Anise Cookies

 Anise Cookies

Anise Cookies remind me of Christmas and the holidays, and are a traditional Italian cookie to bake this time of year. The smell of anise while the cookies baked was sublime. This recipe is balanced with the perfect amount of anise, and the anise glaze brings it over the top. I found Victoria Anisette Sugar and it was the perfect compliment to use with the anise extract and ground anise seed. The cookie texture is soft and chewy. You can use any color sprinkles or nonpareils but add to glaze immediately. I hope you try this recipe.

Yield: 2 1/2 Dozen Cookies (Depending on size of cookie)

Anise Cookies

Ingredients

2 3/4 cups All Purpose Flour

1 tablespoon Baking Powder

3/4 cup Anisette Sugar (or Granulated Sugar)

1 teaspoon Ground Anise Seed

1/2 teaspoon Coarse Salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) Unsalted Butter, softened

3 Large Eggs

Anise Cookies

Anise Cookies

Anise Cookies

Directions

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, ground anise seed, and salt; set aside.

Cream butter and sugar in a hand held mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment on low; 1-2 minutes. Do not overmix.

Scrape sides of bowl with spatula and mix for 10 seconds.

Add eggs one a time and combine.

Add anise extract and mix until incorporated. 

Scrape sides of bowl and mix for 5 seconds.

Dip each cookie in glaze and immediately add nonpareils

Dipped the first two anise cookies

Turn off mixer and add the flour mixture, and cover mixer with kitchen towel, and on low speed incorporate. 

The dough is ready when it begins to clump around paddle attachment.

Form into a disk shape and cover with plastic wrap and chill in fridge for 1-3 hours or overnight. I chilled the dough for 2 hours.

Heat oven to 350°F.

Use tablespoon or scoop and place dough balls onto cookies sheets lined with parchment paper.

Bake 12-15 minutes or until the edges have slightly browned. 

First 2 cookies dipped.

All the cookies are glazed and topped with nonpareils

Oven temps vary so check the cookies at the 10 minute mark.

Wait 5 minutes before transferring cookies to wire racks to complete cooling; about 1 hour.

Make the anise glaze once the cookies are cool to the touch.

Anise Glaze Ingredients

1 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar, sifted

1/2 teaspoon Anise Extract

3 tablespoons Milk

Nonpareils or Sprinkles to top

The glaze has dried

Directions

In a bowl, whisk together the sifted powdered sugar, anise extract and milk until creamy.

Dip the top of each cookie into the glaze and place on wire rack and immediately add nonpareils or sprinkles.

Let dry.

Anise Cookies recipe adapted from Mother Thyme: http://www.motherthyme.com/2012/12/anise-cookies.html

Enjoy!

-Sophia/Two Frys