Anisette Love Knots

Submitted by Joanne117

"Italian cookie favorite, full of anisette flavor."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 35mins
• Ingredients: 12
• Yields: 50 cookies

ingredients

• 3 1⁄2 cups flour
• 1⁄4 lb unsalted butter, melted (1 stick)
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 3 teaspoons pure anise extract
• 1 pinch salt
• 1⁄4 cup warm water
• 3 eggs
• 3⁄4 cup granulated sugar

• Glaze

• 5 tablespoons milk
• 4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
• 2 tablespoons anise extract
• candy sprinkles

directions

1. Cookies:

2. In bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Toss lightly with a fork. Add eggs and sugar – mix well, (mixture will be crumbly). Add melted butter, 3 teaspoons anise extract and warm water. Stir until mixture forms a ball. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes until dough is smooth. Chill for one hour.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pinch off pieces of dough about the size of large olives and roll into logs. Tie each into a knot shape and place on aluminum foil approximately 2” apart. Slide foil with cookies onto cookie sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until bottoms are pale brown. When done, slide aluminum foil off cookie sheets and let cookies cool on foil until cool.

4. Glaze:

5. Stir milk and remaining two tablespoons anise extract into confectioners sugar. Consistency should be like heavy cream, if needed, add drops of milk. Dip cookies upside down into glaze; turn upright and dry on cookie rack over waxed paper for one minute, than sprinkle with candy sprinkles. Makes about 50 cookies.
6. Store in a waxed paper lined cookie tin, approximately one week.

Reviews

[estjohn3]

I used this recipe and it was good but I isubstituted pure anise oil, it is stronger so you use less, They turned out good I cut them into shapes and also just round cookies and then dipped them in the icing and sprinkled them they are really good!

 

[shrrley]

Stunning!~ I am not a big anisette fan, but my Italian in-laws are. Thought there was too much extract in the cookies, I was wrong; they were actually perfect! No time for pictures, the family ate them all in one sitting. They were soft, a cross between a cookie and a bread. The texture perfect, the sweetness divine. The great thing we discussed at the table was how easy this would be to adapt to any other extract, lemon, almond, orange or a liquer. I am now asked to make these at the next family party. The sprinkles made all of us happy, great touch. The icing was a bit strong, which the family loved. I would tone it down a lot! This was a big hit and recommended. I used my mixmaster which made these really easy.

 

[dreammagic69]

This is a wonderful recipe! Made 2 batches over the Holidays and did not last 2 days! The family all wants more.... Love this recipe.. and easy to make!

 

[ChrisF]

Love these cookies! They were easy to make, did not need to pull out the heavy mixer. Dough easy to handle. Decorating a breeze. Soft cookie with a pronounced anise flower. I got 61 cookies out of my batch. A must for the Holiday cookie tray.