Original recipes for sweets with anise 8 times differently. It is delicious, fragrant and helps against stomach upset!

Do you like aromatic treats?

Get inspired by our recipes for aniseed cookies!

It has not only a beautiful aroma, but also an unmistakable taste.

Last but not least, it has a beneficial effect on digestion, which can also come in handy during the Christmas holidays.

Which variant do you like the most?

Simple anise cookies

Anise gives this candy a unique taste and intense aroma. Enjoy it in combination with tea or coffee.

Ingredients:

• 220 g of butter
• 300 g plain flour
• 250 g of granulated sugar
• 3 eggs
• 5 g ground anise
• 8 g of baking powder
• egg for brushing

Method:

1. Sift the flour and mix with the baking powder.
2. Crack the eggs, put the yolks in a small bowl and the whites in a large bowl.
3. Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
4. In another bowl, rub the butter with the sugar, add the egg yolks and beat to a creamy consistency.
5. Carefully fold in the egg whites and ground anise.
6. Gradually mix in the flour as well.
7. Leave the dough covered overnight on the kitchen counter, not in the refrigerator.
8. Preheat the oven to 200°C and line the trays with baking paper.
9. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin to a thickness of approximately half a centimeter.
10. Cut out the aniseed cookies using a variety of cookie cutters.
11. Brush the cookies with beaten egg before putting them in the oven.
12. Bake for approximately 5 minutes until golden.

Christmas aniseed gingerbread cookies with vanilla frosting

Gingerbread doesn’t always have to be just honey and a mixture of spices. This recipe is an interesting variant with anise. Try it, you will see that you like it.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of butter
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 and 1/2 cups plain flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons of milk
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of anise extract

Glaze

• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 3-4 tablespoons of milk
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• Christmas sprinkles

Method:

1. Beat the butter and sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy.
2. Add anise, egg yolk and milk and beat again.
3. In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and salt.
4. Add the mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until combined.
5. Cover the bowl with the dough with cling film and put it in the fridge for 2-3 hours or the night before.
6. Preheat the oven to 170°C.
7. Line baking sheets with baking paper.
8. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin and cut out gingerbread cookies using various cutters.
9. Bake for approximately 7-10 minutes until golden.
10. Leave the anise cookies to cool and prepare the frosting in the meantime.
11. Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and beat until you have a fluffy buttercream consistency, adding more milk or sugar as needed.
12. Then gently coat each gingerbread with the glaze and decorate with sprinkles as needed.

Traditional Italian anise candy

Delicious, aromatic and soft, that’s how you could describe this originally Italian Christmas pastry.

Ingredients:

• 1 and 3/4 cup plain flour
• 1/2 cup cane sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 3 eggs
• 1 tbsp of pure anise extract
• 1 teaspoon ground anise
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder

Glaze

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons of milk
• 1/4 teaspoon of pure anise extract
• Christmas sprinkles

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 100°C.
2. Line two trays with baking paper.
3. Put the flour and baking powder into a medium bowl.
4. In another bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer.
5. Then beat in the eggs one at a time, add the anise extract, ground anise and mix until everything is well combined.
6. Gradually add the flour mixture.
7. Work into a dough.
8. Use a spoon to form cookies onto the prepared baking sheets.
9. Bake the anise cookies for approximately 5-7 minutes.
10. When the cookies are cool, prepare the frosting for decoration.
11. Beat the icing sugar, milk and anise extract until smooth.
12. Dip the tops of the Christmas cookies in the frosting and then sprinkle them with sprinkles.
13. Let it harden.

Unbaked Christmas balls with anise

Quick chocolate-truffle pralines that will just melt in your mouth.

Ingredients:

• 350 g of whipped cream
• 25 g ground anise
• 500 g of milk chocolate
• 80 g of honey
• 80 g of butter
• 70 g dark chocolate
• 50 g of cocoa powder
• 50 g of powdered sugar

Method:

1. Combine the whipping cream and anise in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
2. Remove from the heat and let the anise infuse for 5 minutes.
3. Melt the milk chocolate in a water bath.
4. Add honey to the melted chocolate.
5. Strain the cream with anise into the melted chocolate and honey.
6. Beat with a whisk to a creamy consistency.
7. Add the butter and mix until the mixture is smooth.
8. Pour the resulting mixture into a baking dish lined with baking paper to a height of approximately two centimeters.
9. Cover with cling film and put in the fridge for 2 hours.
10. Cut the cooled chocolate-anise mixture into approximately two centimeter cubes.
11. Melt the dark chocolate.
12. Shape the cube into a ball by hand and dip it into the melted chocolate.
13. Take the ball out and roll it in cocoa powder or powdered sugar, or a mixture of both, for a varied look.
14. Place on a plate with baking paper and then store in the refrigerator.

Springerle or Christmas cookies with anise seeds

Springerle are German biscuits with an anise flavor that have a tradition of at least 700 years. They were often given as gifts during the Christmas holidays. It is traditionally formed using a special carved roller.

