Aunt Elaines Italian Anise Cookies Recipes

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.

ITALIAN COOKIES WITH ANISE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Beat butter and sugar for dough together in a bowl with an electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs, vanilla extract, and anise extract and blend. Combine flour and baking powder in a separate bowl; stir into butter mixture until blended.
• Take a ping pong-sized ball of dough and roll between your hands to form a rope. Connect the ends and twist into a figure 8 shape. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough.
• Bake in batches in the preheated oven until edges are golden, about 10 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Mix milk into confectioners' sugar for icing, stirring slowly. Add the anise extract and vanilla extract.
• Dip cooled cookies into the icing face-down and lay on wax paper or a wire rack.

AUNT ANNE'S SESAME COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg and anise extract until well blended. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt; stir into the butter mixture until well incorporated. If you are using a stand mixer, let the dough mix for another minute to add lightness to the dough. The dough will be soft, but will hand roll easily.
• Pinch off pieces of dough slightly smaller than a walnut, and roll them into small logs. Dip in milk, then roll in sesame seeds. Place cookies one inch apart on a cookie sheet. Cookies will not spread very much.
• Bake for 17 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until bottom and sides of cookies are lightly toasted. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.