Italian wedding cookies, also known as "Anginetti" are delicious bite-sized treats often served at weddings and other special occasions. They are tender, buttery cookies with a delicate almond flavor, dusted with powdered sugar for a beautiful finish.
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat; set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and powdered sugar together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about a minute. Add the vanilla extract and almond extract to the butter mixture, and continue to beat until well combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, almond flour, and salt.
Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the butter mixture, mixing on low speed until a dough forms. It may seem crumbly, but it should come together when pressed.
Using your hands, shape the dough into 1-inch balls or crescents and place them on the prepared baking sheet, leaving a little space between each cookie.
Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for about 11-13 minutes or until they are just beginning to turn golden around the edges.
Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Once the cookies are completely cooled, dust them generously with powdered sugar. You can do this by placing some powdered sugar in a fine-mesh sieve and tapping it over the cookies.
Notes
Butter: if you are using salted butter, simply omit the additional salt in the recipe.
Texture: the final texture of this cookie is delicate and slightly crumbly with a hint of almond flavor.
Note that the cookie won't change color much after it's baked. The bottom of the cookie will turn a light golden color when it is done.
Be sure the cookie is completely cooled before dusting with powdered sugar.
Storage: Italian wedding cookies can be made ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. You can also refrigerate for a week or freeze for up a month.
Optional Nuts: different versions of Italian wedding cookies will have chunks of nuts in it such as almonds, walnuts, or pecans. Feel free to add a ½ cup of chopped nuts to the batter if you'd like. You could even add mini chocolate chips.
Optional Glaze: some Italian wedding cookies are topped with a glaze and sprinkles. You can make an easy glaze with powdered sugar and milk, and just dip the tops of the cookies in the glaze.