The smell of aniseed catapults me back to many a happy Christmas spent with family, friends, and neighbors. For Italians, anisette cookies are more than just a treat; they’re a cherished tradition, making appearances at festive occasions, such as yuletide gatherings and weddings. These little cookies are a spell that always bring a smile to people’s faces.
The use of anise, known for its distinct licorice flavor, dates back to ancient Rome. This aromatic spice was a staple in Mediterranean cooking and baking. What sets anisette cookies apart for me is their unique flavor, thanks to the freshly-ground anise seeds mixed into the dough. The sweet, licorice-like taste is unmistakable and instantly recognizable. Sweet, aromatic, fresh, and slightly spiced, these vegan anisette cookies burst with flavor with every bite, encapsulating the essence of yule Italian style.
prep time: 20 min | bake time: 15-16 min | makes about 24 small cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup powdered sugar, plus extra for dusting
- ¼ cup warm plant-based milk
- ¼ cup boiling water
- 3 tbsp smooth almond butter
- 2 flax eggs
- 1 ¼ tsp aniseed, freshly crushed
- ½ tsp baking powder
Method
Prepare the flax meal egg following the instruction on the package. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, cream the almond butter with ¼ cup boiling water. Set aside to cool at room temperature.
Preheat oven to 325°F.
Put the flour in a separate bowl and sift in the baking powder and powdered sugar. In a mortar and pestle, crush a 2 or 3 star anise pods to obtain 1 and 1/4 tsp of aniseed powder. Discard the hard bits of aniseed shell and dust the powder over the dry ingredients. With a wooden spoon, mix the ingredients until the aniseed is distributed throughout. Incorporate the flax egg into the almond butter mixture, add the warm milk, and cream together to obtain a smooth mixture. Incorporate the wet ingredients into the dry ones and mix thoroughly.
Drop 1 tbsp of cookie dough onto a non-stick cookie sheet and bake for 15-16 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool for a few minutes on a cooling rack, and dust with powdered sugar. When completely cooled, store in an airtight cookie jar for up to 2 weeks.
Tip: if using anise extract instead of fresh aniseed, tone it down a little. I would start with a ½ tsp of extract and add to taste. Anise extract tends to be very pungent. Start small and increase the quantity to suit your taste buds.
