Anginetti (Italian Lemon Drop Cookies)

Kim D.'s Note:

Like most Italian cookies, these lemon drop cookies aren't too sweet. The perfect summer-time treat or a great addition to your holiday cookie tray!

• Total Time: 30 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 24 cookies

COOKIE

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

FROSTING

• 3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. For cookies, cream together sugar and shortening.
3. Add eggs and lemon extract and beat well.
4. Add flour, baking powder and salt; Mix well.
5. The dough should be soft and sticky.
6. With a small cookie scoop, drop dough onto a slightly greased cookie sheet or baking stone, spacing them about 2-inches apart.
7. Bake for about 12-15 minutes, or until firm and lightly brown.
8. Remove cookies from cookie sheet and allow to cool completely on wire racks.
9. For frosting, combine confectioners' sugar, water and lemon extract and mix until smooth.
10. Frost the tops of each cookie with a metal spatula.
11. Allow cookies to dry before stacking.
12. Store in an airtight container.
13. ~NOTE~If you want to freeze the cookies, freeze unfrosted and frost once thawed.

Reviews

[FairyCakes]

I remember having these little cookies as a child. I was looking forward to making these but was afraid that I wouldn't find a recipe that reflected my memories. I tried this one and it was perfect. What a delightful cookie. My husband who really isn't a lemon fan even loves them!
I made some changes to the recipe. Since I did not have vegetable shortening, I used butter instead and they came out just fine. :)
I also love how these can be classified as a low fat cookie (in my opinion). They don't require much fat at all and you get 24 decent sized treats!
These are much better than bakery Anginetti and so easy to make! Thanks for reading!

[Chef #1492573]

Quite possibly the best cookie I've ever had!! And I'm a bakers daughter!! I did add a bit more lemon flavor to mine. The raw dough was beautiful to look at and to work with. How is it I am Italian grew up on the east coast and have not heard of these cookies?! Now I'll have to bake more to make up for lost time! Thank you for this recipe it really is WONDERFUL!!!!

[SimplySuzi]

What a great recipe! They came out perfect...exactly the way I remembered from growing up in an Italian household! YUM YUM YUMMM!!