Dec 2019 Newsletter: Italian Christmas Cookies

Italian Christmas Cookies

Ingredients
Cookies
2 1/2 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup whole milk ricotta
cheese (from 15-oz
container)
2 teaspoons grated lemon
peel
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
Frosting
2 1/4 cups powdered sugar
3 to 4 tablespoons lemon juice
Betty Crocker™ gel food colors, as desired Betty Crocker™ candy sprinkles, as desired

Steps
1 Heat oven to 350°F. In a small bowl, stir flour, baking powder and salt.
2 In a large bowl, beat granulated sugar, softened butter, ricotta cheese and lemon peel with electric mixer on
medium speed about 1 minute or until fluffy; scrape side of bowl. Beat in eggs, one at a time, just until smooth. Stir in vanilla. On low speed, beat flour mixture into sugar mixture until well blended. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.
3 Using floured fingers, shape dough into 54 (1-inch) balls; place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until set but not brown. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.
4 In small bowl, beat powdered sugar and 3 tablespoons lemon juice with spoon until smooth and spreadable. If frosting is too stiff to spread, add additional lemon juice, 1 teaspoon at a time. Tint with food color. Using knife, spread 1/2 teaspoon frosting on each cooled cookie; immediately top with sprinkles. Let stand about 30
minutes or until frosting is set. Store covered in airtight container at room temperature.

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