20 Best Traditional Italian Christmas Cookie Recipes

It's easier to make these Instagram-worthy, slice-and-bake, tri-color cookies than you think. The trick is one dough, separated and tinted.

Get the Neapolitan Cookies recipe.

Pignoli means pine nuts in Italian, and they top this delicious almond-flavor dough perfectly. These cookies are very popular in Southern Italy and Sicily.

Get the Pignoli Cookies recipe.

These picture-perfect biscotti include cornmeal, ground ginger and orange zest. Jeweled dried cranberries and pistachios make them extra festive.

Get the Cranberry-Pistachio Cornmeal Biscotti recipe.

This Italian family favorite gets its rich texture from ricotta. Icing drizzled over the top makes them as pretty as little presents.

Get the Lemon Thyme Coin Cookies recipe.

Nutty and spicy, these crescent-shaped cookies are a confectioner's sugar-coated dream during the holiday season.

Get the Walnut Crescent Cookies recipe.

The fun part comes when it’s time to frost these zesty bites, especially since this recipes makes so many cookies at one time. (And that’s a fine problem to have during the holidays!)

Get the Italian Lemon Cookies recipe at Growing Up Abel.

No need to head to the bakery for these sweets. Just sandwich some strawberry jam between two homemade cookies for a treat that's as delicious as it is beautiful.

Get the Italian Butter Cookies recipe at Bake du Jour.

Whatever you call them — Italian fig cookies, Sicilian fig cookies or cucidati — these fruit-filled cookies make for a crowd-pleasing treat.

Get the Italian Fig Cookies recipe at Saving Room for Dessert.

Double up on flavor by ditching traditional anise for a combination of almond and vanilla extracts.

Get the Rainbow Sprinkle Italian Cookies at Grumpy's Honeybunch.

These Italian Christmas cookies — inspired by traditional Italian cannoli — are made with ricotta, chocolate chips and pistachios. Yum!

Get the Cannoli Cookies recipe at Snappy Gourmet.

With just 10 easy ingredients, you can make classic sugar cookies from scratch. Keep to the Italian tradition by topping them with vanilla icing and colorful sprinkles.

Get the Italian Sugar Cookies recipe at Swanky Recipes.

Also known as Neapolitans or rainbow cookies, these colorful treats are made up of a trio of cake-like layers, all held together with amaretto-spiked apricot jam.

Get the Amaretto Tricolor Cookies recipe at Karen's Kitchen Stories.

These traditional shortbread cookies are served in Italy on Epiphany, which takes place each year on January 6. So, give this recipe a trial run before Christmas, then make it again in time for the January holiday.

Get the Befanini recipe at 196 Flavors.

A soft, cake-like texture defines these anise-tinged cookies covered in a sweet sugar glaze. Rainbow sprinkles on top make them an instant crowd pleaser for guests of all ages.

Get the Glazed Italian Christmas Cookies recipe at The Farm Girl Gabs.

The origin of Florentine cookies is unclear — they could be originally Italian or French. But that hardly matters to the taste: sweet, crispy, crunchy and utterly delicious.

Get the Florentines recipe at Woman’s Day.

There’s nothing cozier at holiday time than dipping biscotti in milk or another warm beverage. And because biscotti aren’t meant to be too sweet, they have less sugar than a lot of the other treats on this list.

Get the Double Chocolate Biscotti recipe at Namely Marly.

Roll these chocolate cookies in pistachios for a layered texture and flavor, and a distinctly Italian vibe.

Get the Slice and Bake Chocolate and Pistachio Cookies recipe.

The hazelnuts and chocolate-hazelnut spread in these triple-chocolate cookies nod to Piedmont, Italy.

Get the Triple Chocolate-Hazelnut Cookies recipe at Country Living.

Divide the dough to make cookies in a variety of seasonal flavors, everything from classic anise to sweet vanilla to bursting citrus. No matter what you pick, don't forget to dust 'em with powdered sugar before serving!

Get the Pizzelle Cookies recipe at Unsophisticook.