Italian Anise Cookies – soft cookies with glaze and sprinkles simply melt in your mouth. These simple and very tasty holiday cookies are a perfect choice for Christmas and a great addition to your holiday cookie plate. They are very quick and easy to prepare, with only a few simple ingredients that can be found in every kitchen. What makes these cookies special and different is an anise extract.
Since I really like the way anise smell and taste, I’ve decided to try these cookies out and of course – everybody liked it. These are perfect cookies for me – simple and soft, quick and easy to make and first of all very tasty. Christmas euphoria is starting and we are all getting ready for this special day. Christmas cookies are something we are all thinking about. I love a plate full of colorful Christmas cookies and I also enjoy preparing them. My favorite period of year is coming… I love everything about Christmas!
What ingredients do you need to make Italian Anise Cookies?
- All purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Unsalted butter
- Shortening
- Granulated
- Eggs
- Anise extract
- powdered sugar
- Milk
- Nonpareils
All the quantities along with the more detailed instructions can be found at the bottom of this post, in the recipe card.
How to prepare Italian Anise Cookies?
TO MAKE THE DOUGH:
1. Combine flour, baking powder and salt.
2. In a separate dish, beat melted butter and shortening, then add sugar and anise extract. and mix until combined.
3. Add one egg at a time, mixing well after each one.
4. Continue mixing, slowly adding flour mixture. The dough will be really soft.
5. Scoop 1 tablespoon of dough and place it in the baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350 F for 8-10 minutes or until the bottom is light brown and the tops remain light.
6. When they are done, take them out of the oven and leave in the baking sheet for a couple of minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
TO MAKE THE GLAZE: Start by slowly adding milk into the bowl with powdered sugar, stirring until smooth. When the cookies are completely cooled, dip the top of each cookie into the icing, wait for a few seconds for the extra icing to drain, then put them back on the wire rack. Coat maximum 5 cookies, sprinkle them and repeat the same procedure with the rest.
How to store Italian Anise Cookies? Store them in an airtight container, at room temperature for no longer than 3 days.
Can Italian Anise Cookies be frozen? You can freeze baked cookies, but without icing. Defrost them, before adding frosting.
Can they be made a day before serving? It would be perfect to make them a day before serving – they will be even more delicious. If you want the glaze to look perfect, prepare it on the day of serving.
TIPS AND TRICKS:
If the dough is too sticky, gradually add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time, until it’s not that sticky any more. You should be able to roll the dough with very little stickiness.
Make sure that cookies are completely cooled before dipping in the icing.
A tip! Sprinkle them while the glaze is still wet. When it gets solid, the sprinkles won’t stick to it.
If you don’t like anise, add any other aroma that you like. Vanilla, almond or lemon are perfect in these cookies.
It only takes 30 minutes to make these incredible cookies. You will surely love this traditional Italian dessert. If you still haven’t decided what to prepare for Christmas, you can find many interesting ideas here CHRISTMAS RECIPES. Cookie fans, you are at the right place COOKIES.
Italian Anise Cookies
Italian Anise Cookies – soft cookies with sugar frosting and sprinkles simply melt in your mouth. These simple and very tasty holiday cookies are a perfect choice for Christmas and a great addition to your holiday cookie plate.
Ingredients
- TO MAKE THE DOUGH:
- 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 5 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon shortening, melted
- 1/3 cup Granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon anise extract
- 2 large eggs
- TO MAKE THE GLAZE:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoon milk
- nonpareils for decorations
Instructions
- TO MAKE THE DOUGH: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Next, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
- In a medium dish, combine flour, baking powder and salt and then set it aside.
- In a separate dish, beat melted butter with shortening, at medium speed, then add sugar and anise extract. Mix it all until it’s combined.
- Add one egg at a time, mixing well after each one. Then continue mixing, slowly adding flour mixture. The dough will be really soft.
- Scoop 1 tablespoon of dough and put it in the baking sheet. If you want the balls to be shaped well, roll them with your hands.
- Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes, or until the bottom is light brown and the tops remain light. When they are done, take them out of the oven and leave in the baking sheet for a couple of minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
- TO MAKE THE GLAZE: Start by slowly adding milk into the bowl with powdered sugar, stirring until smooth. If it looks like the mixture is too dense, simply add some more milk.
- When the cookies are completely cooled, dip the top of each cookie into the icing, wait for a few seconds for the extra icing to drain, then put them back on the wire rack. Coat maximum 5 cookies, sprinkle them and repeat the same procedure with the rest.
Notes
- If the dough is too sticky, gradually add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time, until it’s not that sticky any more. You should be able to roll the dough with very little stickiness.
- Make sure that cookies are completely cooled before dipping in the icing.
- Sprinkle them while the glaze is still wet. When it gets solid, the sprinkles won't stick to it.
- If you don’t like anise, add any other aroma that you like. Vanilla, almond or lemon are perfect in these cookies.
- How to store Italian Anise Cookies? Store them in a closed container, at room temperature for no longer than 3 days.
- Can Italian Anise Cookies be frozen? You can freeze baked cookies, but without icing. Defrost them, before adding frosting.
- Can they be made a day before serving? It would be perfect to make them a day before serving - they will be even more delicious. If you want the glaze to look perfect, prepare it on the day of serving.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 20 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving:Calories: 165Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 27mgSodium: 143mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 0gSugar: 10gProtein: 2g