Recipes | Desserts | | Anise Cookies (Italian Anisette)
Author by Amanda Davis on Updated on
4.97 from 796 votes
These anisette cookies will have all your guests swooning. These classic Italian goodies are a holiday favorite, make a batch for your next gathering!
Cook Time 10 minutes mins
Total Time 25 minutes mins
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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
- Neapolitan Cookies
This post was originally published on this blog on December 8, 2008.
Anise Cookies
These anisette cookies will have all your guests swooning. These classic Italian goodies are a holiday favorite, make a batch for your next gathering!
4.97 from 796 votes
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
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Course: Desserts
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 72 cookies
25 minutes mins
Calories: 63
Author: Amanda Formaro
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
Before You Begin
- 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.
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.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 63cal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 19mg | Potassium: 45mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 57IU | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg
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Amanda Davis
President at Amanda's Creative Studio, Inc.
Amanda Davis is the entrepreneurial mom of four grown children and four step children. She and her husband, Chef Antoine, love to cook together creating recipes for this blog. Amanda also make kid's crafts and creates decorative items for her home. She is a crafting expert and guru in the kitchen and has appeared online and in print publications many times over the years. She is also a craft book author five times over and product developer as well as the owner of FunFamilyCrafts.com. You can find her on social media by using the buttons to the left!
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Reader Interactions
Comments
carmella says
so good! love the texture of the cookie. next time I will add more anise (personal preference).Reply
Kate says
Too sticky and wet to roll into a ball. I put the dough in the fridge to see if that helps. I’ve already added another hall cup of flour.Reply
Sharon Moore says
Going to make these for my church Lenten fish fry, but need to ask, by shortening, do u mean Crisco or oil?
Reply
Amanda Davis says
See AlsoCranberry Apple CrumbleCrisco
Reply
Karen Collier says
These are my favorite cookies. I only get them from Framingham Bakery in Massachusetts when I visit family . Since I just finished my last one I decided to make them from your recipe since they look exactly like the ones I get from the bakery. Your recipe is near perfect! They came out beautifully. I will double the anise next batch because I’m using extract when I think the bakery uses more potent anise oil. Otherwise they are exact and so easy. Thank you!Reply
Susan Moesley says
Is it advisable to refrigerate the dough before baking the cookies?
Reply
Amanda Davis says
You can, however unless that is stated in the recipe then it’s not necessary.
Reply
Beth C says
Best loved recipe. Not too sweet
I added Anise to the glaze for a little more flavor otherwise, these are the best!!
Thank you Amanda. I use this recipe a few times a year but should make them monthly!!Reply
Karen Collier says
Excellent tip to add anise to the glaze. I’ll definitely do that next time
Reply
Taylor says
Be VERY careful with these! If you make them once, your family will require you to bring them for every family function afterwards. They are absolutely delicious! I always use vanilla extract in the cookie batter and almond extract for the icing. Nothing compares to these!!Reply
Veronica says
Cookies are really light on the anise flavor so in the future I’ll add some more extract and maybe less baking powder. But overall delicious recipe and easy to follow. I did have to bake my at 350 for 8 minutes, they burnt at 375. Maybe something is funky with my oven because it doesn’t look like anyone else had that issue.Delicious!
Reply
Erin says
I love this recipe, thank you for sharing! I’m curious if you’ve ever tried to make them into different shapes (ie. figure 8 shape)? Wondering if it would effect the bake of the cookies.Reply
Amanda Davis says
We’ve never tried anything but the balls. Would love to hear your results should you decide to experiment!
Reply
Michelle says
Made these last year and I loved them. Gonna do them again, but question: you say ungreased cookie sheet but you put them on parchment paper. What’s best?
Reply
Amanda Davis says
I alwys use parchment paper and insulated baking sheets.
Reply
Adele says
This recipe is my new holiday cookie! I was a bit sceptacle at first, concerning the melted butter but the dough was wonderful to work with!
I just love the look of the sprinkles! 🥰Reply
Betsy says
I thought the texture of the cookie was correct but I don’t think there was enough anise. Perhaps it’s just a personal preference.Reply
Jamie says
What can I substitute the shortening with?
Reply
Amanda Davis says
Shortening helps with the texture of the cookie. however, people have had success substituting with butter.
Reply
jj says
So I followed the recipe exactly how you wrote it but cut it in half and used vanilla and almond extract instead. The dough was not sticky at all and came together well. This is a great cookie however my tops still cracked so not sure what I did wrong. Either way they are still delicious
Reply
Amanda Davis says
You didn’t do anything wrong. They always crack. Glad you enjoyed them!
Reply
Lizzy says
I didn’t rate it yet because I will re-try it. I followed the recipe exactly as written. The batter was too sticky to roll with my hands, so I ended up adding a lot more extra flour. My cookies cracked at the top which could be due to the extra flour…and they tasted bitter. I think 5 tsp of bkng pwdr is way too much.
Reply
connie says
Hi Amanda,
quick question, can i freeze the anise cookies?
if yes, before the glaze or with the glaze?thanks
Reply
Amanda Davis says
Yes. You can either freeze the dough balls, or freeze the baked cookies. I would not glaze them first.
Reply
Laura says
They freeze well with glaze, I freeze for about an hour , on cookie a sheet, then put into a container, good for about 3 months in freezer.Amanda Davis says
Thanks Laura! How did the glaze hold up when thawed out?
Robert Roscello says
Your recipe is off about a cup and a half of flour
Reply
Amanda Davis says
You must have done something wrong as the recipe is correct.
Brenda Burritt says
Not the right texture for Italian anise cookies, too much baking powder gave it too much volume and puff. I lightly floured my hands when rolling instead of adding to the mixture because I didn’t want them to be too dry either.
Reply
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