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Änisbrötli (Anise Cookies)

By Kim Carlson, from the Culinate Kitchen collection

Introduction

Also spelled “aenisbroetli,” these traditional Swiss cookies — courtesy of a friend — are a Christmas treat. Store them in an airtight tin; they harden after a couple of days and become the perfect thing for dunking in hot cocoa.

Ingredients

	2½	cups powdered sugar
	2	eggs
	⅛	cup water or 2 Tbsp. kirsch
	1½	Tbsp. anise seeds, very lightly toasted
	2	cups all-purpose flour
	½	tsp. baking powder

Steps

Using an electric mixer, beat the sugar, eggs, and water or kirsch until foamy. Add the anise.
In a separate bowl, mix the flour and baking powder. Slowly add the flour mixture to the anise mixture.
Shape the dough into rolls of about ½-inch to ¾-inch thick and 2½ inches long. Give each roll 3 or 4 little slashes and then shape each one into a crescent (see photo).
Let the cookies dry overnight, or for at least 12 hours, covered with a dish towel, on a greased baking sheet.
Preheat the oven to 220 degrees. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cookies begin to turn golden on the bottom. Remove to a rack to cool.

This content is from the Culinate Kitchen collection.

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There are 41 comments on this item

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4% recommend this recipe

1. by dgregory1022 on Dec 17, 2008 at 12:00 PM PST

interesting - you let the dough dry, then bake?

2. by ziggurat on Dec 17, 2008 at 12:18 PM PST

These sound so delicious! i cant wait to try them.
thankyou for sharing :)

3. by pscheel on Dec 17, 2008 at 12:23 PM PST

These sound delicious, but the picture is not super clear to me. I don’t quite get how the slashing and forming into a crescent is supposed to work.

4. by Kim on Dec 17, 2008 at 12:34 PM PST

dgregory: yes, let the dough dry, then bake it the next day. pscheel: if you form the dough into crescents and then slash the outside arc three times, the result when you bake will be a leafy-looking cookie. I’m sorry we don’t have a how-to; perhaps we can get one up soon. Cheers!

5. by gkran on Dec 17, 2008 at 12:40 PM PST

I love that flavor in baked goods.

6. by hotmama on Dec 17, 2008 at 12:50 PM PST

You had me at Kirsch! I’m in!

7. by Eric on Dec 17, 2008 at 12:59 PM PST

Reminds me of the cookies an old friend’s grandmother used to make for us when I was little. Can’t wait to make them...

8. by weth on Dec 17, 2008 at 1:37 PM PST

These look like great holiday treats! It seems like other fruity or nutty liqueurs could be used instead of kirsch?

9. by shandon on Dec 17, 2008 at 1:40 PM PST

To be honest I’d never heard of kirsch! I’m curious as to what it tastes like.

10. by That's nuts! on Dec 17, 2008 at 1:41 PM PST

not so many people like anise flavor but I do-- these could be an interesting addition to the holiday cookie collection

11. by joni chadwell on Dec 17, 2008 at 1:56 PM PST

I liked the idea of dunking them in hot chocolate

12. by cdziuba on Dec 17, 2008 at 2:03 PM PST

I am definitely making these tomorrow night, this recipe totally grabs me, I want some!

13. by faither on Dec 17, 2008 at 2:06 PM PST

Used to have these at Christmas time, many years ago, when we lived in Europe.

14. by dusksunset on Dec 17, 2008 at 2:08 PM PST

A good sounding recipe for a classic cookie. I like the fact that it has no butter, which means it is low fat.

15. by LOVESTOBAKEJUSTLAZY on Dec 17, 2008 at 2:08 PM PST

yummy

16. by nlaugust on Dec 17, 2008 at 2:16 PM PST

To Shandon:
Kirsch is a liquor made from cherries. However it is not sweet-that would be a liqueur. Kirsch is more like whiskey. I don’t taste any cherry flavor in it but that won’t deter me from using it in this recipe!

17. by AsTheNight on Dec 17, 2008 at 3:15 PM PST

These used to be on the cookie tray my Dad brought home every year...the only cookie that wasn’t an Italian classic. I agree that they’re best dunked in cocoa...or chocolate milk, if you prefer something cold.

