Traditional Italian anise cookies are quick and easy to make with just a few ingredients, including anise extract.
Day 1 of the 12 Days of Christmas Cookies: Italian Anise Cookies
‘Tis the season for the cookie baking! This past weekend, my family and I had our annual Cookie Day! It’s one of my favorite Christmas traditions. We aren’t baking your plain ‘ole boring chocolate chip cookies. Don’t go thinking that I am hating on chocolate chip cookies because we do love us some chocolate chip cookies. But those can be baked any day.
My family has been making these cookies for as far back as I can remember. Every year, we pick a date for cookie day, gather at my parent’s house, and roll and decorate cookies all day long. These are by far my favorite Christmas cookie. And they go great along with a tall glass of ice cold milk.
The kids have been enjoying these cookies since they were itty bitty. Just look at that face. Would it steer you wrong?
Our cookies involve some rolling…
…some dipping…
Cookie decorating time! A photo posted by Stephanie (@thestephglover) on
and lots of taste testing!
Italian Anise Cookies
Italian Anise Cookies
Ingredients
- For the Cookies
- 3 eggs
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons anise extract
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 4 cups flour
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup milk
- For the Icing
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 - 3 Tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon anise extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, sugar, extract and baking powder.
- Add the vegetable oil and milk, then the flour, one cup at a time {this is important!}, until well combined.
- Roll dough into small sized balls or half moons. Arrange cookies 2 inches apart on the baking sheets.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until bottoms of the cookies are a light golden brown. The tops will still be pale. Be careful not to burn the bottoms!
- Remove from the oven, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
- Combine the icing ingredients in a bowl until just smooth. Your icing should be a little thick but still runny.
- Dip the tops of the cooled cookies into the icing. Dip into sprinkles.
- Place on wax paper to dry.
WANT MORE CHRISTMAS COOKIE RECIPES? YOU CAN FIND THEM ALL HERE!
Heather says
December 12, 2012 at 9:09 amWe make butter cookies! They rock!
Daily Woman (Lacey) says
December 12, 2012 at 10:16 pmMolasses Cookies
Sherryl WIlson says
December 12, 2012 at 11:42 pmthumb prints are our favorite
Barb @ Frugal Local Kitchen says
December 15, 2012 at 3:54 pmThose do look yummy!
I couldn’t get organized enough this year to do a baking day with my mom and sister plus our usual day, December 8th, fell on a Saturday. Normally, since it’s a holy day, the kids have off from school, and we do our family baking then.
Thanks for sharing this at the Christmas Open House!
Kathy Donovan-Ellis says
December 18, 2012 at 9:41 pmPeanut butter blossoms
Mitzi says
December 16, 2014 at 10:49 amI’m actually baking cookies right now, so that the kids can decorate when they get home from school!!
Heather says
December 16, 2014 at 4:34 pmI don’t typically like than anise flavor but I would try these – they look awesome!
Clare says
December 18, 2014 at 1:41 amThey look truly scrumptious! I’m not very good with cookies and tend to stick with cakes instead, but I might be brave and give this recipe a try!
Candi @ A Day in Candiland says
December 20, 2014 at 4:12 pmI do love anise, so I bet these would be really good.
Christina @ It Is a Keeper says
December 21, 2014 at 10:41 pmI love these cookies! They remind me of my grandma.
Heather M says
December 23, 2014 at 3:58 pmI love all the cookies without nuts. Love the picture with sprinkles going down his face.