Italian Cookies with Anise
Description
Sure to be a hit at your next family gathering, these Italian cookies flavored with anise are dipped in a sweet icing to take them over the top.
Ingredients
•
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
•
1/2 cup white sugar
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3 large eggs, at room temperature
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1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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1 teaspoon anise extract
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3 cups all-purpose flour
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1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
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2 tablespoons milk
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2 cups confectioners' sugar
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1/2 teaspoon anise extract
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1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2
Beat butter and sugar for dough together in a bowl with an electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs, vanilla extract, and anise extract and blend. Combine flour and baking powder in a separate bowl; stir into butter mixture until blended.
3
Take a ping pong-sized ball of dough and roll between your hands to form a rope. Connect the ends and twist into a figure 8 shape. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough.
4
Bake in batches in the preheated oven until edges are golden, about 10 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
5
Mix milk into confectioners' sugar for icing, stirring slowly. Add the anise extract and vanilla extract.
6
Dip cooled cookies into the icing face-down and lay on wax paper or a wire rack.