ITALIAN ANISE COOKIES WITH ICING AND SPRINKLES RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400˚F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. 
• Add flour and baking powder to a medium mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes.
• Beat in eggs one at a time, add anise extract, optional anise seeds, and mix until well blended.
• Add the flour mixture a little at a time, and mix until well blended. The dough will be soft and sticky.
• Drop rounded tablespoons of dough 2 inches apart onto the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake 5 to 7 minutes until the bottoms are golden and the cookie springs back when pressed with your finger.
• Remove the cookies from the baking sheets to cooling racks to cool.
• To make the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and anise extract in a medium bowl until smooth.
• Place the cooling rack of cookies on the cookie sheet to catch the extra sprinkles.
• Dip the tops of cookies into the glaze, return to cooling rack, and sprinkle tops with candy sprinkles right away while the glaze is still wet. Let the cookies set until the glaze hardens. 
• Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to a month (see note below). Yield: 32 cookies.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Mix in the egg and vanilla. Combine the flour and baking powder; stir into the creamed mixture until blended. Divide dough into walnut sized portions. Roll each piece into a rope and then shape into a loop. Place cookies 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until firm and golden at the edges.