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It is Wichtel Time! And Cookie Friday! It is Wichtel Cookie Friday! :P

For those who have no clue what “wichteln” means – it’s the German version of Secret Santa. Around Christmas you have many parties with friends or colleagues and it’s kind of a tradition that you are “wichteling” :P You buy or make a little present and give it to a person, that has been chosen by random. If the gifts end up in a big bag and everybody gets one completely by random the chances are good people bring crappy gifts just to have some fun – then we call it “Schrottwichteln” – it can be really funny or a total pain in the ass :P

Anyways – this year I am participating in a little event called “Bloggerwichteln” – a bunch of bloggers gather (virtually) and give out gifts to other bloggers that have been chosen by random – Food Blogger Secret Santa :P

The lovely Sarah from Das Knusperstübchen came up with the idea and organized the bloggers that were willing to bake, cook, wrap and all that, to prepare a nice little package for another blogger. I was lucky to get Andrea from Zimtkeks und Apfeltarte as my “wichtel victim” ;)) What did she get? Well… you can see it on the pictures below or maybe you have seen it on the blog already this week: Hot Chocolate Dunkers (was on the blog on Monday), Spiced Cake baked in a Glass Jar (from Wednesday), Homemade Vanilla Extract (older post) and some of the anise cookies from this post today.

Hot Chocolate Dunkers | Bake to the roots

Spiced Cake aka. Gewürzkuchen | Bake to the roots

Homemade Vanilla Extract | Bake to the roots

I tried to wrap it nicely, but unfortunately I am not a good “Gift (W)Rapper” :P All I could come up for the cake were some rubber bands… well – it is the inside that counts, right? ;)) Talking about ‘insides’ – you might want to know what I got from my wichtel? Right? Well – I had the honors to receive a package from Sandra (she is from Hase im Glück) with delicious stuff only for me! Mango Chutney, Pomegranate Orange Jelly and Gingerbread Granola (mmmmmmmm) – all so good! You can find the recipes for that in her blogpost about her Food Blogger Secret Santa – thanks again Sandra for all the nice stuff if you read this here ;)

Of course there were much more bloggers involved – you can find the links to the blogs at the end of the article – now back to cookies and the ones I made for you and showing today :)

You may find aniseeed a bit uncommon for cookies, but it works pretty damn well. If you are into the flavor of course ;) So every ouzo, raki or pernot fan will agree I suppose. The cookies are a variation of the classic German Spitzbuben Cookies – enhanced with aniseed and some anise liquor. I love them a lot and since last year they are on my Christmas cookies must-bake-list for every year….

INGREDIENTS / ZUTATEN

(35-40 cookies)

For the dough:
3 tbsp. aniseed
2 1/4 cups (300g) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (100g) confectioner’s sugar
7 oz. (200g) cold butter
1 egg

For the filling:
3.5 oz. (100g) quince jelly
1 tbsp. anise liquor (eg. ouzo, raki)

confectioner’s sugar for dusting

(35-40 Plätzchen)

Für den Teig:
3 TL Anissaat
300g Mehl (Type 405)
100g Puderzucker
200g kalte Butter
1 Ei

Für die Füllung:
100g Quittengelee
1 EL Anisschnaps (Ouzo, Raki etc.)

Puderzucker zum Bestäuben

DIRECTIONS / ZUBEREITUNG

1. Roast the aniseed in a coated pan without fat until fragrant. Grind in a mortar until you get fine powder. Add flour, confectioner’s sugar and the anis powder to a large bowl and mix. Add the cold butter in small pieces and the egg and knead until you get a nice smooth dough. Form a ball, flatten it and wrap in plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for at least 2 hours (or over night).

2. Preheat the oven to 350˚F (180°C). Line two baking sheets with baking parchment and set aside. Cut the dough in half (leave one half in the fridge) and roll out thinly on a floured surface. Cut out stars or circles – have of the cookies should have an additional star or circle in the middle – these are going to be the top parts of the cookies. Place on the baking sheets and bake one sheet at a time in the oven for 7-8 minutes. Take out of the oven and let cool down a bit on the baking sheets then transfer to a wire rack to let cool down completely.

