Anise Cookies

These cookies may look like biscotti but technically they are not.  Biscotti are baked twice, the first time like I did here and the second time after they are sliced.  The result is a crisp cookie that's excellent for dunking.  This version is soft and only baked once.  Anise extract is used to flavor the cookies but if you don't like that liqourice flavor you can use vanilla and/or almond extract instead which I used to do for my sister. 

This recipe was given to me by a coworker years ago when I was a bank teller.  I remember her name was Martha.  My family loved them and  I used to bake theme all the time  I just found the recipe after years of thinking it's been lost! 

Anise Cookies

Ingredients:

¾ cup sugar
¾ cup oil
3 large eggs
2 ½ tsp. anise extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1 ¼ tsp. baking powder

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Blend oil and sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Add anise. Combine flour and baking powder. Add to sugar and oil one cup at a time.

Pour batter into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let stand for 25 minutes in a warm place.

Divide dough in half and pour each half onto the middle of a baking sheet and shape into an oval (You will need two baking sheets.) Dough will be sticky.

Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for 15 minutes, slice.

The dough won't look perfect but it turns out okay once it comes out of the oven.