Good Italian Anise Christmas Cookies Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Where did anise cookies come from? ›

As the name connotes, these delicious anise-flavored cookies originated in Italy where they are considered seasonal treats, especially at Christmas celebrations or other festivities. They are round-ish tender cookies covered in glaze and colorful sprinkles.

Use McCormick Culinary Pure Anise Extract in house-made Galliano or Absinthe liquors, baked goods and coffee or tea. Prep Instructions: No preparation necessary. McCormick Culinary® Pure Anise Extract is ready to use for adding a unique depth of flavor to dishes.

Amaretti cookies are a celebrated Italian classic known for their unique crunchy exterior and soft, almond-rich center. Often flavored with amaretto or almond extract, they offer a delightful taste experience. Amaretti di Saronno cookies come with an enchanting legend: Roll the cookie's wrapper.

Oreo is the best-selling cookie in the world. It is now sold in over 100 countries. Oreo was first produced in 1912 by the National Biscuit Company, now known as Na-Bis-Co.

Anise is always the main ingredient, and the liqueur also must meet minimum sugar (350 g/L), alcohol (38% abv) and anethole (anise aroma) content requirements. By comparison, anisette (sometimes seen as anisetta), is also an anise distillate, but it can be made with other ingredients in addition to anise.

Eating foods rich in iron, like anise seed, can keep your blood healthy and reduce your risk of iron deficiency anemia. Several studies have shown that anise seed can reduce the symptoms of clinical depression. In mice, anise relieved symptoms of depression as effectively as two commonly used antidepressants.

Anisette is a sweet but potent liqueur made from aniseseed. Anise, called anice (pronounced ah-NEE-cheh) in Italian, once grew wild in the Mediterranean and is one of the oldest known spice plants. It was used in Egypt as far back as 1500 B.C. and was mentioned in the Bible.

Using too much baking soda.

Try using baking powder instead of baking soda. Baking soda encourages spreading while baking powder puffs the cookies up. If your recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of baking soda, you would use 3 to 4 teaspoons of baking powder.

Why is star anise so expensive? Like many spices that are considered to be high-end or "pricy", the price tag on star anise is owed to the production and harvesting processes. Star anise is hand-harvested and is limited as to where it can be grown. It is also a beloved spice around the globe and is in demand.

Star Anise: What's the Difference? Anise seed and star anise come from two entirely different plants with origins in different parts of the world. Both do have similar flavor profiles because they share the essential oil anethole, though star anise is considered more bitter and herbaceous.

Who should not take anise? ›

Allergies: Anise might cause allergic reactions in some people who are allergic to other plants that are similar to anise. Plants that are similar to anise include asparagus, caraway, celery, coriander, cumin, dill, and fennel. Hormone-sensitive conditions: Anise might act like estrogen.

Star anise is quite durable and won't spoil in a way that will make you ill. However, it may lose its potency and deliver less flavor over time. The best way to tell if your star anise has 'gone bad' is to give it a sniff. Fresh star anise has a strong, sweet and licorice-like aroma.

Badia Anise Extract,2 Fl Oz (Pack of 12)

A: Should be years if you keep it in a dark, cool location and don't open it. If it is opened, I would say about a year or so.

Italian Biscotti: Twice-Baked Traditions

Biscotti are traditionally made with simple ingredients like flour, sugar, eggs, and nuts. Almond biscotti, one of the most famous variations, showcases the nutty richness that defines Italian biscotti.

This is the proper name for the biscuit we know as biscotti, which in Italian just means “cookies.” Twice-baked and sliced, these ultra-crunchy, not-too-sweet biscuits are usually studded with nuts and simply beg to be dipped in coffee, tea, or a glass of vin santo.

The word biscotto, used in modern Italian to refer to a biscuit (or cookie) of any kind, originates from the Medieval Latin word biscoctus, meaning 'twice-cooked'. It characterised oven-baked goods that were baked twice, so they became very dry and could be stored for long periods of time.

Europe's favorite cookie with coffee since 1932. Biscoff Cookies are a type of shortcrust biscuit known as "speculoos", a Belgian specialty. Often served as a side to coffee, Biscoff Cookies are well-known for its unique caramelized flavor.