Christmas

AniseĀ Cookies

by:
December 23, 2013
0
0 Ratings
Anise Cookies
  • Makes 48
Author Notes

We've been making these in my family since I can remember. They are nicely anisey, a bit chewy, with a smooth, hard top crust that crunches, like a french macaron. We had no idea what a French macaron was oh, 40+ years ago, but some techniques for those will help with these, though these are much easier, as they use all purpose flour instead of nut meal, and include baking powder instead of relying solely on your finesse with eggs. These cookies get a long rest before baking so they develop "feet" when they bake. The baked cookies survive a trip to the freezer quite nicely too. Very yummy indeed! —bonbonmarie

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 tablespoon aniseseed, crushed
  • 2 1/2 cups All purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions
  1. Crush aniseed by using a mortar and pestle or by rolling them with your rolling pin.
  2. Combine flour, salt, baking powder and aniseed
  3. Beat eggs well until very thick. Add sugar and beat for 5 minutes
  4. Add remaining ingredients and beat for another 15 minutes
  5. Drop dough from spoon onto well greased or parchment lined baking sheet to form approximately 1 1/2 " rounds, spaced 1" apart
  6. Let stand overnight (or about 8 hours). Do not disturb
  7. After resting period, bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes, until done. The "feet" should get slightly brown, but these cookies will be very light, in general. I recommend not using your oven's convection setting, as it can make the feet rise unevenly, producing delicious little cookies that lean over to one side (see picture #2)
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6 Reviews

Chanel.504
Chanel.504 May 17, 2018
Bonbonmarie, Thank you for this recipe. It appears to be the cookie my French grandmother made and none of her children had the recipe. Iā€™m looking forward to trying to make them. She said they were difficult to make because just the size of the eggs could make a difference in the crunchiness of the top of the cookie and how well it would rise. She said she measured her ingredients, including egg portion, by weight.šŸ˜‡ So Happy!
 
eliana
eliana December 11, 2014
In your list if ingredients, there is no mention of baking powder, and yet in your directions, you state the baking powder should be mixed in with the flour. I did add one teaspoon of baking powder. I guess I will find out in the morning if this is right.
 
Liz B.
Liz B. June 14, 2014
My family has been making these my whole life. A tip: Use room temperature eggs to make sure the little crust forms well.
 
bonbonmarie
bonbonmarie December 24, 2013
Aha, I see we are both westsounders! A meet-up would be fun. How many other puget sounders are there in F52-landia, I wonder... I loved that the DC peeps had a cookie exchange, and I admit I felt a little envious! Happy holidays to you!
 
lapadia
lapadia December 26, 2013
Recipe saved. Will message you my email, must chat in 2011!!
 
lapadia
lapadia December 24, 2013
Love how you do these, Excellent cookies, BBM! Something similar in my family. http://lapadia.wordpress.com/2013/10/07/toasted-anise-cookies/
I see you live in the PacNW (Westsound), we should meet up sometime...Happy Holidays!