These colorful Italian anise cookies have a buttery, tender texture that melts in your mouth! They’re coated in a lemon glaze and colorful sprinkles, making them a festive treat to share.
Recipe Science
- For tall, crisp cookies, use chilled butter for flavor and vegetable shortening to prevent spreading due to its higher melting point.
- Egg yolks add richness, egg whites bind and emulsify, and the moisture from eggs makes the cookies cakier in the center.
- Anise extract gives anisette cookies their unique flavor. Derived from star anise, it has a strong black licorice taste due to anethole.
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Why It Works
Are you looking to add something different to your holiday cookie tray? This Italian anise cookie recipe is crisp, with a cakey and crumbly center. The combination of tangy citrus and light licorice flavor is a refreshing treat.
Jason’s Italian family calls them Angeletti (or anisette cookies). They are often served at celebrations like weddings and holidays, but you can enjoy them year-round with a cup of coffee or tea. These domed cookies are dipped in a lemony glaze and topped with rainbow sprinkles. You can switch up the color to match the seasons for fun and a festive cookie.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour to make the Italian anisette cookies. The moderate protein level helps the cookies remain thick, with a texture similar to a scone but drier.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar adds a hint of sweetness, complementing the tangy glaze.
- Baking Powder: Baking powder is an effective leavening agent that lifts the cookies so they aren’t too dense.
- Salt: Fine table salt balances the sweetness and enhances anise flavoring and lemon zest.
- Fat: Two types of chilled fats are added to the flour mixture; unsalted butter and vegetable shortening. The butter adds a sweet cream taste, while the shortening makes the exteriors crisp because it doesn’t contain water. It has a higher melting point, which prevents spread, keeping the cookies tall and domed-shaped.
- Eggs: The fat from the yolks provides richness, while the whites help to emulsify and bind the ingredients together. The moisture from the eggs gives the cookies a cakier consistency in the centers.
- Anise: Anise extract gives anisette cookies their unique flavor. If you’ve never had it, it’s extracted from the spice star anise using the leaves and anise seeds. It has a strong black licorice flavor and aroma from a compound called anethole or anise camphor. You only need 1 teaspoon in the dough.
- Vanilla: The sweet baked aroma from vanilla balances the strong flavor of anise.
- Citrus: Lemon zest lightly flavors the dough with citrus oils to complement the anise.
- Glaze: A simple combination of powdered sugar, lemon juice, and anise extract.
- Sprinkled: Nonpareils may be sprinkled on top for festive decoration, especially during the holiday season.
See the recipe card below for all ingredients and measurements (US and metric).
Ingredient Substitutions
- Flavoring Options: If you don’t like the taste of licorice, use vanilla or almond extract instead in the cookie and glaze.
- Citrus: Instead of lemon, try orange or lime to flavor the cookie and glaze.
- For a Shinier Glaze: Add light corn syrup to the glaze for a shinier and smoother finish.
- Make it Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free baking flour instead of wheat all-purpose flour.
- Decoration: Use different types of sprinkles, chopped nuts, or citrus zest to garnish the cookies.
How to Make Anise Cookies
Step 1: Preheat the Oven
First, adjust your oven racks so one is in the upper-middle position and the other is in the lower-middle position. Preheat your oven to 375ºF (191ºC). Then, grab two large baking sheets, line them with parchment paper, and set them aside. You’re all set to start baking!
Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients
The cookie’s base combines granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix on low speed until everything is well incorporated.
Step 3: Mix in the Fats
Break the butter and shortening into the dry ingredients. This is similar to making a pie crust or biscuits. Using cold fats ensures that the cookies stay round and have a crumbly texture.
Step 4: Add the Wet Ingredients
Add the eggs, anise, vanilla, and lemon zest to the mixture. Blend everything together until it forms a smooth dough.
Step 5: Portion the Dough
Italian cookies with anise are meant to be enjoyed in a few bites. Portion them into 1-tablespoon sizes, then roll them into a ball. They will puff slightly as they bake. Space them about 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Step 6: Bake
Bake them at 375ºF (191ºC). They are ready when you see the surface crackle and bottoms lightly brown.
Cool on the warm pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Pro Tip: The surface cracks are caused by steam being released from the moisture in the dough and the baking soda reacting to create bubbles.
Step 7: Make the Glaze
The cookies taste delicious, like little scone bites. However, a lemon and anise glaze really makes the flavor pop. It’s a simple combination of powdered sugar, lemon juice, and ¼ teaspoon of anise extract. I use this same combination to make my sugar cookie icing.
Step 8: Decorate the Cookies
Dip the tops of the cookies less than halfway into the glaze. It will drip down a little, and dry quickly.
Immediately add the round sprinkles on top. The glaze needs about 30 minutes to set fully, so factor that time in before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
They are traditional Italian cookies, often made for special occasions. They are like tiny biscuits with a crisp exterior, dipped in a glaze and topped with colorful sprinkles. They are also called Italian wedding cookies, Italian Christmas cookies, anisette cookies, and Angeletti.
They have a distinct licorice flavor and sweet aroma. The flavor is very strong, so do not add too much to the dough, or it will overwhelm the cookie taste.
Use almond or vanilla extract for a sweeter taste. If you like the taste of peppermint, add in ½ teaspoon for a cooling and minty note.
Adding 2 teaspoons of light corn syrup makes the glaze shinier and less grainy as it dries. This is due to the inverted sugar preventing the sucrose’s crystallization in the confectioner’s sugar. Optional but worth adding if you have some in your pantry.
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Italian Anise Cookies
Ingredients
Anise Cookie
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, sliced ½" thick, chilled
- 4 tablespoons vegetable shortening, sliced ½" thick, chilled
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon anise extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
Cookie Glaze
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon anise extract
- 1 tablespoon rainbow nonpareil sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven – Set the oven rack to the upper-middle and lower-middle positions. Preheat to 375ºF (191ºC). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Mix the Dry Ingredients – In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt until combined, about 30 seconds.
- Mix in the Fats – Scatter the butter and shortening on the flour mixer. Mix on low speed (setting 2) until they break into very small pieces and look sandy, about 3 minutes.
- Add the Wet Ingredients – Add the eggs, 1 teaspoon of anise extract, vanilla, and lemon zest. Mix on low speed (setting 2) until a dough forms, about 30 to 40 seconds.
- Portion the Dough – Portion the cookie dough into 1 tablespoon-sized balls. Place them 2 inches apart, about 14 per baking tray.
- Bake – Bake both trays at the same time for 7 minutes. Switch and rotate the pan positions. Bake until the cookies are puffed up, cracks form on the surface, and bottoms are lightly golden brown, about 7 to 9 minutes. Cool on the sheet pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cook completely.
- Make the Glaze – In a stand mixer or medium bowl, whisk the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and ¼ teaspoon anise extract. It should have a glue-like consistency. If needed, thin with a ¼ teaspoon of water at a time.
- Decorate the Cookies – Working one cookie at a time, dip a little less than halfway into the glaze, shaking off the excess. Immediately add sprinkles before the glaze sets. Let them dry before serving for at least 30 minutes.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Shinier and Smoother Glaze: Add 2 teaspoons of light corn syrup. If needed, thin with a ¼ teaspoon of water at a time.
- Storing: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 5 days.
- Freezing: Store in resealable plastic bags for up to 1 month. Transfer to a plate to defrost.
- Recipe adapted from America’s Test Kitchen
Nutrition Facts
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
Susan says
There is no wet ingredient for the glaze.
Jessica Gavin says
Sorry about the confusion! The recipe has been updated to add lemon juice to the cookie glaze.