Anise Christmas Cookies Recipes

ITALIAN ANISE COOKIES

Steps:

• Beat eggs together in a large bowl. Gradually stir white sugar into beaten eggs until smooth. Slowly pour vegetable oil and anise oil into sugar mixture until incorporated. Mix flour and baking powder together in a separate bowl; slowly add to sugar mixture, stirring with a wooden spoon until dough is dry.
• Refrigerate dough, 30 minutes to overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.
• Roll dough into walnut-size balls and arrange on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cookies are crisp around the edges, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool cookies on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
• Mix confectioners' sugar and milk together in a bowl until desired consistency is reached. Dip a fork into the icing and drizzle over cookies. Allow icing to harden.

ITALIAN GRANDMOTHER ANISE COOKIES

Steps:

• Combine the flour, sugar and heaping tablespoon of baking powder.
• In another bowl whisk together the eggs, vegetable oil and anise extract.
• Combine wet and dry ingredients. Dough will be sticky, add up to an extra 1/4 cup of flour if needed.
• Shape cookies as desired (lightly oiled hands will help). One way to do it: roll about 2 tablespoons of dough between hands until you have a rope, fold rope in half and twist. You can also just make little dough patties.
• Place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes (this is good for dark nonstick sheets, you might need to bake a little longer if using airbake sheets).
• Remove from cookie sheets and let cool completely.
• To make icing, melt butter then add milk. Gradually mix in powdered sugar. Add more sugar or milk until at desired spreading consistency.
• Frost cookies. Icing will harden quickly so add non-pareils or other sprinkles immediately after frosting each cookie.

ANISE SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and extract. Combine the flour, aniseed, salt, baking powder and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. , Shape into 1-in. balls; place on greased baking sheets. Flatten with a glass dipped in sugar., Bake at 375° for 8-10 minutes or until set. Cool on wire racks. If desired, decorate cookies with frosting and sprinkles.

ITALIAN ANISE COOKIES RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• Add flour and baking powder to a medium mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes.
• Beat in eggs one at a time, add 1 tablespoon of anise extract and anise seeds, and mix until well blended.
• Add the flour mixture a little at a time, and mix until well blended. The dough will be soft and sticky.
• Drop rounded tablespoons of dough 2 inches apart onto the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake 5 to 7 minutes until bottoms are golden brown and the cookie springs back when pressed with your finger.
• Remove the cookies from the baking sheets to a wire rack to cool.
• To make the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and 1/4 teaspoon anise extract in a small bowl until smooth.
• Place the cooling rack of cookies on the cookie sheet to catch drips and the extra sprinkles.
• Grab one cookie, dip the top into the glaze, put it back on the rack, and add the sprinkles right away before the icing begins to harden.
• Repeat with the remaining cookies, and then let the cookies sit until the glaze is hard.
• Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. The recipe makes about 32 cookies.

GERMAN ANISE CHRISTMAS COOKIES (SPRINGERLE)

Steps:

• Sift together the flour and baking powder, set aside. In a large bowl, whip the eggs and sugar until thick and light. Stir in the lemon zest and ground anise. Add the flour mixture, mix well. Cover and chill dough for about an hour.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/2 inch thickness. Traditionally, you would roll over the dough with a springerle rolling pin, but the dough can be cut into small shapes of any kind. Place cookies 1/2 inch apart on baking sheets, sprinkle with anise seed and leave out uncovered, overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bake cookies for 25 to 30 minutes.

TRADITIONAL ANISE COOKIES

Steps:

• With a Kitchenaid mixer: beat eggs 20 minutes with 2 cups of granulated sugar (yes I mean 20 minutes as this is what will make the cookies light as a feather with a crisp melt in you mouth top crust).
• Add flour gradually, beating well after each addition. Add 1 tsp anise oil and blend well.
• Drop by tablespoonsful onto greased cookie sheets and let stand in a draft free place overnight.
• Bake in a 375°F oven for 10 minutes until light golden but do not brown.
• Cool on baking racks thoroughly before storing.
• Store in a tightly covered cookie tin (not plastic).
• The longer you let the cookie age, the better it will be.

SWISS ANISE CHRISTMAS COOKIES

Steps:

• Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Toast the anise seeds for a few minutes in a skillet over medium heat until fragrant. Coarsely grind them in a mortar and set aside. → Those two steps enhance the anise flavor!
• Beat the eggs, powdered sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer until white and fluffy (takes about 3-5 minutes).
• Stir in anise seeds.
• Add flour and stir using a spatula until just combined.
• Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and form/roll the dough into ½-inch (1 ½ cm) thick rolls. → This is about the thickness of a finger.
• Cut the rolls into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces. Make two cuts and shape them into a half-moon (see pictures in the blog post's step-by-step instructions). Transfer to the lined baking sheets and let them dry at room temperature for 24 hours. → Don't cover, and don't leave at a place with a draft.
• Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Bake the cookies in the lower third of the oven, with the oven door slightly ajar, for 15-20 minutes.→ Stick a wooden spoon between the oven and the door!
• Remove from the oven, allow cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet, and then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.