Auntie’s Italian Anise Cookies

Make Italian anise cookies for the holidays! Tender, lightly sweet, and flavored with anise, these festive cookies are perfect for Christmas, Easter, and other special occasions.

Italian anise cookies stand out on the holiday cookie tray with their glazed tops and colorful sprinkles. Bite into one, and you’ll find a soft, cake-like interior and a savory, licorice-like flavor from the anise that’s both surprising and comforting.

For many Italian-American families, Italian anise cookies are a cherished tradition that sparks warm memories of family gatherings and holiday celebrations, especially during Christmas and Easter. But even if you didn’t grow up with them, these cookies are a festive and delicious addition to any holiday cookie tray.

What Are Italian Anise Cookies?

Italian anise cookies are classic Italian treats flavored with pure anise extract and sometimes crushed anise seeds. They’re finished with a simple glaze and a dusting of rainbow sprinkles, giving them their festive look.

As with many cookie recipes passed down through generations, each family has its unique twist. A close cousin to these cookies is the anisette cookie, which uses anisette liqueur in place of anise extract. Since anisette is a sweet liqueur made from anise seeds. The flavor is nearly the same: warm, aromatic, and lightly sweet.

Anise itself is a flowering herb native to the eastern Mediterranean. Its licorice-like taste has long been a favorite in Italian baking, appearing in breads, cakes, biscotti, pizzelles, and, of course, these holiday cookies.

Unlike many modern cookies, Italian anise cookies are not overly sweet. Their soft, cake-like texture and subtle flavor make them a perfect pairing with coffee or tea, or even as an after-dinner treat. Traditionally baked at Christmas, Easter, weddings, and other special family occasions, these cookies are beloved for their tender texture and distinctive flavor.

My Family Traditions with Italian Anise Cookies

When we were little, we knew Christmas was coming when the toy catalogs arrived in the mail and when Aunt Mary dropped off tins of cookies. Each year, Auntie baked trays upon trays of cookies to deliver or mail to friends and family scattered across the country. We were always thrilled to sample the extras long before Christmas arrived.

In our family, these cookies were simply called “Italian sprinkle cookies.” Others may know them as angelonies, angelettis, or anisette cookies (made with anisette liqueur instead of extract). Whatever the name, the taste was always the same, sweet glaze, colorful sprinkles, and that unmistakable anise flavor.

Tips for Perfect Italian Anise Cookies

Italian anise cookies are a classic among Italian-American families, and for a good reason: They’re delicious! The glazed top and colorful sprinkles create an Italian sprinkle cookie that tastes like home. Here are tips for making anise cookies:

• Use Anise Extract: The classic licorice flavor comes from the anise extract in the cookie dough and icing. While anise flavoring is traditional for these cookies, you can substitute it with lemon extract, almond extract, or vanilla extract if you don’t care for licorice flavor.
• Let the Butter Warm: Take the butter out of the fridge about one hour before making your cookies. Soft butter creams easily with sugar, creating air pockets that give the cookies a light texture.
• Choose Your Sprinkles: Our family traditionally uses the classic tiny round rainbow nonpareils, but you can use any decorative sprinkle, such as jimmies and coarse sugar. For Christmas, try red, white, and green colored nonpareil sprinkles, or gold and silver for a festive sparkle. For Easter, consider using pastel sprinkles, sequins, or light-colored sanding sugar to create a beautiful springtime cookie tray.

How to Make Italian Anise Cookies

You can find the detailed recipe at the bottom of this article, but here are the steps for making my Auntie’s recipe for Italian anise cookies:

Step 1: Gather Your Ingredients

Get everything measured and ready before you begin so the recipe comes together easily. You can find the exact measurements in the recipe card located at the bottom of the post. But here’s an overview of the ingredients:

• All-purpose flour: The base that gives structure to the cookies.
• Baking powder: Helps the cookies rise and stay light.
• Sugar, butter, and eggs: For sweetness, tenderness, and richness (make sure the butter is at room temperature).
• Pure anise extract: The classic flavoring. If you don’t have anise extract, anisette liqueur can be used for a similar flavor. You can also substitute almond, lemon, or vanilla extract for a different flavor.
• Anise seeds (optional): Use ground anise seeds or lightly crush with the back of a spoon to release extra flavor.
• For the glaze: Powdered sugar (also called confectioners’ sugar), milk, a touch of anise extract, and festive sprinkles of your choice.

Step 2: Make the Cookie Dough

• Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 400°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Combine the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder until well combined. Set aside.
• Beat the wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until the mixture is fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the anise extract and optional crushed anise seeds until well blended.
• Bring the dough together: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, a little at a time, and blend until the mixture is well combined. The dough will be soft and sticky.

Step 3: Scoop and Bake the Cookies

Scoop the dough: Use a tablespoon or a tablespoon-sized cookie scoop (#60) to drop rounded spoonfuls of dough 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.

• Bake: Place the baking sheets in the preheated oven and bake until the edges are set and the cookie springs back when pressed lightly with your finger. The cookies will still be pale in color. Don’t worry about any cracks on the surface. The glaze will cover these.
• Cool: Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let them cool completely before decorating. Let the baking sheets cool, and repeat with the next batch until all the cookie dough is used up.

Step 4: Decorate the Cookies

• Prepare to glaze: Arrange cooled cookies in a single layer on a wire rack placed over a baking sheet to catch drips.
• Mix the glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and 1/4 teaspoon of anise extract until smooth.
• Dip and decorate: Working with one cookie at a time, dip the top into the glaze, set it back on the rack, and immediately add sprinkles before the icing begins to harden. Repeat with the remaining cookies, then let them sit until the glaze is firm.

Storage and Freezing

Store Italian anise cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

For longer storage, it’s best to freeze the cookies before glazing and decorating. Place the cooled, undecorated cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet until they are frozen solid, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container or bag.

When you are ready to serve, thaw the cookies completely at room temperature, then glaze and add sprinkles. This way, the glaze sets properly and the sprinkles keep their color without melting or bleeding.

Serving Ideas

• Arrange on a Christmas cookie platter with biscotti, gingersnaps, and other holiday favorites.
• Serve with coffee, espresso, or tea.
• Enjoy as an after-dinner treat.
• Pack into tins for holiday gifts.

Celebrate with Classic Italian Anise Cookies

A plate of Italian anise cookies adds tradition, color, and flavor to the holiday cookie table. With their soft texture, sweet glaze, and hint of licorice, these cookies are a nostalgic treat that connects generations.

For our family, no Christmas is complete without Auntie’s Italian anise cookies. And once you try them, they may become a tradition in your home too.

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• Toasted Almond Anise Biscotti
• New England Molasses Cookies
• Old Fashioned Gingersnaps
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10 Cookie Mix in a Jar Recipes eBook

Homemade gifts are always appreciated because they come from the heart. Even if you are not crafty, you can give DIY gifts to your family and friends with these easy recipes for making cookie mix in a reusable jar.