All About Anise!

In Cookies With Cara, Cara uses a special extract to add extra flavor to her Italian cookies: anise!

Anise actually comes from a plant in the parsley family! The seeds are harvested from the plant Pimpinella anisum and are a popular ingredient in many European baked goods and dishes. For Italian cookies, specifically, anise extract provides a  sweet, licorice-like flavor, which comes from a natural compound called anethole.

We always had Italian cookies growing up, but before I even really knew what anise was, I was already familiar with its signature flavor thanks to black licorice. Growing up, black licorice was a big thing at my grandparents’ house! Every time I went over, my grandma would ask if I wanted a treat. When I said yes, she would head over to the upper-right cabinet next to their fridge and pull out a delicious bag of black and red licorice! Of course, I was happy with either one—as long as it was candy!! 

I know people are pretty divided when it comes to the taste of black licorice, but thanks to those childhood memories, I’ve grown up loving it!

Now, whenever I taste that familiar licorice flavor in these Italian cookies, it takes me right back to those special moments at my grandparents’ house. From enjoying my favorite treats to playing Parcheesi, Yahtzee, and all sorts of other games with them, those are the memories I’ll always cherish. 

Sometimes, a single flavor can bring back a whole world of childhood memories. And for me, anise will always remind me of the sweetest times with my grandparents.