The most delicious, soft and buttery Italian Butter Cookies are made from an Italian cookie dough called Pasta Frolla Montata. These simple cookies are whipped to a light, creamy texture and can be piped into many shapes and sizes, then decorated with candied fruit, melted chocolate or chopped nuts.
Pasta Frolla Montata is similar to classic pasta frolla, but the butter is whipped with powdered sugar until very light and fluffy, creating an exceptionally tender, buttery cookie. Because the dough is soft, it’s easiest to pipe with a pastry bag and a large star tip. Pipe swirls, S-shapes, horseshoes or straight sticks and decorate as you like—candied cherries, chopped nuts and sprinkles all work beautifully.
See the recipe below for ingredient details, step-by-step photos, tips, variations and a video. For the printable recipe, scroll to the recipe card.
Ingredients
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Butter – use unsalted butter softened to room temperature. If it’s still cold, use a quick softening method so it whips smoothly.
- Flour – Italian 00 flour is traditional and gives a fine texture, but regular all-purpose flour works well too.
- Orange zest – orange adds a lovely brightness. Substitute lemon zest or omit citrus for a neutral buttery flavour.
- Vanilla – vanilla extract is used here; you may use vanilla bean or vanilla bean paste for extra depth. Avoid synthetic vanilla essence if possible.
- Decorations – decorate with candied cherries, melted chocolate, chopped nuts, sprinkles or shredded coconut—choose what you like.
Step by step photos and instructions
Prepare two large baking trays lined with baking parchment.
In a stand mixer or with an electric hand whisk, whip the softened butter and powdered sugar on medium speed for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is thick, pale and fluffy.
Add the vanilla and orange zest. With the mixer on medium-low, add the eggs one at a time, allowing each to fully incorporate before adding the next.
Sift in the flour and mix with a paddle attachment or hand mixer until just combined and the flour is fully absorbed.
Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle. The dough should be soft but pipeable. Pipe cookies onto the prepared trays, leaving at least 1 cm (1/2 inch) between pieces. Pipe rounds, U or S shapes, straight sticks or hearts—be creative.
If using candied cherries or whole nuts, press them into the cookies now. Chill the piped cookies in the fridge for 30 minutes to help them hold their shape.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Bake one tray at a time on the middle shelf for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden. Allow cookies to cool on the tray briefly, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
To decorate
Melt dark, milk or white chocolate in a bain-marie (a heatproof bowl over simmering water). Dip or drizzle the cooled cookies with chocolate and immediately sprinkle with chopped nuts or sprinkles. Let the chocolate set on parchment paper.
Recipe tips and FAQs
- Weigh your ingredients – weighing flour with a kitchen scale gives the most reliable results. Measuring flour by volume can lead to inconsistent cookies.
- Use a large piping bag – a larger bag makes piping easier when working with a significant amount of dough.
- Star-shaped nozzle – the large star tip creates the pretty ridged texture shown in the photos, but try other tips for different looks.
Store cookies in an airtight container for up to one week. For longer storage, freeze cooled cookies for up to three months.
Flavour variations and decoration
- Citrus zest – orange is recommended, but lemon also complements the buttery dough or omit zest for a plain version.
- Chocolate cookies – replace 30 g of flour with 30 g cocoa powder to make a chocolate dough; or dip baked cookies in chocolate for double-chocolate treats.
- Chopped nuts – pistachios or hazelnuts are delicious sprinkled over chocolate-dipped cookies.
- Sprinkles – use seasonal sprinkles for holidays like Christmas or Valentine’s Day.
- Candied cherries – press a cherry into the center of piped rounds before chilling and baking.
- Shredded coconut – dip cookies in chocolate and roll in desiccated coconut.
- Extracts – swap vanilla for almond, orange or a splash of rum for a different flavour profile.
More delicious cookies to try
Christmas
Italian Almond Cookies (Ricciarelli)
Italian Cookies
Cuccidati (Italian Fig Cookies)
Italian Cookies
Italian Nutella Cookies (Nutellotti)
Italian Cookies
Pignoli Cookies (Biscotti ai Pinoli)
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Step By Step Photos Above
Most recipes include step-by-step photos, helpful tips and sometimes a video.
Italian Butter Cookies
By Emily
Equipment
- Stand mixer with whisk and paddle attachments or electric hand whisk
- Two large baking trays
- Baking parchment
- Piping bag with a large star nozzle
Ingredients
- 500 g Italian 00 flour or all-purpose flour (3 3/4 cups)
- 200 g powdered sugar (1 1/3 cups)
- 300 g unsalted butter, softened (10.5 oz)
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- Zest of 2 oranges
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 pinch fine salt
Decoration options
- Candied cherries
- Whole nuts such as almonds or hazelnuts
- Chopped nuts such as hazelnuts or pistachios
- Melted chocolate (dark, milk or white)
- Sprinkles
Instructions
- Line two large baking trays with baking parchment.
- Whisk the softened butter and powdered sugar on medium speed for about 5 minutes, until thick and fluffy.
- Add vanilla and orange zest, then add eggs one at a time on medium-low, letting each incorporate fully.
- Sift in the flour and mix until just combined and absorbed.
- Fill a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle and pipe shapes onto the trays, leaving 1 cm (1/2 in) between cookies.
- Press candied cherries or whole nuts into dough if using. Chill the trays for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) and bake one tray at a time on the middle shelf for 10–12 minutes. Cool on a rack.
To decorate
- Melt chocolate in a bain-marie. Dip or drizzle over cooled cookies, top with chopped nuts or sprinkles and allow to set on parchment.
Notes
- Weigh ingredients: use a kitchen scale for accurate flour measurement and consistent results.
- Use a large piping bag: it makes piping easier with this quantity of dough.
- Storage: keep cookies in an airtight container for up to one week or freeze for up to three months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an approximation.