14 licorice recipes

Homemade licorice liqueur made by steeping real licorice root in vodka for a week, then sweetening with sugar syrup. Three ingredients, two weeks, and a bold anise-flavored spirit.

Black licorice chocolate spiders are a 2-ingredient Halloween treat. Twizzler legs and melted chocolate form creepy little spiders kids can make themselves. No baking required.

Tasty Halloween treats made into the shape of mice. Very chocolaty but not too sweet.

Dairy-free pumpkin tapioca pudding made with rice milk, tapioca flour, and canned pumpkin. Vegan, gluten-free, and ready in under 20 minutes. Optional licorice root adds a unique twist.

Chocolate-covered bugs made from caramels, red licorice legs, and melted chocolate chips, decorated with sprinkles and almonds. A fun no-bake Halloween candy project for kids.

Mounds of Bugs are no-bake Halloween treats made from Mounds candy bars with licorice legs, Reese's Pieces eyes, and chocolate sprinkle spots. A fun candy craft kids love to make.

Halloween pumpkin patch cake built from two devil's food bundts stacked face-to-face, frosted orange, with a green cupcake stem and candy corn jack-o-lantern face. Easy showstopper for kids' parties.

Jack-o-lantern cookies made from peanut butter sandwich cookies dipped in orange-tinted almond bark with black licorice faces. A fun, no-bake Halloween treat kids love decorating.

Quick chicken breast saute with rosemary, stewed tomatoes, black olives, zucchini, carrots, and green pepper. A one-skillet dinner ready in 30 minutes.

Traditionally baked during 'Sinterklaas', a feast on 5 December (6 December in Belgium and Germany) on which little children receive gifts from the holy St. Nicholas, the partial inspiration for Santa Claus. In Germany, Pfeffernüsse are traditionally made during the Christmas season.

Caraway burgers marinate seasoned beef patties in beer for 3 hours before grilling. A German-leaning burger with the licorice-pepper note of caraway and a malty tenderized bite.

Halloween spider cake made from two bowl-shaped cakes filled with green Jello, frosted black with licorice legs and gumdrop eyes. Oozes green goop when sliced.

Cream cheese and sour cream dip with fennel seeds, minced white onion, and paprika. A no-cook, make-ahead party dip with a subtle licorice twist.

There is a bit of confusion about these two plants. For some reason,the fennel plant, which resembles celery with fern like tops, has been called sweet anise in produce markets. The true anise is cultivated only for its seeds. So what you see labelled "sweet anise" in your market is probably fennel, but no matter what you call it, this is a highly interesting vegetable. Every part of this aromatic plant has a taste and aroma similar to licorice. The stems are eaten like celery,uncook, or cooked and served as a vegetable (heavenly with apples in waldorf salad) available from September to May.