Day 12: Anise Cookies

The last day of our cookie adventure has arrived. We hope you have enjoyed it as much as we have.  These cookies were baked by Angela Reynolds, our Head of Youth Services. If you make your way out to the Summerville Library Satellite Site, you might get to try one!

 

Anise Cookies   from: The Lebanese Kitchen by Salma Hage

1 1/4 sticks unsalted butter, softened

2/3 cup sugar

1 egg

4 Tbsp. milk (plus extra  for brushing)

2 C. plain all-purpose flour (plus extra for dusting)

Pinch of salt

1 1/2 tsp. anise seed (whole or ground), star anise, or Pernod

2 tsp. baking powder

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease 2 baking sheets with butter. Beat together butter and sugar with an electric handheld mixer until light and fluffy. Add the egg and milk and beat for another few minutes. Sift the flour into the bowl and add the salt, anise, and baking powder. Using a metal spoon, fold in the dry ingredients.  Fold  in the Pernod, if using. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide in half. Roll each piece into a sausage shape and cut into slices (less than an inch). Put the cookies onto the prepared baking sheets, spaced well apart. Brush each with a little milk and bake for 12-20 minutes*. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack. 

*Original recipe says 20 minutes, mine were done in 12. 

Angela’s notes:   Since these were very similar to another cookie I make, I dusted one batch with a sugar/cinnamon mixture before baking (and it tastes very nice!) This recipe is pretty easy; I think it would work well with kids. They would certainly enjoy rolling the dough into a sausage shape and cutting the slices.