Cutout vanilla cookies subtly flavored with anise extract, sandwiched together with rich chocolate ganache. These anise cookies are perfect for the holidays for those who like a less traditional, not-too-sweet treat.
You might also love these iced brown sugar cutout cookies, iced chai spice sugar cookies, and soft butterscotch cookies with ganache filling.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Simple but Elegant. The elegance of these anise cookies is in their simplicity. The clean edges of the fluted cookie, contrasting against the chocolate filling, looks so striking.
Soft and Buttery. The cookies are not at all crunchy, but very tender, soft and buttery, similar to shortbread.
Not Too Sweet. My vanilla cutout sugar cookies are not that sweet on their own, since I usually intend them to be paired with a sweet royal icing or buttercream. That said, I love desserts that aren’t very sweet, so pairing these with a dark chocolate ganache really made them the perfect cookie for me. If you like sweet cookies, though, these may not be for you.
Perfect for a Christmas Cookie Box. The cookies freeze beautifully, so you can bake and fill them in advance, then keep them in the freezer until Christmas.
High Altitude Tested. I develop all the recipes on my site for Denver’s altitude of 5,280 feet. If you’re at a lower or higher elevation, please see my FAQs for guidance on adjusting recipes for your altitude.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for the full ingredients list and instructions.
Ingredients
- Vanilla Cutout Cookies. I love my recipe for No Spread Vanilla Sugar Cookies. They hold their shape perfectly, they’re not too sweet, and can be flavored with any flavor of extract.
- Anise Extract. Anise extract is known for its black licorice flavor, and is commonly used in pizzelles. However, I thought it would be lovely to add a subtle hint of anise to my vanilla cookies, and then pair it with chocolate.
- Chocolate + Heavy Whipping Cream. To make the ganache, you’ll need equal parts (by weight) of chocolate and cream. Use a dark chocolate if that’s what you like, or a sweeter chocolate if you prefer a less bitter flavor.
Instructions
Cookies
- Make the vanilla sugar cookies, adding the anise extract when you add the vanilla and milk. With a 2 1/2 inch fluted cookie cutter, you should get about 36-40 cookies, for 20 assembled sandwich cookies.
- Let the cookies cool completely before filling.
Ganache
- Chop the chocolate and scrape it into a bowl.
- Warm the cream in a saucepan over medium low heat, just until it begins to simmer around the edges.
- Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, let stand for three minutes, then stir until smooth.
- Let the ganache cool and thicken for about 15 minutes, before filling the cookies.
Assembly
- Turn half the cookies over, so the bottoms are facing up.
- Spoon the ganache onto the cookie bottoms. You can be pretty generous with the ganache, and it shouldn’t spill over the edge of the cookies if you let it cool first.
- Let the ganache set on the cookies for 15 minutes, then top with the other cookie half and gently press down. Let it set up completely until the ganache is firm.
Be sure to read all of my BAKING FAQs where I discuss ingredients, substitutions and common baking questions, so that you can be successful in your own baking!
Frequently Asked Questions
The 1/2 tsp anise extract is pretty subtle, but adds a lovely warmth to complement the chocolate. For a stronger flavor, use up to 1 tsp anise extract. Knowing how much anise extract to use can be tricky, and I certainly didn’t want the flavor to be overwhelming. But I definitely could have used more than 1/2 tsp without ending up with a cookie that tasted strongly of black licorice.
The chocolate you use for the ganache will influence the sweetness of these cookies. The cookies themselves are not overly sweet, since I usually frost them with sweet royal icing or buttercream. So if you use a darker chocolate (such as 70%), don’t expect the assembled sandwich cookie to taste sweet. For myself, I love dark chocolate and less-sweet desserts, so I used 70% Lindt dark chocolate. For a sweeter taste, use chocolate with a lower percentage of cacao, around 45-50%. Or, consider using a chocolate buttercream frosting instead of ganache.
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days, in the refrigerator for up to one week, or in the freezer for up to 3-6 months.
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Anise Cookies with Chocolate Ganache
All recipes on Curly Girl Kitchen are developed for high altitude at 5,280 feet. See FAQs for adjusting to higher or lower elevations.
Equipment
- Food Processor or Pastry Cutter
Ingredients
- 1 recipe No Spread Vanilla Sugar Cookies
- 1/2-1 tsp anise extract
- 6 oz semi-sweet chocolate (see notes)
- 6 oz heavy whipping cream
Instructions
Cookies
- Make the vanilla sugar cookies, adding the anise extract when you add the vanilla and milk. With a 2 1/2 inch fluted cookie cutter, you should get about 36-40 cookies, for 20 assembled sandwich cookies.
- Let the cookies cool completely before filling.
Ganache
- Chop the chocolate and scrape it into a bowl.
- Warm the cream in a saucepan over medium low heat, just until it begins to simmer around the edges.
- Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, let stand for three minutes, then stir until smooth.
- Let the ganache cool and thicken for about 15 minutes, before filling the cookies.
Assembly
- Turn half the cookies over, so the bottoms are facing up.
- Spoon the ganache onto the cookie bottoms. You can be pretty generous with the ganache, and it shouldn't spill over the edge of the cookies if you let it cool first.
- Let the ganache set on the cookies for 15 minutes, then top with the other cookie half and gently press down. Let it set up completely until the ganache is firm.
Notes
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