19 Italian Christmas Cookies to Try This Year

These light and fluffy cookies, with subtly lemony icing, are truly heavenly. They're great to serve year-round, but red and green sprinkles make them festive enough for any holiday party.

Can you just imagine dipping this warm, spicy cookie into hot cup of coffee? Better yet, hot cocoa?! This seasonal treat will quickly become a Christmas tradition. 

We love how the red and green cranberries and pistachios give these cookies a festive touch, but you could substitute whatever nuts you have on hand. 

What's the secret to this vibrant biscotti? Cake mix. The genius shortcut means these cookies come together with just seven ingredients and 20 minutes of hands-on time. 

This ancient waffle cookie is truly a showstopper, but it's easier to make these intricate designs than you might think. All you need is a pizzelle press! This top-rated Cuisinart model comes with a traditional pizzelle recipe book.  

Though it looks quite different than today's coconut cookies, traditional Italian amaretti (which is deliciously nutty, thanks to the almonds) is actually an ancestor to macaroons. Read more about the connection here. 

These traditional Italian fig cookies are a labor of love but, we promise, they're worth it. They freeze really well, so this recipe is a great make-ahead option. 

"Finally a recipe for pizzelles that calls for anise oil! I had one long ago but lost the recipe," says user Chris Lidberg. "Thank you so much for posting it. The anise oil gives a more intense flavor of anise to the cookie much better than anise extract which is more commonly found! Love it."

Multiple reviewers say these cookies evoke childhood memories of long-forgotten family recipes. If you've been trying to duplicate your grandma's Italian iced cookie recipe, you may have just found what you're looking for.  

Cantucci, a form of biscotti, is a crunchy almond cookie that is almost impossible to stop eating. For the full experience, serve with hot coffee. 

It's hard to improve upon the classic chocolate chip cookie, but this espresso-flavored recipe makes a darn good attempt. For an extra coffee kick, try substituting espresso morsels for chocolate chips. 

Similar to Italian wedding cookies, these smooth, fluffy, and powdered sugar-covered treats are perfect for any celebration. 

"Delicious! I made them a little smaller and rolled them in granulated sugar after I removed them from the oven," says user Christina. "These are gonna be a new cookie tradition in our family ... everyone LOVED them. Yum! Thanks for sharing."

What's more festive than a gorgeous, delicate, and delicious pizzelle? A gorgeous, delicate, and delicious pizzelle that tastes like gingerbread!

If you've always wanted to try your hand at pizzelle-making, but you follow a gluten-free diet, this paleo recipe was made for you.

Here's a five-ingredient Italian cookie that everyone will love. This is an especially nutty recipe (it has almond paste and pine nuts) so make sure your guests don't have any allergies before serving. 

"Without a doubt the BEST chewy almond cookie I've found," raves user Dutchmommy. "My daughter and I thought we had tasted the best one in Europe on a recent trip but these are even better!"

This brownie-like biscotti recipe is too good not to try at least one. Drizzle with more chocolate and top with red and green sprinkles for an extra festive touch.  

Think fancy, gourmet versions of a fig newton!  These fig-stuffed cookies are traditionally served at Christmas time. "A flavorful fig and date filling is wrapped in a soft, sweet dough, then baked and dipped in festive frosting and decorated with sprinkles," says NicoleMcmom. "Need to send cookies through the mail? These are perfect for gifting! My favorite way to enjoy these cookies is for breakfast with a hot cup of coffee. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Alternatively, freeze un-iced cookies for up to 3 months and ice just before serving."