Here is a traditional Christmas Italian anise cookie to make for the holidays. Easy to recognize cookie dipped in an anise glaze and topped with colorful nonpareils.
How to Make Italian Anise Cookies
My Nana and I were two peas in a pod. We were inseparable! Some of my favorite memories are sitting at her kitchen table, in the afternoon, and having a cup of tea and a sweet treat. That’s one thing we all inherited from her: a love of sweets!!
I make Nana’s Italian cookies every Christmas in memory of her…they were her favorite! (She loved Christmas too!).
This post may include affiliate links; you can read my disclosure policy here.
Ingredients for Italian Cookies
Preheat your oven to 325 F and grease cookie sheets.
For the dough, I added the following to my stand mixer.
- 1/2 cup melted butter (cooled)
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp. anise extract
I beat the wet ingredients until they were combined.
Add Dry Ingredients to Mixer
- 2 3/4 cup flour
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
After I added the dry ingredients, I stirred to combine them before turning the mixer back on. (on low so you don’t get covered in flour…don’t ask how I know!!)
You could combine them in a separate bowl and then add them but who wants another thing to clean?
Baking the Cookies
I use silicone mats on my baking sheets…they are amazing and I use them for all my baking (great for roasting veggies too!!) If you do not be sure to line your cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Using a cookie scoop ( 2 tablespoons) drop dough onto cookie sheets.
Bake for 21-24 minutes until the bottoms are slightly golden.
Remove cookies to cool on a wire rack. While the cookies are cooling, mix the glaze.
Anise Glaze
- 1 cup confectioners sugar
- 1 tsp anise extract
- 4 tsp milk
- WHISK THE GLAZE INGREDIENTS UNTIL BLENDED
Dip Cookies in the Glaze
Dip the tops of the anise cookies into the glaze and let the excess drip off before placing them back on a wire rack to let the glaze harden.
TIP: I place the wire rack on top of a large baking sheet to catch any glaze that drips off.
Sprinkle with nonpareils
While the glaze is still wet sprinkle the tops of the cookies with nonpareils. Let the glaze set before serving.
Once the glaze is set…enjoy!!
Nana's Italian Cookies
My Nana's favorite Italian Anise Cookies
Ingredients
- COOKIE DOUGH:
- 1/2 cup melted butter (cooled)
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp anise extract
- 2 3/4 cup flour
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- GLAZE:
- 1 cup confectioners sugar
- 1 tsp anise extract
- 4 tsp milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325° and grease cookie sheets
- Mix butter, sugar, milk, 2 eggs, 1 tsp anise extract until combined
- Add dry ingredients- flour, baking powder, salt
- Drop rounded dough (2 tablespoon size) onto cookie sheets. I use a cookie scoop to make it easier
- Bake for 22-24 minutes until slightly golden on the bottoms
- Cool on baking rack
- Mix Glaze: confectioners sugar, anise extract, milk
- Dip tops of cookies in glaze and sprinkle tops with nonpareils.
- Let glaze dry & enjoy!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 20 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 171Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 141mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 1gSugar: 13gProtein: 3g
shop my kitchen
Christmas Cookie Exchange | More Holiday Favorites
- Cottage On Bunker Hill– Nana’s Italian Cookies
- Chalking Up Success– Embossed Christmas Cookies
- Just Jill– 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
- Back Porch Bliss– Wait Until You See These mug Cookies
- A Loverly Life– Chocolate Chai Tea Cakes
- MTB Home Living– Snow On Plowed Ground Cookies
- Everyday Edits– 5 Ingredient Peanut Butter Fudge
- My Home And Travels– Chewy Gingersnap Cookies
- Stacy Ling Bricks ‘N Blooms– Easy Christmas Cookies
- Shop At Blu– Holiday Cookie Recipes
- Hammers N Hugs– Christmas Pudding Cookies
- JDub By Design– Butter Pecan Cookies
- Now Choose Life- Fritos Trail Mix
- B4 And Afters– Best Cookie Cutter Cookies
- Feet Under My Table– I Love This Scottish Shortbread
Pin For Later
Can I substitute anise for lemon
Yes! I love the lemon version of these!
These look amazing! I will have to try this recipe out this year, yum! Pinned.
They are yumm-o!
This is so sweet, Jennifer; I love the story behind these.
And they sound delicious…pinned!
xoxo,
Brendt
Jennifer, these are one of my favorite kinds of cookies but I’ve never had a recipe for them. So excited to try them! Yay!
Every cookie is my favorite kind of cookie!!!!
My boy loves sprinkles, so I know he would love these cookies! Very pretty!
Kids love sprinkles!! I’ll pour a few on top of yogurt for my daycare kids every once and awhile and they think it’s a party!!
And I know how much those kiddos love you!!🥰
Oh, they keep me hopping!!!
What a wonderful recipe to treasure of your Nana’s! I love it and I’m going to try it with lemon. Yummy 😋
I’m all about lemon!!
Jennifer, Your Nana’s cookies sound amazing and I love the picture you included of her. I’m a grandma’s girl too! I can’t wait to try this recipe and loved your suggestion to try with lemon or almond extract. It’s like you know me so well! 🙂 XOXO
I LOVE lemon anything too…so do my boys!! I have the best lemon loaf recipe on the blog, it makes 2 loaves and my boys devour the 1st one in like 2 hours!!
These were one of my faves that my grandmother used to make too! xoxo
They always remind me of Christmas!
Oh my gosh my mom used to make these cookies. I forgot about them until I read this post. yummy!
They are definitely an old school cookie!!
These look so yummy. I never heard of the anise ingredient before!
It tastes like licorice. You could use almond extract or lemon extract too…I love them with lemon!!
Jennifer I love how you honor your Nana’s memory! My recipe is a family one as well. And yours looks pretty easy so I have to try it! Thanks for sharing!
Family recipes are the best! I was going through my recipe binder looking for this one the other day and came across so many hand written recipes!
Your Christmas cookies look so delicious and I love the story of your nana and you! Can’t wait to try These!
Thanks, Jayne!! I miss my Nana every single day!!