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Moroccan anise cookies

Fragrant and addictive cookies to enjoy with your 4 o'clock tea or coffee.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Snack, Sweet
Cuisine: Moroccan, Vegetarian
Diet: Vegetarian
Keyword: Baking, Cookies, Dairy-Free
Servings: 40 cookies
Author: Shelly
Cost: 3

Equipment

  • 2 baking sheets
  • baking paper

Ingredients

  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ tablespoon baking powder
  • ½ cup cane sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup olive oil or avocado oil
  • 2 eggs*
  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds - optional
  • 1 tablespoon anise seeds - optional
  • 1 - 1¼ cup orange juice - preferably freshly squeezed but pre-packed will work too - nor the time to squeeze

Instructions

  • In a large mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients and whisk. Add eggs, olive oil and seeds and stir to form a shaggy dough. Add the orange juice gradually with one hand, while combining the ingredients with the other hand.
  • Knead the dough for 1-2 minutes. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky. If it's too dry, add some orange juice. If it’s too sticky, add some flour. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let it rest for 10-20 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 340°F. Divide the dough into three. Roll each chunk into a ball and place on the baking paper. Flour the dough lightly and the rolling pin and roll it into a 1⁄4 inch (1 cm) thick rectangle.
  • This part is important: Use a fork or dough prickler to poke holes all over the dough. Then using a pizza cutter, trim the edges and cut the rectangle into 2.5” x 2.5” squares or 2”x 3.5” rectangles.
  • Place the cookies gently on the baking sheets and bake for about 10 minutes, rotating the tray and baking until the cookies are tanned or golden. If the cookies on the edges are golden, remove them and continue to bake the rest.
  • Let the cookies cool on a cooling rack before you store them in an airtight container or zip lock bag. They last up to 2 weeks (If you're not addicted to them).

Notes

* For vegan version: Instead of the eggs, add more orange or clementine juice to the dough, about 2-4 tablespoons.
- You can add herbs such as rosemary or herb de Province (1⁄2 teaspoon crushed)
- You can use nut milk instead of orange juice.
- Play with the shape of the cookies.
- Add poppy seeds.