinner depending on your preference.
16
Immediately drizzle the icing onto the warm cookies while they are still hot so the icing adheres properly.
17
While the icing is still wet, immediately sprinkle colored sprinkles on top for decoration.