These anise cookies, also called Italian Anisette Cookies, are a holiday dessert favorite, just like my Thumbprint Cookies that everyone goes crazy over.
Why we love this recipe
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.
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!
Ingredients you need
This recipe is a little different than most cookies in that you will melt the butter. I promise it works!
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How to make Italian anisette cookies
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. Please scroll down to simply print out the 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 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.
Anise Cookies
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Rate It Text ItIngredients
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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Meghna Chandra says
I’m excited to try this for my friend’s birthday potluck! But I wanted to know if I could mix it by hand… I don’t have an electric mixer
Amanda Formaro says
Yes that should be fine
Ophelia says
These are seriously the best. I’ve tried a few anisette cookie recipes, and this is the keeper. Thanks!
Kim Marsteller says
In your video it states… BAKING SODA…. in the written it says BAKING POWDER?.
Amanda Formaro says
The video is incorrect. Please use the ingredients in the recipe. Sorry about that.
Dale says
This dough was very hard to work with.,My dough was way to soft that I couldn’t even roll them in a ball.When I baked them they came out flat..Very disappointed in this recipe.
Amanda Formaro says
Sounds like you didn’t have enough flour. Were you distracted at all in the kitchen? I know this can happen to me sometimes! If the phone rings or a child asks a question while you are measuring out ingredients, you can accidentally miss something. Happens to all of us. As you can see from the video and the other reviews, the dough is not sticky and the cookies are not flat.
Vera milliken says
Here in New Orleans we make the cookies for St. PATRICKS Day and of course we call them ST. PADDY cookies so I hope the Italian don’t mind but we also do not use icing . We sprinkle them before they enter the oven !
Joyce belbo says
Hi Amanda ur recipe looks yummy. I don’t have a mixer. Can I mix by hand?
Amanda Formaro says
Absolutely!
molly says
These cookies are amazing!!! My family loves them and they’re reminiscent of the one’s my grandmother used to make :) thank you for sharing your recipe
Andrea Manganaro says
I haven’t made them yet but that sounds like a lot of baking powder. Can you use some baking soda to replace some of baking powder?
Amanda Formaro says
No they do different things. The measurement is correct.
Susanna says
Are these the kind of cookies that have a really crunchy texture, almost like a biscotti or a macaron? I had licorice flavored cookies that were light a crumbly/ crunchy as a child and I thought they were some kind of classic European cookie, but I can’t find a recipe wheee the pic looks quite like them. They may have had small crumbly nuts in them as well. Any thoughts?
Amanda Formaro says
These are not hard like biscotti, but definitely firm. The cookie you are describing sounds like Snowball Cookies? https://amandascookin.com/snowball-cookies/
meredith says
Any chance the shortening can be substituted?
Thanks
Linda says
Hello Meredith,
My sister has been making these Anise Cookies for years, she uses margarine, not butter + shortening; she also adds anise to her icing.
Ellen says
Loved the recipe but found the cookies really well done on the bottom. Next batch I’ll try baking at 350.
Amanda Formaro says
Sometimes this can happen with the type of pan you use. Did you use parchment paper or a silicone baking mat? Those help :) I prefer insulated baking sheets, they bake the most evenly!
Maria says
I made these and they came out awesome!! Thanks for a nice easy recipe that is to the point.
Sam says
Hi , question? My dough is so so soft! I Putin the fridge to see if it would tighten up! I’m hoping so! I used this recipe last year … froze the dough and baked as needed! Awesome! Thank you
Sam
Amanda Formaro says
I think to salvage it I would add more flour. Is it possible that you got distracted while measuring and maybe miscounted? I’ve definitely had that happen LOL