ITALIAN ANISETTE COOKIES

ITALIAN ANISETTE COOKIES image

Yield 3 dozen

Number Of Ingredients 14

COOKIE:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons anise extract ( or almond extract)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour ( may need up to 3 c.)
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 -3 tablespoons milk
ICING
2 cups confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1/8 teaspoon anise extract
food coloring
decorative candy sprinkles

Steps:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. -Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. -For cookies, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. -Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition. -Add anise extract. -Blend flour and baking powder. -Start by adding about 1/3 of these dry ingredients to the butter/sugar in your mixer, -then add 1 T. milk. -Add another third of the flour and another 1 T. milk. -Mix in enough of the remaining flour until your dough is like a brownie batter (it should be softer than a drop cookie dough). -Use a 1 T. cookie scooper to make simple round drop cookies - use wet fingers to pat any rough edges. -Bake cookies 10-12 minutes (they won't be brown but the insides will be soft and cake-like). -For icing: -Mix sugar, milk and extract to make a sugar glaze. HINT: When I make the icing, I make it thick but then I microwave it for 10 seconds so it is thin enough for dipping. -Hold cookie in your hand and turn upside down so you can dip the top half in the glaze; turn over and immediately top with sprinkles so they will stick. -Allow icing to harden overnight; then store in air-tight containers or freeze.