3. Dust the cookies with the opening in the middle with confectioner’s sugar. Mix the quince jelly with the anise liquor until well combined. Place a small amount on each cookie wihout whole and place a cookie on top that has been dusted with confectioner’s sugar. Let dry some time on a wire rack. Store in a tin box without any other cookies. Place a sheet of paper between the layers of cookies.

1. Die Anissaat in einer kleinen Pfanne ohne Fett rösten, bis es anfängt zu duften. Mit einem Mörser zu feinem Pulver zermahlen. In einer großen Schüssel Mehl mit Puderzucker und Anispulver vermischen. Butter in kleinen Stücken und das Ei zugeben und alles zu einem glatten Teig verkneten. Eine Kugel formen, plattdrücken, in Klarsichtfolie einschlagen und für mind. 2 Stunden in den Kühlschrank legen (oder über Nacht).

2. Den Ofen auf 180°C (350°F) vorheizen. Zwei Backbleche mit Backpapier auslegen und zur Seite stellen. Etwa 1/2 des Teiges abschneiden (den Rest im Kühlschrank lassen) und auf einer bemehlten Fläche dünn ausrollen. Sterne oder Kreise ausstechen und auf die Bleche legen – die Hälfte der Plätzchen sollte in der Mitte ein Loch oder einen kleinen Stern haben. Jeweils nur ein Blech im Ofen für 7-8 Minuten backen. Herausnehmen und für einige Minuten auf dem Blech abkühlen lassen und dann auf einem Kuchengitter komplett auskühlen lassen.

3. Die Plätzchen mit Öffnungn in der Mitte mit Puderzucker bestäuben. Das Quittengelee mit dem Anisschnaps anrühren und dann jeweils auf ein Plätzchen ohne Öffnung einen Klecks Gelee auftragen und eins der Oberteile mit Puderzucker daraufsetzen und leicht festdrücken. Auf einem Kuchengitter antrockenn lassen und dann in einer Blechdose ohne andere Plätzchen aufbewahren – zwischen die Lagen Butterbrotpapier legen.

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Here is a version of the recipe you can print easily.

Anise Cookies

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Author: Bake to the roots
Prep Time: 40
Cook Time: 16
Total Time: 180
Yield: 40 1x

Print Recipe

Ingredients

Scale

For the dough

3 tbsp. aniseed
2 1/4 cups (300g) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (100g) confectioner’s sugar
7 oz. (200g) cold butter
1 egg

For the filling

3.5 oz. (100g) quince jelly
1 tbsp. anise liquor (eg. ouzo, raki)
confectioner’s sugar for dusting

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Instructions

Roast the aniseed in a coated pan without fat until fragrant. Grind in a mortar until you get fine powder. Add flour, confectioner’s sugar and the anis powder to a large bowl and mix. Add the cold butter in small pieces and the egg and knead until you get a nice smooth dough. Form a ball, flatten it and wrap in plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for at least 2 hours (or over night).
Preheat the oven to 350˚F (180°C). Line two baking sheets with baking parchment and set aside. Cut the dough in half (leave one half in the fridge) and roll out thinly on a floured surface. Cut out stars or circles – have of the cookies should have an additional star or circle in the middle – these are going to be the top parts of the cookies. Place on the baking sheets and bake one sheet at a time in the oven for 7-8 minutes. Take out of the oven and let cool down a bit on the baking sheets then transfer to a wire rack to let cool down completely.
Dust the cookies with the opening in the middle with confectioner’s sugar. Mix the quince jelly with the anise liquor until well combined. Place a small amount on each cookie wihout whole and place a cookie on top that has been dusted with confectioner’s sugar. Let dry some time on a wire rack. Store in a tin box without any other cookies. Place a sheet of paper between the layers of cookies.