Christmas Befana Cookies

La Befana was approached by the three Wise Men (Magi), Melchior, Balthazar, and Gaspar, who asked her how to get to the road to Bethlehem and they asked her to join them on their journey to bring gifts to the Christ child.

First, she refused to say she was too busy however later that night, she saw a great light in the sky and decided to join the Wise Men and the shepherd bearing gifts that had belonged to her child who had passed away.

She relentlessly looked for Baby Jesus but got lost and never found the manger, this is just one story of the many legends that's been written.

The Feast of the Epiphany is celebrated on January 6 as a national holiday in Italy, and the tradition of La Befana is a big part of Italian Christmas celebrations.

The old woman who visits children in Italy on the eve of January 5th and on January 6th the Epiphany is celebrated similarly to the story of Santa Claus.

The woman enters children's homes through the chimney to deliver the gifts and through her visions and the loss of her child, he brings those gifts into her child's memory and feels like she became the mother of every child in Italy.

Every Epiphany Eve, the old witch is covered in black soot, from the chimney, has tattered clothes, and flies around the world on a broomstick, then comes down chimneys to deliver candy and presents to children that have been good all year.

To those who were naughty, she left coal so we have included both cookie recipes we make for this traditional legend to celebrate and recognize La Befana on this traditional day.

Traditional Star Cookies for La Befana

This is a basic butter cookie dough that works very well for cutouts and the traditional cookie to celebrate the day is the star cookie and either lightly glazed then sprinkle with candies.

We make this recipe with all different cutout shapes, however, the traditional cookie for January 6th is the star cutout cookie.

These are not traditional sugar cookies that get hard, these stay soft.

Our favorite recipes during the holiday baking season.

They even taste great unfrosted!

Ingredients You Will Need to Make Christmas Befana Cookies(see printable recipe card below for exact measurements

1. all-purpose flour
2. pinch of salt
3. butter, room temperature
4. powdered sugar
5. pure vanilla extract or another flavor you prefer

La Befana Coal Cookies and More Your May Like To Try

Chocolate Chunk Coal Cookies

Cucidati Fig Sicilian Cookies

24 One-Stop Cookie Shop

Fried Bow Tie Cookies

25 Holiday Cookies

Print

Christmas Cutout Butter Cookies

Yield: 22

Author: Claudia Lamascolo

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 8 MinTotal time: 18 Min

These are a soft dough that makes the perfect butter sugar cookies for any time of the year especially around the holiday/

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Frosting Ingredients:
• 2 1/2 cups of powdered sugar
• food coloring optional
• 1/4 cup of water
• 1/3 butter
• 2 tablespoons dry milk

Instructions

1. Cookie Batter 
2. Mix all together and refrigerate overnight or for at least one hour. 
3. Roll out cut into shapes of your choice and bake on a greased cookie sheet
4. Bake at 350 for 8 minutes or until edges are slightly browned.
5. For the frosting: 
6. Beat all ingredients until smooth, add more water if too stiff, this needs to spread easily.  
7. Immediately decorate with sprinkles or candies on top, the frosting will dry quickly.
8. Let cookies dry on wax paper 
9. For tinting:
10. Separate into bowls coordinate food coloring and flavoring in each bowl. Frost cookies and let dry for about an hour.

Calories

268.77

Fat (grams)

18.85

Sat. Fat (grams)

9.74

Carbs (grams)

23.87

Fiber (grams)

0.31

Net carbs

23.57

Sugar (grams)

14.94

Protein (grams)

1.41

Sodium (milligrams)

83.45

Cholesterol (grams)

30.25

https://www.whatscookinitalianstylecuisine.com/2010/12/christmas-cutout-butter-cookies.html

cutout cookies, cookies made with butter, Christmas cutout cookies

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