Anise Cookies (kaak bi yansoon)

Anise cookies are traditional Lebanese cookies that are prepared by combining flour, sugar, milk, eggs, mahlab (ground sour cherry pits), anise seeds and ground with butter. You will have a dough that can be formed into logs and rolled into round cookies. The result is an aromatic and crunchy cookie that is enjoyed with coffee or tea! This recipe makes about 85 cookies. They keep well in the freezer.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 2 tablespoons Ghee butter
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 4 tablespoons whole milk
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon mahlab (optional)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon ground anise seeds
• 3 tablespoons anise seeds, rinsed
• 1 egg  yolk + 1/4 cup water (egg wash)

Method:

• Heat the milk, butter, and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Add the oil off heat and set aside to cool.
• Combine flour, baking powder, anise grounds, mahlab. Set aside.
• In a standing mixer, beat the eggs and vanilla.
• Start adding to the beaten eggs the flour mixture, alternating with the sugar/butter mixture.
• At this stage, you can add the anise seeds that you had picked through, rinsed and dried on a paper towel.
• If you feel that the dough is too wet, you can add flour, a tablespoon at a time. (I find that some days I need to and other days the recipe is exact. It all depends on the humidity level in my kitchen that affects baking time and dry ingredients).
• Spray a sheet pan with baking spray and set aside.
• Take a portion of dough and roll it into a log that you slice into even pieces.
• Roll each piece in your hand and shape into a round cookie.
• Prepare the egg wash by beating with a fork one egg yolk and a 1/4 cup water.
• Place the rolled cookies onto your baking sheet, brush the top of each cookie with the egg wash and place the sheet in a preheated 350 degrees F oven.
• Bake the cookies until the tops are slightly golden and beautiful.
• Set aside to cool.
• Serve to your loved ones, guests and enjoy!