Taralli Dolci are delicious ring-shaped Italian cookies that are commonly served at Easter. These sweet and crunchy cookies are topped with a simple frosting and sprinkles, and are so easy to make!
3cupsall-purpose flour, plus more for dusting(430 grams)
1tablespoonbaking powder
¼teaspoonkosher salt
Icing
1 ½cupspowdered sugar
3tablespoonsmilk
½teaspoonvanilla
sprinkles for decorating
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment or baking mats; set aside.
In a large bowl, use a handheld mixer to beat the eggs until light and fluffy. Add in the sugar and beat until mixture is pale in color; about 2-3 minutes. Mix in the melted butter and vanilla until smooth.
Add in the flour, baking powder, and salt and mix on low until the mixture comes together and forms a dough.
Dust your work surface with a bit of flour and pour out dough. Lightly knead the dough together into a large ball. Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces. Cut those pieces in half to make 8 equal dough balls.
Take the dough ball and use fingers to gently roll into a 12-inch rope shape, using a bit more flour if the dough is sticky. Cut each rope into three equal pieces and pinch ends together to make rings. Place on prepared baking sheets about two inches apart (you should be able to fit a dozen cookies per baking sheet).
Bake the cookies for about 18 minutes, or until the tops are light golden brown. Let the cookies sit on the baking sheet to cool while you prepare the icing.
Icing
To make the icing, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. Flip over the cooled cookies and dip the tops into the icing letting the excess drip off. Place on parchment paper and top with sprinkles. Let dry completely before storing.
Video
Notes
Don't rush mixing together the eggs and sugar. This should take about 2-3 minutes using a hand mixer on the high setting.
No need to let the dough rest once you have mixed in the dry ingredients. You may chill the dough for a couple of minutes if you find it easier to work with.
Pour the dough on to a floured surface. The dough will be slightly sticky. You can add some flour to make it more manageable, however be careful not to add too much flour or the dough will become crumbly.
This recipe will make 24 taralli cookies. Divide the dough into 24 even sections and shape parts into rings by pinching together the dough rope. They don't need to look perfect!
After baking, let the cookies cool on the baking sheet completely before frosting.
Change up the color of the frosting by adding a dot of food coloring to the mixture. Sprinkle on whatever festive sprinkles you have or leave them off altogether.
Love lemon? Use a teaspoon of lemon juice in the batter along with ½ teaspoon of zest. Swap the vanilla in the icing for lemon juice.
Store in an airtight container for up to a week. You can also freeze these cookies or refrigerate for freshness.