Christmas is upon us...which means baking time!!

The cookie recipe I'm about to post is a long standing tradition in my family, on my mother's side. They are called anise drops. The way the cookies are supposed to bake is like a little mountain top, if you look at the picture below, you'll see they have little tops on them, which we call peaks. Every year my grandmother, aunts, mother, and now me try to get the peaks on these cookies. Its nearly impossible, and yet my Great-Grandmother would get them every year, and only once did my Aunt Nancy get them. And then everything changed...I got them the first Christmas we lived here! I had never gotten them before, didn't even know what peaks looked like, but I got them! And to make sure I made another batch a couple days later and got them again!  So now I've gotten the peaks for 3 years in a row! I just pulled a batch out, and gazed at rows of perfectly popped peaks! :)

So why is a peak so important? Well in my family its what you look for when you put a tray of Christmas cookies out, its the one cookie you asked about, its the one cookie I call and wake up my mom at 8:30 in the morning and say "I got the peaks!" and laugh and gloat lol! (Sorry mom). My mom even came down last year and watched how I made them and what I did different, we got the peaks, she went home and tried it and got flat ones. I've come to the conclusion that perhaps the way I make them, combined with the different altitude and dryness of the air might determine whether you get them or not. It also is bragging rights, and a sign of what a good baker you are. I have proven myself now as a good baker at the age of 26! Oh yeah! lol! But I welcome all of you to try and join up in our Christmas tradition and goal of getting the peaks.

I personally didn't like them very much for years, but my husband LOVES them. Luckily the recipe only makes 2 dozen, just enough for him to munch nightly. However once, I started to get the peaks the cookie has a different flavor..and no that's not just my imagination! They are really dense and the anise flavor is lighter. If they are flat, they are more crunchy, to me atleast. Now I love them.

Anise also tastes like black licorice, if you like that flavor you'll like these, if you don't and your partner does, or you know someone who does like it, then you can still make these, because like I said its only 2 dozen. I personally have to make them 2-3 times a month (in December) for my family.

Anise Drops

3 room temperature eggs- beat until light and lemon color, about 5 minutes with the whisk attachment on medium speed (6 on the kitchen aid)

Slowly add 1 cup of sugar, and I do mean slowly, while you keep the medium speed.

Beat that for about 5-7 minutes, or until light in color

Then add 1 t. of anise flavoring

2 cups of flour

1/2 t. baking powder, mixing for a minute or two between each addition.

Continue to beat completed mixture for 2-5 minutes.

Put on greased cookie sheets (I use a cookie scoop); let sit out overnight on the counter.

Bake at 350*F for 12-15 minutes.