This was grandma's recipe, she always had a plate of cookies with black coffee whenever company dropped by.
A real Authentic Italian anisette cookie.
One that is a real tradition around Christmas holidays in her memory for sure.
Grandma was 94 when she passed away and there are so many recipes she made we all loved like this one.
This old-fashioned almost hard cake like Italian cookie was our favorite dunking cookie.
I always make a double batch to have on hand when unexpected company drops by and this is just one of 25 cookies we make around the holidays.
That is the perfect combination of flavors when serving these cookies with a strong cup of black coffee and a shot of Sambuca (an anisette liqueur) like she did and mom.
Using a shot of Sambuca was dad's favorite way to enjoy these cookies.
The memories are great and always etched in my mind year after year, oh how I miss those days.
The 1960s were great times to be alive.
Scroll down and lets get baking and help keep Grandma's memory alive in the kitchen!
Dipped or Plain
I really love these cookies because the basic dough is so versatile.
The cookies can be adapted to whatever flavor you wanted to add to this dough.
These are the Traditional authentic way to make biscotti with anisette flavoring.
Grandma and mom never made them any other way.
Christmas and Vintage
These cookies go way back and I first posted the recipe back in 2009 from a scribbled index card mom left behind.
Although left the best of the best recipes for the family to make, it's always a bittersweet day of reminicing on the traditions and love they had for family.
Through the years things change so much, life is so different then and we need to make time for those fabulous memories, I do my best to keep their traditions going.
These will always be on my cookie tray and my kids love them and hopefully the grand kids will carry on traditions too.
Toasting Them
You need to watch these carefully when toasting these cookies.
I lower the heat to 325 sometimes if they start to toast too quickly, everyone oven seems to be different.
Don't toast them on the bottom rack, use the middle.
After the bottoms brown, take them out and flip them over.
This takes 10 to 12 minutes to toast each side.
Festive Looking Change and Adapt!
The great thing about this cookie is the same dough can look like a totally different cookie right?
You can dip them in white or dark chocolate, add nuts or sprinkles or even add them to the batter.
Substitute vanilla or maple and even cinnamon oil in the batter for another spice flavored biscotti.
You can also sprinkle flavored sugars on top of the egg wash while they cook.
Get creative.
Slicing the Cookies
I use a serrated knife to cut the cooled cookies on an angle.
You can use any kind of knife that cuts them clean without crumbling the cookies.
I find that sawing them work better for me but you will have to experiment with your knives on how sharp they are.
Cool them for at least 5 minutes before slicing and returning to the oven to toast.
The Batter
The batter is very thick, it shouldn't be sticky.
If you have a real sticky dough add more flour until it forms a ball.,
Also, pat the loaves in a nice loaf shape with a floured hand before baking so they will be a uniform size when slicing.
Tips
- Almond, lemon, orange and any other extracts can be substituted
- Cookies can be dipped in chocolate and nuts on the bottom
- Use a serrated knife for cutting keeping the cookies slightly warm
- Baked these on parchment paper for easy removal
- Watch carefully when browning and I do turn them over once
- Do not store with other cookies the anisette is very strong and will effect the others
- These freeze very well up to 6 months
Ingredients You Will Need to Make Anisette Biscotti
scroll down to the recipe card for exact measurements
- eggs
- oil
- sugar
- pure anise extract or more if you love it
- flour
- salt
- baking powder
Truly The Best Italian Cookies
An easy cookie really twice baked and a traditional Italian cookie that never grows old in our home.
If you don't like anisette flavoring....try another flavor, add hazelnuts, chips.
Biscotti is a versatile cookie, and this basic dough will get you to any favorites.
I have made them many ways, but this is the old-time original with anisette biscotti and the only one grandma would make.
Hard Cookies or Soft
Although authentic biscotti are twice-baked you don't have to do that step if you like soft cookies.
These cookies are fairly hard and perfect for dunking in hot coffee.
That's how we ate them in our home.
If you don't like dunking cookies, just be aware they are very hard after being toasted.
These authentic vintage anisette biscotti are a true delight to eat and serve all year long. Enjoy!
Try These Other Favorite Italian Cookies
Italian Wedding Tray Frosted Soft Cookies
Italian Almond Paste Cafe Style Cookies
Italian Orange Juice Cookies
Ricotta Cookies

Italian Anisette Biscotti Cookies
Yield: 30
prep time: 10 Mcook time: 25 Mtotal time: 35 M
These are a vintage recipe that my Italian Grandmother from Rome Italy taught us to make called Italian anisette biscotti, The cookies are fragrant with anisette aroma and taste. Great with Italian espresso.
ingredients:
- 6 eggs ( 1 more egg beaten for later to brush on top)
- 1 cup oil
- 1 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoon pure anise extract or more if you love it
- 4 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 teas salt
- 6 teaspoon of baking powder
instructions:
How to cook Italian Anisette Biscotti Cookies
- Mix all in a bowl to form a stiff dough.
- On a greased cookie sheet form two large loaves or smaller sized loaves in the shapes of a torpedo or bread loaves.
- Brush with one beaten egg ( if you love anisette flavor add another teaspoon to the egg wash).
- Bake at 350 until brown on the bottoms and set on top of the cookie in the middle, around 25 minutes or more.
- Take out of oven cool, for 5 minutes.
- Slice cookies on a slant using a sawing motion and serrated knife.
- Place sliced cookies back on the cookie sheet and bake again until toasted and browned on both sides in a 350-degree hot oven around 12 minutes.
- Optional: add 6 green and 6 red chopped cherries in the batter in the last step folded in for a Christmas and a festive cookie.
- Dipped bottoms:
- At Christmas time, we like to dip the bottoms or the ends in melted chocolate. Just melt chocolate chips in the microwave for a minute at a time till smooth. Dip the ends in chocolate or the whole bottom of the cookie. You can also add sprinkles, colored sugars for a festive look.
