I’m British, so naturally, I love the licorice flavor in Italian anisette cookies. You can certainly replace the anise extract in this recipe with lemon or vanilla extract if you have people who love the texture of these cookies, but not the licorice flavor. They will taste delicious either way, I promise! These anisette cookies are a holiday dessert favorite, just like my Thumbprint Cookies that everyone goes crazy over.
Italian Anisette Cookies
Whether you choose to make these cookies with anise or without, they always seem to be a crowd-pleaser. Since this recipe makes a lot of cookies, they also make the perfect treats to bring along to a holiday gathering or family get-together.
Ingredients for Italian Anisette Cookies
This recipe is a little different than most cookies in that you will melt the butter. I promise it works!
- Wet ingredients: butter, shortening, granulated sugar, eggs, anise extract
- Dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt
- Decoration: confectioners’ sugar, milk, nonpareils
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Helpful Kitchen Tools
How to make Italian anisette cookies
For cookies:
- Melt butter and shortening together. Add the sugar; mix well. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the anise extract. Sift or whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Add to creamed mixture gradually. If the dough is too sticky to roll in the palm of your hand, add flour until firmer, but it should be very soft.
- Roll dough into small balls, about 1/2 tablespoon each, and place on ungreased cookie sheets.
- Bake @ 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes (the bottom should be lightly browned but the tops should remain light). Remove cookies to wire rack and cool completely before glazing.
For the glaze:
- Mix milk GRADUALLY into confectioners’ sugar to make a thick glaze… make sure to keep it on the thick side.
- Dip top of each cookie into glaze. Sprinkle with colored jimmies or nonpareils while glaze is still wet.
- I usually dip 10-12 cookies, return them to the wire rack (with wax paper under the racks to aid in clean up!) and then sprinkle those cookies before starting to dip more.
Decorating tip:
Dip and sprinkle 5 cookies at a time, that seemed to be the magic number before the glaze would start to harden.
This Italian anisette cookies recipe makes a lot of cookies, depending on how large you roll them. As instructed you should get about 6 dozen.
I hope you enjoy these anisette cookies as much as my family and I do! We love the fact that this recipe makes so many cookies, which means I have a little sweet treat to snack on throughout the week.
If you’re a licorice fan like me you might want to make these black licorice caramels from Barbara Bakes and these Lemon Licorice Cupcakes from Shugary Sweets!
Cookie fanatic?
Be sure to check out all the cookie recipes on the blog! Some favorites include…
- Monster Cookies
- Peanut Butter Cookies
- The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe Ever
- Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- Grandma’s Sugar Cookies
- Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
This post was originally published on this blog on December 8, 2008.
Italian Anisette Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter or margarine
- 1/4 cup shortening
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 5 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. anise extract can use vanilla or lemon extract instead
Glaze:
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar sifted
- 3 Tbsp. milk
Things You'll Need
Instructions
For cookies:
- Melt butter and shortening together. Add the sugar; mix well. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the anise extract. Sift or whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Add to creamed mixture gradually. If the dough is too sticky to roll in the palm of your hand, add flour until firmer, but it should be very soft. Roll dough in small balls (these tend to really puff up with all the baking powder in them!) and place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake @ 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes (the bottom should be lightly browned but the tops should remain light). Remove cookies to wire rack and cool completely before glazing.
Amanda’s notes:
- Next time I will be more careful with the flour, I think I added a bit too much. The tops of my cookies cracked. I also used my cookie scoop and filled it half way, which seemed to work pretty well.
Glaze:
- Mix milk GRADUALLY into confectioners’ sugar to make a thick glaze… make sure to keep it on the thick side. Dip top of each cookie into glaze. Sprinkle with colored jimmies or nonpareils while glaze is still wet. I usually dip 10-12 cookies, return them to the wire rack (with wax paper under the racks to aid in clean up!) and then sprinkle those cookies before starting to dip more.
Amanda’s notes:
- I dipped and sprinkled 5 at a time, that seemed to be the magic number before the glaze would start to harden.
Video
Expert Tips & FAQs
- You can substitute 1 tsp. vanilla and 1 tsp. almond extract for the anisette if you really don't like licorice flavor.
- Makes a lot of cookies, depending on how large you roll them.
- Dip and sprinkle 5 cookies at a time, that seemed to be the magic number before the glaze would start to harden.
Nutrition
Amanda Formaro
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Julia says
Would I be able to substitute 1:1 GF all purpose flour in these? Thanks!
Amanda Formaro says
Hi Julia. I have never used GF flour on these so I don’t want to suggest that it would work. I have no experience with GF ingredients. However, if you are used to substituting GF for regular and have had success I would love to hear ho they work out for you!
Jo says
Could I add the extract after the dry ingredients? I was hoping I could separate the dough, I want to make half lemon and half almond. Thanks for your recipe!
Amanda Formaro says
I’m sure that would be fine! Just make sure it’s mixed well so you don’t have spots of heavy extract flavor.
Nancy says
I make these all the time. A problem I have is the sprinkles. They always run or bleed. Any suggestions to correct this problem or is that a normal reaction?
Amanda Formaro says
Hmm, is it really warm in your kitchen? Maybe try storing the sprinkles in the refrigerator before adding them to the cookies. Do you use non-pareils or actual sprinkles?
Nancy says
I use non-pareils. I will try them in the fridge. Thanks
Angela says
Can you replace the shortening with something else?
Amanda Formaro says
Hi Angela! I haven’t tried these cookies without the shortening. You can try butter.
Ashley says
I made these with slight modifications and they came out fantastic!
Amanda Formaro says
Awesome, so glad you loved them, thank you!
Rhona says
Great cookies, tasted like my nonnie baked when I was a child.
Amanda Formaro says
Hooray, glad you loved them!
Janet Ulery says
Loved this recipe. Merry Christmas!
Amanda Formaro says
Wonderful, thank you so much, Merry Christmas!
elizabeth says
made these for the 1st time so easy…how long till they can be packed up?
Amanda Formaro says
I’m sorry for the delayed reply, I was in the kitchen for two days! Celebrations on both Christmas eve and day this year. Just until the icing is completely dry, probably a couple of hours minimum :)
Ronald Mathew D'Addario says
Many thanks Amanda. Your recipe came out great. I am looking forward to bringing the cookies to our Christmas dinner. My first time making anisette cookies. You made me look like a pro
Amanda Formaro says
That’s awesome Ronald, so glad you loved them, thank you! :)
Vic says
Whoa. Way too much baking powder! 5 tsp. I’ve made these for years and this recipe was very different and did not taste as they should.
Amanda Formaro says
Hi Vic! Actually that’s correct. i know it sounds like a lot, but if you compare this recipe to other recipes out there, you’ll find that they all have a lot of baking powder.