Italian Cookies

Italian Cookies     

Prepared By: Joan Zimmerman

(Though we are not Italian, my mother was raised in an Italian neighborhood. These are a long time family favorite, all seasons)

Preheat oven to 325. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

3 cubes margarine

2 ½ cups sugar

6 medium eggs (save 3 of those egg whites for icing)

¼ cup orange juice concentrate

1 T anise extract

2 t anise seeds

1 t vanilla

7 cups flour

5 t baking powder

Mix margarine and sugar until creamy. Add the eggs and all flavorings. Add about half the flour with the mixer, add remaining flour by hand.  Hand mix until dough is easy to roll. Make a 12-15” roll about 1” thick. cut into ½ “ slices. Place cookies close together on sheet, denting with fork tines. Bake until lightly brown on bottom, 12-15 minutes?  Can cook more crispy if desired, I like mine soft so tend to the 12-13” side. Cool on newspaper.

Icing:

Beat egg whites until light and fluffy.

Add:  2 t anise seed and 2 t anise extract with 2T lemon zest.  (Can omit seeds if prefer)

Add 1# powdered sugar. Mix using mixer, thinning with lemon juice or water as necessary.

Into clean mixing bowl put about a dozen cookies and a cupful (or half) of icing. With your hands, rub frosting all over each cookie, place onto wax paper, and sprinkle immediately (after you’ve covered that first dozen)with whatever décor you wish.  Turn over after an hour/so to have cookie get completely dry. Store only when dry.

My family also like these unfrosted.  I double recipe always.  The flavor of the cookies seem to intensify with time