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 3 cups plain flour
• 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of good quality pure aniseed oil
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• zest of one lemon
• 2 tbsp whole anise seeds

Method:

1. Beat the eggs until foamy.
2. Add the powdered sugar a little at a time along with the vanilla extract and aniseed oil.
3. After adding all the powdered sugar, continue to beat the mixture for 10 minutes.
4. Mix the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.
5. Add half of the flour mixture to the wet mixture along with the lemon zest and beat for 15 minutes.
6. Add the remaining flour and beat for another 5 minutes.
7. The dough should be very soft but not wet and sticky.
8. Shape the dough into a ball, flatten it into a disc shape, wrap in cling film and refrigerate for at least an hour or better overnight.
9. The next day, roll out the dough to a thickness of about one centimeter.
10. Using a rolling pin or molds and a sharp knife, create individual shapes of aniseed cookies.
11. In a pan over medium heat, toast the whole anise seeds until aromatic, being careful not to burn them.
12. Then spread the anise seeds on a baking sheet lined with baking paper.
13. Place the anise cookies on top of the anise seeds on the tray.
14. Let the springerle dry at room temperature for a full 24 hours.
15. After 24 hours of drying time, place a damp tea towel on the counter and gently press the Springerle onto it to moisten the bottom of the cookies.
16. Return the springerle to the baking sheet.
17. Bake in an oven preheated to 150 °C for approximately 20-25 minutes.
18. Don’t let the cookies go golden, they should stay very pale, pretty much the same color as when you put them in the oven.
19. Let the springerle cool completely.
20. Store in airtight containers with a piece of apple to soften the aniseed candy.

Fragrant candy with anise and cinnamon

Cinnamon is used very often in Christmas baking, try its combination with anise.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 egg
• 1 cup of butter
• 1 and 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of ground aniseed
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 150°C.
2. Line the trays with baking paper.
3. Beat the butter and three-quarters of a cup of sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Add ground anise and egg to the mixture, mix thoroughly.
5. Add flour, baking powder and salt.
6. Divide the resulting dough into two parts, which you wrap in cling film.
7. Place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
8. In a medium bowl, combine the remaining cup of sugar with the cinnamon.
9. Roll out the first part of the dough to a thickness of about one centimeter.
10. Cut out the aniseed cookies from the rolled out dough using cookie cutters.
11. Then roll each cookie in the cinnamon-sugar mixture and place on the prepared baking sheet.
12. Do the same with the other half of the dough.
13. Bake for approximately 12-15 minutes.

Christmas anise macaroons

You have a weakness for traditional French confectionery. With this recipe, you can easily make a great Christmas version of it.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 and 3/4 cup plain flour
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 2 and 1/2 teaspoons ground anise seeds

Method:

1. Beat the eggs until frothy.
2. Gradually add the sugar and beat all the time.
3. After adding the sugar, continue to beat the mixture on medium-high speed for 5 minutes.
4. Mix the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the egg and sugar mixture and beat on medium speed for 3 minutes.
6. Stir in ground anise.
7. Use a spoon to form anise patties from the resulting dough on a baking sheet lined with baking paper.
8. Leave the aniseed cookies uncovered at room temperature for at least 8 hours.
9. Then preheat the oven to 140°C.
10. Bake for approximately 10 minutes until golden.
11. Remove the Christmas macaroons from the oven, wait 5 minutes and then use a spatula to release them from the baking paper.

Christmas stars with anise

Simple and very interesting in taste, you only need a few other ingredients, apart from anise, that you normally have in your pantry.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups plain flour
• 1 cup of butter
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground anise
• 1 teaspoon of anise extract

Topping:

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 3 teaspoons of anise extract
• 2 tablespoons of milk
• Christmas sprinkles

Method:

1. Beat the butter and sugar with a hand mixer until well combined.
2. Add the anise extract and stir into the butter mixture.
3. Gradually add ground anise and flour.
4. Wrap the finished dough in cling film and put it in the fridge for 15 minutes.
5. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 170°C and line a baking tray with baking paper.
6. Roll out the chilled dough with a rolling pin.
7. Use star-shaped cutters or other anise cookies to cut out.
8. Place the cookie sheet in the oven and bake for approximately 15 minutes
9. While the anise cookies are cooling, prepare the frosting.
10. Simply whisk together the sugar, milk and anise extract.
11. Use a cookie cutter to apply icing and finish with Christmas sprinkles.

Anise and kitchen

Anise is considered one of the longest known spices. It probably comes from Egypt and we owe its great spread to the ancient Romans. They mainly used it to season various types of meat and vegetables. Its sweet taste is similar to licorice, and for this reason it was also added to various confections.

The healing effects of anise have also been used since ancient times, especially in connection with respiratory problems. The positive effects of anise on the digestive system have been known since the Middle Ages. At large medieval feasts, anise seeds coated in sugar were served to improve digestion. In addition to recipes for aniseed sweets, it can also be added to various biscuits, pastries or creams. Last but not least, it can also be found in alcoholic beverages.