Anise Cookies

Anise Cookies ~ Italian 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 1/2 cups to 3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder
2 to 3 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons anise flavor (or almond extract)
Icing
1/8 teaspoon anise extract
food coloring
2 cups confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoon milk

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.  Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition.  Add anise extract.

Blend flour and baking soda, add to creamed mixture 1/3 of the flour mixture, then add 1 tablespoon milk.  Add another 1/3 of flour and another 1 tablespoon milk and mix.  Finally, add enough of the remaining flour until your dough is like a brownie batter.  (It should be softer than a drop cookie dough.  

Use a 1 tablespoon cookie scooper, to make simple round cookies.  Use wet fingers to pat any rough edges, OR for an Easter Egg look, roll 1 tablespoon dough into an elongated ball.  
Bake cookies 10 to 12 minutes.  They won't be brown but insides will be soft and cake like.

Icing Directions:
Mix sugar milk and extract to make a sugar glaze.

Hint: When making the icing, make it thick and microwave it for 10 seconds making it thin enough for dipping.  Also, I like to divide the mixture into thirds and add a different color to each.  Hold cookie in your hand upside down and dip just the top-half in the glaze turning over immediately.  Add sprinkles at this time so they will stick.  Allow icing to harden overnight, then store in an air-tight container or freeze.