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Lard Anise Cookies

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Submitted by joyd

Lard anise cookies cream pure lard with sugar and anise seeds for an Italian classic with melting tenderness and licorice perfume. Shape into letters or slice from a chilled log.

YIELD

48 servings

PREP

15 min

COOK

10 min

READY

3 hrs

Lard anise cookies are an Italian-American holiday cookie that hits two notes most modern baking has forgotten about: the unmatched melt-in-mouth tenderness of pure lard and the warm licorice perfume of whole anise seeds. Lard sounds old-fashioned, but it produces a flakier, more delicate crumb than any butter or shortening can match in a cookie like this.

A full tablespoon of anise seeds (the recipe lists star anise but the small whole seeds work better here) gets creamed into the dough so each bite carries the perfume. Don’t substitute extract, the whole seeds give the texture and visual that defines these cookies.

Shape into hand-rolled ropes that get crossed at the ends to spell out letters, or slice from a chilled log for round cookies. The rope shape is traditional and fun for kids.

Pro Tips

  • Chill the dough thoroughly before rolling. Warm lard dough sticks badly to the work surface.
  • Don’t grease the baking sheets. The cookies have plenty of fat to release on their own.
  • Edges should be just golden, not brown all over, for the right tender bite
  • Let cool completely on racks. The cookies firm up as they cool to room temperature.
  • Store in airtight tins for up to 2 weeks. The flavor deepens after a day.

Variations

  • Sub butter or vegetable shortening for the lard if needed. Texture changes but still good.
  • Brush warm cookies with a thin lemon-water glaze for extra sweetness and shine
  • Add 1 teaspoon of fennel seeds along with the anise for extra herbal complexity

Ingredients

1 237
CUP ML LARD
1 15
TABLESPOON ML STAR ANISE
¾ 177
CUP ML SUGAR
2 ½ 591
2 2
LARGE LARGE EGGS
½ 2.5
TEASPOON ML SALT

Directions

Cream together lard and sugar until light and fluffy; beat in eggs and anise seeds.

Stir together flour and salt; stir into creamed mixture.

Wrap dough in waxed paper; chill several hours.

Using a slightly rounded teaspoonful of dough, roll with hands on lightly floured surface to a 4x¼ inch rope.

Place on ungreased baking sheet, crossing ends to form a handwritten latter (or, shape dough in two rolls 8 inches long and 1½ inches in diameter; chill. Slice ¼ inch thick; place on ungreased baking sheet.).

Bake at 375℉ (190℃) until edges are golden, 10 to 12 minutes.

Cool on racks.

* not incl. in nutrient facts Arrow up button

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Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 16g (0.6 oz)
Amount per Serving
Calories 77 53% from fat
 % Daily Value *
Total Fat 5g 7%
Saturated Fat 2g 9%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 13mg 4%
Sodium 28mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 3g 3%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Sugars g
Protein 2g
Vitamin A 0% Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 0% Iron 2%
* based on a 2,000 calorie diet How is this calculated?
 

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