You will love these delightful anise cookies! They’re soft and pillowy with a cake-like texture that everyone swoons over. These tender, licorice-flavored cookies are topped with a simple glaze and sprinkles, making them quite eye-catching.
They’re also effortless to make with a few simple ingredients. For another easy festive cookie to add to your cookie tray this year, try my gingerbread cookies recipe, candy cane cookies, and easy ricotta cookies.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Baking powder — make sure to use fresh baking powder as it helps the cookies spread up and out. Baking powder also helps give the cookies a more cakey texture.
Anise extract — this is a strong, slightly sweet licorice flavoring made from anise seed. It gives these anise cookies their signature flavor.
Butter — plan ahead by bringing the butter out of the fridge so it can soften. It needs to be at room temperature to cream smoothly. Also, be sure to use unsalted butter as there is already salt added to the recipe.
Powdered sugar — the sugar sweetens and thickens the glaze. If you do not have any on hand, see my post on how to make powdered sugar at home.
How to Make Anise Cookie
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until incorporated before adding the next. Then add the anise.
3. Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed just until combined.
4. Scoop dough by 1 tablespoonful and place on a lined tray. Chill for 20 minutes or until firm enough to roll between your palms.
5. Roll half of the dough and keep the remaining unrolled dough refrigerated. Bake for 10 minutes, or the cookies are firm to the touch and the tops appear dry. Let cool completely on the baking sheets then transfer to a wire rack. Repeat with the refrigerated dough.
6. Sift the powdered sugar into a medium bowl. Whisk in the milk.
7. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of glaze onto the top of each cookie.
8. Decorate with sprinkles if desired. Keep them on the parchment paper until the glaze has set, about 2 hours.
Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
- Adding too much flour will lead to the anise cookies being dense. The best and easiest way to measure the flour is by using a kitchen scale. If you don’t have one, then fluff your flour with a spoon, sprinkle it into your measuring cup, and use a knife to level it.
- I highly recommend using a cookie scoop. Using a cookie scoop ensures that all the anise cookies are the same size so that they bake evenly. If you plan on baking cookies regularly, it’s worth purchasing!
- Room temperature butter and egg will mix more evenly into each other. Place your egg into a bowl of warm water for a couple of minutes. Doing so will quickly bring it to room temperature if you have forgotten to take it out of your fridge beforehand.
- Be sure to let the anise cookie dough chill before you bake. This will prevent the cookies from spreading too much.
- Don’t worry if some of your anise cookies crack on top when baking. The glaze will cover them!
- Not a fan of anise? Sub vanilla extract in its place or use ½ teaspoon almond, lemon, or peppermint extract instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long will these cookies last?
These Italian cookies should last for about 1 week. Once they have completely cooled, you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature in a cool, dry place.
Can I freeze these cookies?
You can! Once cool, place the Italian cookies with anise in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid. Then, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze them for up to 3 months.
Can I freeze raw cookie dough?
The cookie dough is freezer-friendly. After you’ve rolled the cookie dough into a ball, place the cookie dough balls in a single layer on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and freeze until just solid. Then, place in a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, bake them from frozen and add an extra minute to the baking time.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this Anise Cookie recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Anise Cookies
Equipment
- Mixer
- Bowls
- Baking Sheets
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
For the Cookie Dough:
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour (300g)
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter softened (85g)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
- 3 large eggs
- 1½ teaspoons anise extract
For the Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar (120g)
- 1½ tablespoons milk
- sprinkles
Instructions
For the Cookie Dough:
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a small baking sheet or tray with wax or parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until incorporated before adding the next. Stop to scrape down the bowl as needed. (Mixture will be runny and look lumpy.) Beat in the anise.
- Add the flour mixture, and beat on low speed just until combined. Scoop dough by 1 tablespoonful and place on a lined tray. Chill for 20 minutes or until firm enough to roll between your palms. Roll half of the dough scoops into smooth balls and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet about an inch apart. Keep the remaining dough refrigerated.
- Bake for 10 minutes or the cookies firm to the touch and the tops appear dry. Let cool completely on the baking sheets.
For the Glaze:
- Sift powdered sugar into a medium bowl. Whisk in the milk. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of glaze onto the top of each cookie. Decorate with sprinkles if desired. (The glaze sets fast, so either work quickly or glaze half and sprinkle before continuing.) Keep them on the parchment until the glaze is set, about 2 hours.
Notes
- Adding too much flour will lead to the cookies being dense. The best and easiest way to measure the flour is by using a kitchen scale. If you don’t have one, then fluff your flour with a spoon, sprinkle it into your measuring cup, and use a knife to level it.
- I highly recommend using a cookie scoop. Using a cookie scoop ensures that all the anise cookies are the same size so that they bake evenly. If you plan on baking cookies regularly, it’s worth purchasing!
- Room temperature butter and egg will mix more evenly into each other. Place your egg into a bowl of warm water for a couple of minutes. Doing so will quickly bring it to room temperature if you have forgotten to take it out of your fridge beforehand.
- Be sure to let the anise cookie dough chill before you bake. This will prevent the cookies from spreading too much.
- Don't worry if some of the cookies crack on top when baking. The glaze will cover them!
- Not a fan of anise? Sub vanilla extract in its place or use ½ teaspoon almond, lemon, or peppermint extract instead.
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