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Josephine's Anise Cookies
5 from 42 votes

Josephine's Anise Cookies

Josephine's Anise Cookies are soft, drop-style cookies infused with anise extract for a distinctive licorice flavor. The dough is a simple mixture of milk, oil, sugar, eggs, and flour leavened with baking powder, resting briefly before baking. After baking at 350°F to just before browning, the cookies are glazed with a confectioners sugar mixture flavored with anisette liqueur or anise extract and decorated with colorful nonpareils, yielding a tender cookie with a sweet, aromatic glaze.

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
1 hr
Servings: 54 cookies
Calories: 66 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

Cookies
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil or corn oil
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 egg room temperature, large
  • 1-1/2 anise extract up to 3 teaspoons, pure
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1-1/2 tablespoons baking powder
  • salt pinch
Glaze
  • 1-1/2 cups confectioners sugar
  • 3 tablespoons milk
  • salt pinch
  • 1 tablespoon anisette liqueur OR
  • 1/2 teaspoon anise extract pure
  • nonpareils multicolored, for decorating

Instructions

Make the cookies
    Cup of Yum
  1. In a large bowl, whisk together milk, oil, granulated sugar, eggs, and anise extract until well-combined. Add flour, baking powder, and salt, and mix with a wooden spoon until smooth. Set aside and let batter rest for 10-15 minutes.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F with rack in the upper-middle position. Line three baking sheets with parchment paper. Drop cookie batter by rounded teaspoonfuls onto the baking sheets, about 1-1/2 inches apart. (I use a 1-1/2 teaspoon cookie scoop.)
  3. Bake, one sheet at a time, for 10 minutes, until centers of cookies bounce back when gently pressed. The cookies should not brown. Remove from oven and let rest 2-3 minutes. 
  4. While cookies are still warm, remove from baking sheets by gently lifting each cookie while peeling back the parchment paper (a thin crumb impression of the cookies will remain on the parchment; this is normal.) Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool before glazing.**
Make the glaze
  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together confectioner's sugar, milk, salt, and anise extract or liqueur until smooth (I use liqueur). When cookies have cooled to room temperature, dip tops into glaze and sprinkle immediately with nonpareils. Let stand at room temperature until glaze is dry.

Notes

  • Use up to one tablespoon of anise extract for a pronounced flavor or reduce to 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons for milder taste depending on extract strength.
  • Placing wax paper under cooling racks during glazing helps catch drips and eases cleanup.
  • The color from nonpareils may bleed into the glaze over time; this is normal and does not affect taste.
  • These cookies are best consumed within one to two days and are not recommended for freezing.

Nutrition Information

Calories 66kcal (3%) Carbohydrates 10g (3%) Protein 1g (2%) Fat 2g (3%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Cholesterol 9mg (3%) Sodium 5mg (0%) Potassium 26mg (1%) Sugar 4g (8%) Vitamin A 20IU (0%) Calcium 11mg (1%) Iron 0.4mg (2%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 54 cookies

Amount Per Serving

Calories 66

% Daily Value*

Calories 66kcal 3%
Carbohydrates 10g 3%
Protein 1g 2%
Fat 2g 3%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Cholesterol 9mg 3%
Sodium 5mg 0%
Potassium 26mg 1%
Sugar 4g 8%
Vitamin A 20IU 0%
Calcium 11mg 1%
Iron 0.4mg 2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.