Okay these cookies are quite possibly the most delicious, moist, pillows of sweet goodness you'll ever eat. Seriously, one bite and you're hooked... so take a glass, fill it with milk and without a doubt you'll be eating more than you even thought possible.
Whenever there is a lack of sweets in the house, (we are a sweets family, so it is a problem at times) my Mamma will whip out a few simple ingredients and begin to make these heavenly cookies. The aroma of anise will soon dance it's ways into the halls of our home, inviting you to come and indulge in one... or ten.
These cookies are so simple to make, and with just a few ingredients that are likely in your cabinet... you too will be pouring yourself na bella tazza di caffè. Buon Appetito!
Ingredients
(for the dough)
6 eggs
4-5 cups flour (enough to make batter not runny)
1 1/2 cups sugar
6 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. Anise Extract OR 2 tbsp. Anisette Liquor
8 oz. Light Olive Oil for baking
1 juice from squeezed orange
(for the glaze)
2 cups powdered sugar
3 tbsp hot water
1 tsp anise extract
sprinkles for decoration
let's make it
1. Preheat the oven to 375°.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, and sugar.
3. Add the flour, spoonfuls at a time, then the baking powder, salt, anise extract, oil and juice from the orange.
4. Add additional flour as needed until you can roll out the dough into thick, long loaves.
5. Once you have kneaded the dough into loaves, place them onto a baking sheet and bake at 375° for 15 minutes. The cookie should still be white, make sure you don't leave the cookies in for too long past 15 minutes, because the bottom will begin to burn.
6. Once the cookies have cooled, whisk together the 2 cups sugar, 3 tablespoons of hot water, and 1 teaspoon anise extract.
7. Spoon the glaze over the cookie loaves, and then sprinkle on the sprinkles.
8. Cut the loaves at a slanted angle. Let the glaze harden before serving.
