Italian Lemon Cookies, Aginetti

Italian lemon cookies were a favorite of my childhood. Over the years,lemon cookies disappeared from the Christmas cookie tray. Such was the fate of several traditional Italian American cookies. By the 1960's Chocolate chips and oatmeal cookies joined the Christmas celebration and gradually edged out some of the more subtle flavors and ingredients from the past. But I remembered and missed the sweet-sour, sugar-lemon taste of these cookies.

For two years I tried to find the recipe. My mother did not recall how to make them. I even wrote to MaryAnne Esposito of Ciao Italia but her people did not know them either. Then my sister found a recipe for what were called "Anginetti." When I tried the recipe they had the flavor but the texture was entirely too cake like. I worked on the recipe again and again, and while the result I suggest here may not be the original it is very close.

More Italian Christmas Cookies

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Getting Started - What you need
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Equipment
Mixing bowl
Ice cream scoop
Baking tray
Parchment paper

Ingredients

2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 stick of butter
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
One egg
Zest of one lemon

For the glaze
Confectioner's sugar
Lemon juice

Cream butter, sugar,egg and zest

Let the butter soften to room temperature.
Cream with the sugar, egg and zest.

Flour

Add the flour. Begin by blending with the mixer and finish by molding with your hands.

Chill and rest

Let the dough rest and chill for about 30 minutes.

Scoop into balls

Use a small ice-cream scoop to form round balls.
Set out on a tray lined with parchment paper.
Bake at 350 for about 18 minutes or until the edges are golden.

Glaze

Slowly add the lemon juice to a 1/2 cup of confectioner's sugar until it forms a thick paste. Caution: the smallest extra drop of liquid will loosed the mix. If this happens just add more sugar.

Decorating

When the cookies have completely cooled, dip the tops into the glaze. While the glaze is still soft. decorate with colored sprinkles.