It’s Lemon Day on SSJ’S 12 Days of Holiday Baking. Here’s my streamlined version of my Nona’s Italian Lemon Knots.
Oh, how I love these cookies! I make them for pretty much every holiday. And, when I’m feeling blue, I whip some up and have them with a cuppa, so I can talk out loud to my Non!

Let’s get started already!
Italian Lemon Knots
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 4 large eggs
- 4 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice [you can use milk instead]
- 4 1/2 cups flour
- 1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
Glaze & Decor
- 2 cups icing sugar [powdered sugar]
- the juice of 1-2 additional lemons [about 8-12 tablespoons]
- non-pareils or coloured sprinkles
Instructions
Cookies
- Heat the oven to 350.
- Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl or on a piece of parchment, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a mixer, beat the butter until smooth.
- Add eggs, sugar, and lemon juice, and mix until combined.
- Add the flour mixture a half cup at a time to form a dough.
- If desired, or if the kitchen is hot, divide the dough into two discs and refrigerate until ready to use.
- For each cookie, gather a generous tablespoon-sized ball of dough in your hands.
- Shape the dough into a 6-inch long cigar shape.
- Loop the rope into a knot, pretzel, spiral, twist, or, really, any shape of your choosing.
- Bake 13-15 minutes, or until just barely browned on the bottoms.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and slide them right on their parchment onto wire racks.
- Cool completely
Glaze & Decor
- As the cookies are cooling, mix lemon juice by the tablespoonful into the icing sugar, until a glaze forms.
- Dip the top of each cookie into the glaze and replace, browned bottom down, on parchment.
- Top with nonpareils or sprinkles and allow to set.
- Enjoy!


Enjoy!

It’s Lemon Day on SSJ’S 12 Days of Holiday Baking. Here’s my streamlined version of my Nona’s Italian Lemon Knots.

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