Tarallucci Al Limone (Italian Lemon cookies)

 Tarallucci are charming Italian lemon cookies hailing from the heart of Southern Italy. With their delicate citrus aroma and soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture, these cookies are a beloved tradition that adds a bright, cheerful touch to any festive occasion. 

For our family, Christmas simply wouldn’t feel complete without a batch of these delightful treats. The recipe, lovingly passed down from my mother-in-law, yields around 150 cookies—which might sound like plenty, but trust me, they disappear in no time! Between the grandkids sneaking a handful at breakfast, a few more at lunch, and serving them alongside coffee, these little gems never last long!

Ingredients

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 5 large eggs
• 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ lb shortening; melted
• ¼ lb unsalted butter; melted
• 5 tsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp lemon zest
• 2 tsp vanilla
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ cup milk

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Whisk the eggs together in a large bowl.
3. Add the Sugar, melted butter and shortening, and vanilla to the bowl and mix to combine.
4. Place a sieve over the bowl and add the flour, baking powder and salt. Use a spoon to mix the dry ingredients through the sieve into the wet ingredients below.
5. Add the lemon zest to the bowl and mix the wet and dry ingredients just until combined.
6. Add in the milk and mix until combined. The batter will be very sticky so cover it with plastic wrap or a clean towel and let it rest for about 10 or 15 minutes before trying to form into twists or knots.
7. Scoop out a heaping tablespoon of batter and roll it into a log using your hands that is about 4" long and 1/2" in diameter. Fold the "log" in half and twist one end over the other. If you prefer knots, form the dough into a loop and insert one end of the dough through the loop of the knot.
8. Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes or until they are just starting to brown on the bottom. Remove them from the oven and let cool completely on a cooling rack. Don't let the cookies brown take them out just when you see the bottom edges start to turn golden.
9. In a medium bowl whisk the powdered sugar and lemon juice together until smooth.
10. Use a basting brush to cover the tops of the cooled cookies with the lemon glaze. Do this by placing the cooling rack back over the baking sheet so the glaze can drip below without making a mess. Let the glaze set before serving.

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