Italian Anisette Cookies (Old-Fashioned Nonna’s Recipe)
Old-Fashioned Italian Anisette Cookies (Nonna’s Soft Christmas Cookies)
If you grew up in an Italian-American family, you probably remember those little round cookies covered in white icing and colorful sprinkles sitting on the kitchen table every Christmas.
Some families called them Italian anise cookies. Others called them anisette cookies. And in plenty of homes, they were simply known as Nonna’s Christmas cookies.
These Old-Fashioned Italian Anisette Cookies are soft, thick, and tender, with a lovely anise flavor and a sweet white glaze.
What makes this recipe special is that it uses Crisco shortening instead of butter. The dough is soft and sticky, and it needs a few hours in the refrigerator before you shape it into little balls.
Once baked, the cookies are dipped in anise icing, decorated with rainbow sprinkles, and left to dry until the glaze has completely set.
They’re exactly the kind of homemade cookies that look beautiful piled high on a Christmas tray.
What Are Italian Anisette Cookies?
Italian anisette cookies are soft, cake-like cookies flavored with anise extract, which has a distinctive sweet, licorice-like taste.
They’re popular in many Italian-American households, particularly around Christmas and Easter.
Unlike crispy Italian pizzelles or crunchy biscotti, these cookies are meant to be tender and slightly puffy.
Many family recipes use butter, shortening, or oil. This particular version uses shortening and includes an important step: chilling the sticky dough before shaping it.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Soft and tender: Perfect for anyone who prefers cake-like cookies.
- Old-fashioned flavor: Anise extract gives them that familiar Italian bakery taste.
- Made with shortening: A traditional variation found in many family recipe collections.
- Beautiful icing: A thick white glaze covers the rounded tops.
- Perfect for Christmas: Colorful sprinkles make them festive.
- Great for gifting: They look lovely in holiday cookie tins once the icing has dried.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the Cookies
Crisco Shortening — ⅓ Cup: Gives the cookies a tender texture and helps create the soft dough.
Granulated Sugar — ½ Cup: Adds sweetness.
Large Eggs — 3: Help bind the ingredients and create the soft, rounded cookies.
Anise Extract — 1½ Teaspoons: Provides the traditional anisette flavor.
All-Purpose Flour — 2 Cups: Gives the cookies structure.
Baking Powder — 1 Tablespoon: Helps the cookies rise and become puffy.
Salt — A Pinch: Balances the sweetness.
For the Icing
Confectioners’ Sugar — 3 Cups: Creates the thick white icing.
Anise Extract — 1–2 Teaspoons: Adds additional anise flavor.
Milk: Add one tablespoon at a time until the icing reaches a thick, smooth consistency.
Rainbow Sprinkles: Use colorful nonpareils to decorate the cookies.
How to Make Old-Fashioned Italian Anisette Cookies
Step 1: Cream the Shortening and Sugar
In a large mixing bowl, blend the Crisco shortening and granulated sugar until well combined.
Step 2: Add the Eggs and Anise
Add the eggs and anise extract.
Mix until the ingredients are combined, scraping down the bowl as needed.
Step 3: Combine the Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Step 4: Make the Cookie Dough
Gradually add the flour mixture to the shortening and egg mixture.
Mix just until everything comes together.
The dough will be sticky. Don’t be tempted to add more flour. That’s an important part of this family recipe.
Step 5: Refrigerate the Dough
Cover the bowl and refrigerate for a few hours, until the dough is easier to handle.
Chilling helps make the sticky dough manageable when rolling the cookies.
Step 6: Shape the Cookies
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Scoop portions of chilled dough using a cookie scoop.
With well-floured hands, gently roll the dough into balls.
Place them on the prepared baking sheets with room between each cookie.
Step 7: Bake
Bake for approximately 15 minutes, until the cookies are set and lightly golden underneath.
The tops should remain fairly pale.
Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
Step 8: Make the Anise Icing
In a bowl, combine the confectioners’ sugar and 1–2 teaspoons of anise extract.
Add milk one tablespoon at a time, stirring until the icing is thick but smooth enough for dipping.