18. by laikarose on Dec 17, 2008 at 3:25 PM PST

I love these cookies! Specifically, I love the flat molds that are used to make them (see picture in recipe). These Springerle molds are an ancient tradition in Switzerland and Germany and come in a dizzying array of designs (look at http://www.houseonthehill.net/ for a sampling). They were brought to this country in the 1700s by the Pennyslvania Dutch (Amish and Mennonites). I am not a fan of the anise, but I had the good fortune to walk into the Springerle shop in Strasburg PA in October, where I discovered I could substitute lemon, orange, hazelnut, almond, or even chocolate.

19. by drala625 on Dec 17, 2008 at 3:52 PM PST

These look easy enough and delicious.

20. by rtysons on Dec 17, 2008 at 3:52 PM PST

We have a family recipe that is very similar, if not the same, as this. I LOVE them!

21. by damons on Dec 17, 2008 at 3:57 PM PST

I think the rest of the family would like these, but I’m not a fan of anise, so I think I’ll pass. All the rest of you, however, should enjoy!

22. by miriama59 on Dec 17, 2008 at 6:06 PM PST

Kirsch? Oh, okay. I read the comments. My lesson for the day. These sound great.

23. by Diane on Dec 17, 2008 at 6:19 PM PST

What a great European holiday treat - and with so few ingredients. They sound delicious!

24. by lisalmg25 on Dec 17, 2008 at 6:30 PM PST

These cookies sound delicious. My grandmother was born in Switzerland and moved her as I child so I’m going to make these for her this Christmas as a special treat. Thanks!

25. by anonymous on Dec 17, 2008 at 6:50 PM PST

I’d love to try these. My husband always has me make the Italian egg cookies that have anise in them. But, these sound good too.

26. by java on Dec 17, 2008 at 6:51 PM PST

I’m looking forward to trying these!

27. by Terry C on Dec 17, 2008 at 7:06 PM PST

This looks like a very simple recipe and sounds so good

28. by ennsee on Dec 17, 2008 at 8:05 PM PST

What a unique sounding treat. I’ll have to give it a try.

29. by The Lucky Ladybug on Dec 17, 2008 at 8:12 PM PST

Anise cookies are definitely different :) Thanks for the giveaway!

30. by parkercat on Dec 17, 2008 at 8:54 PM PST

Can’t wait to try these!!

31. by Tammy Marshall on Dec 17, 2008 at 9:55 PM PST

My mother makes these. Very yummy.

32. by nicole309 on Dec 17, 2008 at 11:31 PM PST

these really look good. If only Christmas came twice a year I could make them all!!

33. by Betty C on Dec 17, 2008 at 11:59 PM PST

This is a totally new way of making cookies for me. Letting them dry overnight is so unusual. I’ll just have to try this recipe.

34. by intime on Dec 18, 2008 at 2:35 AM PST

delish

35. by Cynthya on Dec 18, 2008 at 3:23 AM PST

The kirsch flavoring sounds delicious. Sounds like these are sort of like biscotti in that they are hard and good to dunk.

36. by Darlene936 on Dec 18, 2008 at 4:30 AM PST

I remember Anise cookies as they were made only at Christmas time when I was a little girl. Anise cookies and Christmas go together and bring back fond memories.

37. by Jane K on Dec 18, 2008 at 4:49 AM PST

Looks like an easy cookie to make. I like recipes with few ingredients.

38. by Valeen N on Dec 18, 2008 at 9:31 AM PST

These look delicious! Thanks for sharing the recipe. I think I’ll try it next week.

39. by dddiva on Dec 18, 2008 at 9:40 AM PST

How pretty they look- might have to give these a go although I am not the hugest fan of anise.

40. by Xanthippe on Dec 18, 2008 at 11:13 AM PST

This recipe evokes wonderful memories of a childhood next-door neighbor, a Swedish emigre and adept baker who made these cookies every Christmas. She used a Springerle rolling pin (http://tinyurl.com/4mf75a) that had been in her family for generations; needless to say, I was duly fascinated by that rolling pin -- although the anise flavor of the cookies didn’t appeal to me as a youngster.

41. by MCJunkie on Dec 18, 2008 at 11:55 AM PST

Considering I love any cookie out there, This maybe the top one for me. I will try this one out.

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