Anise Balls Recipe

These delightful anise balls are a holiday favorite! Made with pure anise oil (not extract!), this recipe creates melt-in-your-mouth cookies with a wonderfully fragrant and unique flavor. Perfect for Christmas or any time of year, they're easily customizable with festive frostings. Get ready to impress your friends and family with this treasured recipe.

Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 75 mins
Calories 61.2 kcal
Protein 1g
Rating 5.0 (5 Reviews)
Anise Balls 47

Recipe Actions

Share this recipe:

Recipe Author

Chef Forktionary, author of this recipe

Recipe adapted from Food.com. Standardized by Forktionary.

Ingredients for Anise Balls

Cook Smarter with Sous, Your Kitchen Companion

Missing an ingredient for this Anise Balls? Need a perfect wine pairing or a healthy side dish idea? Don't guess—ask Sous! Your AI-powered sous-chef is ready to help you swap ingredients, adjust serving sizes, and discover flavor tips in seconds.

How to Make Anise Balls

  1. Cream together 1 cup Crisco, 1 cup granulated sugar, 2 large eggs, and 1 teaspoon anise oil until light and fluffy.
  2. In a separate bowl, whisk together 3 cups all-purpose flour and 2 teaspoons baking powder.
  3. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
  4. Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or up to overnight).
  5. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  6. Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls. Place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
  7. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown.
  8. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  9. Once cooled, frost with your favorite frosting. French vanilla or buttercream are classic choices, or try red or green for a festive touch!
  10. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

Nutrition Information (Approximate per serving)

Sodium

0 g

Sugar

11g

Fat

4g

Carbs

2g