Step 9: Dip and Decorate
Dip the tops of the completely cooled cookies into the white icing.
Immediately add colorful rainbow sprinkles while the icing is still wet.
Step 10: Let the Icing Dry
Arrange the decorated cookies in a single layer and leave them undisturbed until the icing is completely dry.
The original recipe recommends letting them dry overnight before storing.
This helps prevent the icing from sticking when the cookies are packed into containers.
Grandma’s Tips for Perfect Anisette Cookies
Don’t add extra flour to the dough. It’s supposed to be sticky before chilling.
Chill for a few hours. Cold dough is easier to scoop and roll.
Flour your hands. This makes shaping the soft dough much easier.
Use a cookie scoop. Evenly sized cookies bake more consistently.
Keep the icing thick. Too much milk will make it run down the sides.
Add sprinkles immediately. They stick best before the icing dries.
Let the icing dry overnight. This is especially helpful when preparing cookies for Christmas gifts.
Why Use Crisco Instead of Butter?
Some old-fashioned Italian-American cookie recipes use shortening instead of butter.
Shortening contains very little water and has a different melting behavior from butter, which can help produce a tender cookie and affect how much it spreads.
Butter adds a richer flavor, but changing the fat may also change the cookie’s texture.
For this particular recipe, it’s best to keep the original shortening measurement rather than substitute butter without testing.
How to Store Italian Anisette Cookies
Once the icing is completely dry, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.
For best quality, enjoy them within approximately 4 days.
If stacking, place parchment paper between the layers.
You can also freeze the unglazed cookies for up to 2 months. Thaw them before adding fresh icing and sprinkles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my anisette cookie dough sticky?
This recipe naturally makes a sticky dough. Refrigerate it for a few hours and use lightly floured hands when shaping.
Can I use a hand mixer?
Yes. A hand mixer works well for blending the shortening, sugar, eggs, and anise extract.
Can I substitute butter for Crisco?
You can experiment, but the cookies may spread differently or have a different texture. The original recipe specifically uses shortening.
Why isn’t my icing drying?
The icing may contain too much milk, or the room may be humid. Make it thick and allow plenty of time to dry.
Can I make these for Christmas gifts?
Absolutely. Just make sure the icing is fully dry before arranging the cookies in gift tins.
A Sweet Italian-American Christmas Tradition
There’s something wonderful about a recipe that has been made the same way for years.
A little shortening, sugar, eggs, flour, and anise extract become soft homemade cookies that bring back memories of family gatherings and Christmas baking.
And once those cookies are covered in white icing and colorful sprinkles, they look just like the treats many Italian-American families remember from childhood.
Whether you call them anisette cookies, Italian anise cookies, or simply Nonna’s Christmas cookies, they’re a lovely tradition to share.
Did your family make Italian anisette cookies with Crisco or butter? And did your Nonna use anise, vanilla, or lemon?
Old-Fashioned Italian Anisette Cookies
Ingredients
Method
- Blend the Crisco shortening and granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the eggs and 1½ teaspoons anise extract. Mix until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the shortening mixture and mix until a soft, sticky dough forms.
- Do not add extra flour to the dough.
- Cover and refrigerate for a few hours until easier to handle.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Scoop the chilled dough and roll into balls using well-floured hands.
- Arrange on the prepared baking sheets, leaving space between the cookies.
- Bake for approximately 15 minutes, until set and lightly golden underneath.
- Cool completely.
- Combine confectioners' sugar and 1–2 teaspoons anise extract. Add milk one tablespoon at a time until thick and smooth.
- Dip the tops of the cookies into the icing.
- Immediately decorate with rainbow sprinkles.
- Allow the icing to dry completely, preferably overnight, before storing.
Notes
Refrigerate for a few hours before shaping.
Flour your hands lightly when rolling the dough.
Use thick icing so it stays on top of the cookies.
Let the icing dry overnight before packing.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for approximately 4 days.
Freeze unglazed cookies for up to 2 months.
Contains wheat and eggs. Icing contains milk.
