Authentic Italian Anise Cookies Recipe

Ingredients

• 0.5 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 0.5 cup white sugar
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon anise extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 0.5 teaspoon anise extract
• 0.5 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to get started.
2. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, vanilla extract, and anise extract until well combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder, then gradually add to the wet ingredients until just combined.
3. Take a small amount of dough, about the size of a ping pong ball, and roll it into a rope. Twist the rope into a figure-eight shape and place it on an ungreased baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until the edges are lightly golden, approximately 10 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about a minute before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. Prepare the icing by gradually mixing milk into the confectioners' sugar until smooth. Stir in the anise extract and vanilla extract for added flavor.
6. Dip each cooled cookie face-down into the prepared icing. Place the iced cookies on wax paper or a wire rack until the icing sets.

Nutrition

• Calories: 106 kcal
• Fat Content: 3 g
• Fiber Content: 0 g
• Sugar Content: 10 g
• Sodium Content: 27 mg
• Protein Content: 2 g
• Cholesterol Content: 22 mg
• Carbohydrate Content: 18 g
• Saturated Fat Content: 2 g
• Unsaturated Fat Content: 0 g