Anise Extract and Oil Recipes

An old favorite, this recipe is based on vodka and flavored with anise, peppermint and ginger.

This is the best tasting, easiest prepared springerle recipe I have baked over the past 35+ years. I use a springerle board for ease, vs. the rolling pin. My friends still love to receive these as gifts each Christmas.

An Italian waffle cookie made with a pizzelle iron. Sprinkled with powdered sugar. Once completely cooled, store in a container with a well-fitting lid.

Cool anise flavored drop cookies will heighten the holiday season.

Family recipe for German peppernuts. Small, dense spice cookies that are tantalizing when dipped in coffee, or great on their own. This is the traditional version with molasses.

You will need a pizzelle iron to make these traditional Italian cookies.

Soft at first, these cookies harden into 'dunkers' after about 3 weeks. (Yes, they keep a long time!) They need a mold for the traditional Pennsylvania Dutch cookie, but I bet that they can be made by simply cutting them out. You can substitute other flavorings for anise - lemon and almond are good.

This is a 100 year old recipe from Germany. I use it every Christmas. Its traditionally served with black coffee to dunk the cookie in. I prefer to eat them when they are still warm as the lemon flavor and the anise is a wonderful combination and the lemon is stronger at that time.

This is my Italian grandmother's recipe from long ago. She use to make these cookies for every Easter celebration. I have since picked up where she left off and now make these cookies as part of our Easter tradition. I love the anise flavoring but if you don't like anise you can substitute with almond extract and they are just as good! This is my favorite cookie to dip in my coffee! Enjoy!

Delicious egg bread made with eggs, orange zest, and anise egg wash for an "eggstra" special flavor! A slightly sweet bread good by itself or toasted, especially with coffee or tea. You can even use it for French toast or bread pudding. I make this every year for my family at Easter. A special treat they look forward to once a year! The colored eggs are great fun too and add to your holiday decor.

This is a waffle cookie seasoned with anise seed and anise oil. It is baked on a waffle iron. It is not a really sweet cookie, but it was sent to soldiers during WWII because they keep well and the flavor seems to get better with each passing day. Lasts about 2 weeks unrefrigerated. Handed down from my German-Swiss grandmother. You can also use lemon or vanilla flavoring instead of the anise seed and oil; of course, it changes the flavor completely, but if you're looking for a nice 'not too sweet' cookie, this recipe is a good place to start. My children love making these - it's fun, it's easy.

Mexican Cookies...great dunkers for coffee.

My family calls these "Italian Cookies". They can be made with Anisette or with Anise flavoring. The orange juice adds nice flavor. They are a cake-like cookie that is a Christmas tradition in my family. (They get huge due to all the baking powder, so do not roll too large).

This is my grandma's recipe. She used to cook this for her grandchildren in the morning when we would stay over night. They're yummy!!

My Hungarian grandmother makes this thin and delicate version of the traditional pizzelle. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar and store in an airtight container.

One of my grandma's favorite cookie recipes. These are very traditional Italian cookies with sprinkles flavored with anise extract. If you don't know what anise is, the flavor is very similar to black licorice.

This recipe has been in my family for generations. I remember the wonderful scent of the cookies baking drifting throughout the house. Now my sons and I carry on the tradition every Christmas. Hope you enjoy them.

These are the best pizzelle out there! Make sure to use real anise oil, not extract, and only 1/2 teaspoon per batch is plenty. Buy anise oil on the internet if you can't find it locally.

This is like a panettone bread but it is a cake. Soft and and soooo good.

Crisp little rounds with the distinctive flavor of anise. These are terrific when glazed or frosted. If you do not like anise, vanilla extract can be substituted for it.

Try this vegan version of these traditional Italian Christmas cookies, with a hint of anise, and made with brown sugar and almond butter.

Christmas or Easter cookie.

These cookies are shaped to have a fluted edge after baking.

I could always count on finding these authentic Italian cookies in Grandma's freezer, and her house always smelled yummy! They're great dipped in milk. Grandpa was a blacksmith and actually made their waffle iron, which I still have, although I use my modern electric pizzelle maker when making these.