Whole Wheat Italian Anisette Cookies

Makes 12 cookies

Before You Start

Line baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup of butter

  • 1/3 cup of sugar

  • 2 bobs red mill eggs

  • 2 tbs milk

  • 1 cup whole wheat flour

  • 2 tbs cornstarch

  • 1 tsp baking powder

  • 1 tbs of anise seeds ground, powder and seed separated

  • 2 tbs of boiling water

  • 1/2 cup of sugar

Preparation

  1. Grind 1 tbs of anise seeds in mortar and pestle until they are crushed and there is a powder layer on the bottom. Sift out large chunks into a tea strainer and set aside.

  2. Cream butter and sugar for 4-6 minutes until light and fluffy.

  3. Whisk egg replacer in separate bowl and add to creamed sugar. Mix until combined.

  4. Add in milk, mix to combine.

  5. Add flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and anise powder. Mix to combine.

  6. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. In the meantime, steep the ground anise seeds in 2 tbs of hot water.

  7. Scoop slightly under 2 tbs of dough, form into a ball, and gently press onto cookie sheet.

  8. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Allow to cool.

  9. Add sugar, steeped water, and anise seed particles to saucepan. Stir and heat over medium-high heat until all the liquid is bubbling and foamy.* Reduce heat to low and stir. Quickly begin dipping tops of the cookies into the sugar mixture. The caramel-like glaze will quickly harden. It should be slightly sticky but firm.

  10. Please please serve these cookies warm. Microwave for 10 seconds each and the cookies will return to how they were out of the oven: soft and melting in your mouth.

*If you over cook the sugar and it crystallizes, I found that adding a splash of boiling water and then stirring to incorporate all the sugar over medium-high heat will re-dissolve the sugar so you can repeat the step again. 

Annalise

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