This year's Christmas with Friends dinner had a Mexican theme. I made Mole with Turkey and enchiladas. For dessert, I made an awesome Mexican Chocolate ice cream. I wanted a cookie to go with the ice cream. One cookie that G's mother always makes for Christmas is Biscochitos. The cookie is anise flavored and usually made with lard or shortening. I wanted something a little bit different since the shortening does make it very crisp and a little dry. I found a good sounding variation that used butter on Love and Butter blog and decided to try them.
But I totally misread the recipe. It calls for 1/4 cup of butter or 1/2 cube. I only saw the 1/2 and thought it mean a 1/2 cup or 1 cube. Oh well... I looked at the ratio and thought this will still work although it uses baking powder versus baking soda. I also didn't have any brandy so again I improvised and used Madeira.
They were actually perfect. My anise seed is a little old so next time I might increase the amount but they were perfect with ice cream - not to sweet and a nicely flavored.
Anise Butter Cookies
Adapted from Love and Butter
Note - dough is very soft when rolling so flour your board and rolling pin well.
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter
½ cup granulated sugar, plus ¼ cup more for sprinkling
1 egg
1 tablespoon Madeira
1 teaspoon aniseed
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, for sprinkling
- Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheet with parchment paper
- Combine flour, baking power and salt in a bowl and whisk together
- Cream butter and ½ cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg beating well after adding. Beat in brandy and anise seed.
- Stir dry ingredients into creamed butter until just mixed.
- Roll in to a ball, place on plastic wrap, flatten and cover. Refrigerate about 30 minutes or more until firm.
- Combine 1/4 cup remaining sugar with 1/2 tsp cinnamon.
- Roll dough to 1/8-1/4 inch thick, cut into shapes. Place on baking sheet. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are lightly browned. Cool on rack.