Classic Aniseed Cookies

These classic aniseed cookies are the European tradition known as Swiss anisbrötli or Italian anise drops, the kind of cookies that fill bakery cases at Christmas across the Alps. The recipe is built on whipped eggs and powdered sugar with no butter at all. The structure comes entirely from beaten egg whites, giving the cookies a meringue-light interior with a crisp, slightly cracked top.

The signature step is the overnight rest. Piped rounds sit out uncovered to dry, forming a thin skin on top before baking. When that skin hits a 325°F (165°C) oven, it cracks just slightly while the inside puffs up underneath, creating the distinctive “foot” or pedestal at the base that anisbrötli are known for.

Ground star anise carries the flavor here, with that warm, licorice-like hit that pairs beautifully with afternoon coffee or a glass of dessert wine. They keep for weeks in a tin, which is why generations of Swiss and Italian bakers have made them a staple of holiday cookie boxes.

Pro Tips

• Beat the egg whites to truly stiff peaks, not soft. The whole rise depends on properly whipped whites; soft peaks give you flat, spread-out cookies.
• Fold in the flour gently but thoroughly. Overmixing deflates the whites; undermixing leaves dry pockets.
• Don’t skip the overnight dry. The skin that forms is what produces the characteristic crackled top and pedestal foot. Cookies baked right after piping spread into round, footless blobs.
• Pipe onto cool, dry, well-floured sheets. Warm sheets melt the bottoms before they set.

Variations

• Add a teaspoon of finely grated lemon zest along with the anise for a brighter, more Italian-style cookie.
• Pipe smaller rounds (about a quarter-sized) for thinner, crispier wafers. Pipe larger ones for plump, soft-centered drops.
• Substitute ground aniseed seeds for the star anise for a slightly milder, sweeter licorice note.