Calories
112
112
Fat (grams)
15
15
Sat. Fat (grams)
6
6
Carbs (grams)
11
11
Net carbs
6
6
Sugar (grams)
22
22
Try Some of My Other Favorite Holiday Traditions:
Easter Recipes
Game Day Recipes
Best Holiday Side Dishes
Red White and Blue Recipes
alloween Roundup
Thanksgiving Recipes
Christmas Recipes
Disclosure: This recipe was originally shared in 2009. It was edited and re-published in 2019.
oh yeah! I make these, usually in the fall, my recipe is from florence and uses ground almonds. my mom makes tge anisette cookies. mmmmm
ReplyDeletewell if you ever want to share the recipe I'm in! Would love to try yours....
ReplyDeleteOH! I love anise cookies--remember the stella dorra commercials--"not just for breakfast"
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this!
Looks tasty ! Thank you for sharing. Cheers !
ReplyDeleteI love biscotti. I make a pumpkin version and a chocolate version.
ReplyDeleteI would love to dunk one of these into my coffee...
ReplyDeleteI must say that they look perfect!.. Delcious. Luna
ReplyDeleteJust love anything with anise. Fab!
ReplyDeleteMany memories come flooding back.y mother and aunts always had anisette biscotti. Usually Stella D'Oro! But I won't quibble. These look scrumptious.
ReplyDeletethese looks really delicious
ReplyDeletelike the ones with chocolate
These are one of my favorite things to make - and eat - was planning on making some this weekend! I love, love, love the anise ones!
ReplyDeleteRecently(over the holidays) I have discovered the wonders of biscotti. They are absolutely wonderful and easy to make!! I want to try some of these as I've only had one kind (chocolate) and need to learn some new versions :D
ReplyDeleteI have an Italian friend who makes a number of Anisette cookies around Christmas...I've been meaning to try them...and now you offer these delicious looking biscotti! Another for my pile of recipes to try :)
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love the taste of anisette. When I was younger I couldn't stand it - hated licorice as well. I'm not sure what happened between the age of 10 and 30 (trying to make you all think I'm 30...) but my taste buds FINALLY saw the light. LOVE anisette.
ReplyDeleteThose biscotti are wonderful.
Oh so delicious! Thank you for sharing your recipe for biscotti! I have a few of them, but they're all a bit questionable... I need to try it out your way.
ReplyDeleteFresh biscotti! Hell yeah! And a cup of good coffee!
ReplyDeleteMmmm..I would love this dipped in coffee. I think I would have so much fun dipping..haha. My friend just gave me a packet yesterday. I would love to try making this one day. Hope you have a great day, Claudia!
ReplyDeleteI can never get enough biscotti recipes! I try each and every one! Especially when I hear they are passed down favorites as this one.
ReplyDeleteLove biscotti! Those look scrumptious!
ReplyDeleteClaudia...I love biscotti. I just don't always have good luck with them. They come out more like doorstops than cookies! But these look fabulous! I just might have to try again with this recipe! : )
ReplyDeleteBig biscotti fan Claudia! I made them on several occasions. Mine didn't seem to be the right texture. Just a bit too hard and not enough air pockets if you know what I mean. Yours have them. Could it be the recipe I used? Do you have any suggestions?
ReplyDeleteI love biscotti and really enjoy making it. I'm going to try these. :)
ReplyDeleteohhh I haven't had biscotti in forever, these look delicious
ReplyDeleteThese look so fun and festive for the holidays! Thanks for sharing. Can't wait to try them.
ReplyDeleteClaudia, these are perfect! It's so nice that you have your grandma's recipe for them. My dad can't find his grandma's recipe for knot cookies and I am dying for him to finally find it. Love your biscotti! :)
ReplyDeleteThese Italian cookie recipe would be perfect with coffee or tea! Looks delish!
ReplyDeleteWhat a cute recipe for the holidays. This is a really good idea. The holidays are approaching and I would like to cook your unique recipe.
ReplyDeleteI love biscotti and these look perfect, Claudia! I wish I had one right now with my coffee <3
ReplyDeleteThese would make great gifts! I'm anxious to make these! This is awesome! Yup this looks pretty darn perfect to me. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI love biscotti, but struggle to make it ... and have it turn out right. I must have the oven too hot or leave them in too long ... because they always taste scorched. Thanks for sharing your tips.
ReplyDeleteI love to hear the traditional stories behind family recipes. I am so happy that this one brings your fond memories!
ReplyDeleteI shoud try these cookies! Italian cookies are always a hit in our house and we all love anisette flavor!
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteBiscotti is the perfect holiday gift. Who doesn't love to give and get something homemade? Going to add these to my holiday cookie list!
I love biscotti and the flavors that goes into this recipe. I must say these look perfect and with holiday season, baking these biscotti will be fun
ReplyDeleteBiscotti is hands down my favorite treat with a good strong coffee. I love the anise extract in this!
ReplyDeleteWe LOVE biscotti of any kind, and this is such a fantastic "base" recipe, like you say that we can add flavouring to so it becomes our own <3 lovely!
ReplyDeleteI love anisette and grew up with mom using it often. Since I got married I hardly ever use it because my husband hates it. I must try this for me and the kids.
ReplyDeleteBiscotti are the greatest and they travel so well. Every Christmas we make about 12 varieties and then we wrap and send them to our special friends. Our oldest son's favorite flavor is anise. We always make sure we have that flavor for him. Biscotti are really easy to make once you get the feel of it. And they are terrific dunking cookies.
ReplyDeleteGrandma's recipes are the best! They are the ones we need to cherish the most! Great recipe for Christmas!
ReplyDelete