- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons anise seeds
- 1/4 cup white sugar for decoration
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and 1 cup sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time then stir in the vanilla. Gradually mix in the sifted ingredients and anise seeds until well blended. Cover and chill for several hours or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch in thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place cookies 1 1/2 inches apart onto cookie sheets. Sprinkle the tops with a mixture of the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar and cinnamon.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until light brown. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely. Happy Holidays!