Anise Pierniki (Polish Christmas Cookies Recipe) (2024)

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A little bit of patience and a lot of sprinkles will get you the most memorable Christmas experience when you whip up a batch of myNana’s Anise Pierniki!

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This is the one folks. The recipe I’ve been most excited to share with you this week.

These are my absolute very favorite Christmas cookies of all time. They’re so simple, and they’re nothing too fancy to look at, but they hold so much meaning to me that even as a food blogger (who has to fancy things up to keep her OCD in check,) I couldn’t bear to present them any other way than how I made them with my Nana.

I may have taken some liberties with my sprinkle ratio, however (she tended to be a little less heavy-handed.)

This page includes step by step instructions, as well as tips and notes. If you’d like to skip all that, feel free to scroll down to the full, printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

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If you love traditional Christmas cookies, and you enjoya bit of anise (some would describe it as a mild licorice flavor – think a mild Ouzo or Sambuca,) then please bake up a batch of these for your family and friends and neighbors and co-workers and mailman and Santa.

They’ll first seethe beauty of a cutout cookie, then be surprised at the crispy texture and delicate flavors of this Polish classic.

After some research, I couldn’t really find the technical name for these, nor did I find any recipe exactly like it (there are actually 2 recipes for pierniki in the cookbook that are nothing like this.) All Iknow is that they’re “Stella’s” Christmas Cookies, and every year come holiday time,I helped Nana bake and decorate them.

Whoever Stella was, I’m grateful that she passed this recipe along.

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My Nana was an incredible woman. She went from 20-something wife, mother, and homemaker to factory worker during World War II to make ends meet. In her 70s, I came along and she did it again – raising me solo from baby to 21 on her Social Security check and credit cards.

Much different time, the 80s-90s were, but still.

Her favorite place was in the kitchen, cooking meals and surprising the family with her cookies and cakes – many of which arefound in her cookbook that is now a regular part of my kitchen adventures.

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This year marks my third Christmas as a blogger, and I’ve meant to share these every.single.year.

Why did it take me this long? No idea. I make them annually and have had plenty of chances to shoot them.

They’re cookies I share with everyone I know – I always make a double or triple-batch just to have enough to spread Nana’s spirit through as many people as I can.

So why have I held out on sharing the Christmas cookie recipe with you, my favorite faceless internet friends?

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Not that it matters, because they’re here, and now anyone who’s ever had the pleasure of trying one can make a whole batch to eat all by themselves by the light of their twinkling Christmas lights share with the ones they love.

I guessI’m now passing Nana’s spirit on to a much bigger audience – the world – through a very special Christmas cookies recipe.

I think she’d love that.

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Merry Christmas. Happy Holidays. I love you guys.

  • Nana’s Russian Tea Cakes (AKA “Nut Balls”)
  • Easy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Lofthouse-Style Soft Sugar Cookies with Frosting
  • Bakery Style Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Nana’s Anise Pierniki (Polish Christmas Cookies)

A little bit of patience and a lot of sprinkles will get you the most memorable Christmas experience when you whip up a batch of my Nana’s Anise Pierniki!

4.54 from 91 votes

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Polish

Keyword: pierniki, polish christmas cookies

Prep Time: 1 hour hour

Cook Time: 7 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 7 minutes minutes

Servings: 36 cookies

Calories: 93kcal

Author: Erica

Ingredients

  • ½ cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour plus more for rolling
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 3 Tablespoons milk
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon anise extract or oil

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

  • ¼ cup unsalted butter softened
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 3-4 Tablespoons milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Assorted sprinkles

Instructions

  • In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, ~3 minutes. Add anise, egg yolk, and milk, beating to combine. In a separate bowl, sift baking powder and salt into flour, then add to wet ingredients, mixing until incorporated. Dough will be sticky but thick.

  • Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-24 hours.

  • When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicon liners. Set up a station with flour, rolling pin, cookie cutters, and prepared baking sheets.

  • Flour your workstation moderately, as well as your hands. Take half of the dough and dust it with flour, knead it into a ball, then roll it out as thinly as possible (or as desired,) dusting with flour sparingly but as needed to prevent sticking. Cut into desired shapes. Transfer to baking sheets, leaving a bit of space between each cookie (they don’t spread much at all.)

  • Bake for 7-10 minutes, until edges are barely golden (these are very pale finished cookies.*) Remove from oven and cool on pans for 3-4 minutes, then remove to cooling rack with a metal spatula.

  • Return scraps to bowl and repeat the steps with the remaining cold ball of dough. Repeat a third time with scraps from first two rounds, being sure not to overwork the dough or add too much flour to it as you work.**

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

  • Combine ingredients in a small bowl and beat until a fluffy buttercream consistency is reached, adding milk or sugar as necessary (I like my frosting fluffy, but you may prefer it thinner.)

  • Gently spread frosting on each cookie and decorate with sprinkles as desired. This is a fun project for little ones to help with! Allow cookies to dry overnight before packaging and storing.

Video

Notes

* These are very pale finished cookies, with only the edges being barely browned. I recommend testing a couple in your oven until you find the right amount of baking time. The cookbook calls for a 10 minute bake time, but my oven is near the 6-7 minute mark.
** It is important not to use too much flour on your work space, or to overwork the dough. It’s very sensitive, and can lead to altered taste if abused.

Nutrition

Calories: 93kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 10mg | Potassium: 25mg | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 130IU | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 0.3mg

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Anise Pierniki (Polish Christmas Cookies Recipe) (8)

Anise Pierniki (Polish Christmas Cookies Recipe) (9)
Anise Pierniki (Polish Christmas Cookies Recipe) (10)
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DAY ONE | German Chocolate Cookie Cups
DAY TWO | Bakery Style Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies
DAY THREE | Salted Caramel Coconut Biscotti
DAY FOUR |Chocolate Cheesecake Cookies
DAY FIVE |Nana’s Anise Pierniki (Polish Christmas Cookies)

Anise Pierniki (Polish Christmas Cookies Recipe) (13)
Anise Pierniki (Polish Christmas Cookies Recipe) (2024)

FAQs

Is Anise a Christmas flavor? ›

Christmas is on its way, why spices like cinnamon, cloves, ginger and star anise are christmasy.

What is the tradition of cookies at Christmas? ›

The practice of putting out cookies for Santa began in the 1930s during the Great Depression, when parents were trying to instill a sense of thankfulness in their children. Leaving goodies, perhaps in a sweet cookie jar, continues to be a way of sharing the holiday bounty.

What is the name of Christmas cookie? ›

Classic Christmas Cookies

They're the ones you might remember from the platters of your childhood, like snickerdoodles, molasses cookies, macaroons, sugar cookies and more. Every single one of these recipes is a tried and true favorite and is perfect for carrying on your cookie traditions year after year.

What is the least popular Christmas cookie? ›

On the naughty list of cookies, Americans gave the lowest win records to anise cookies, which only won 29% of its matchups.

What is the most eaten cookie in the world? ›

Oreo is the best-selling cookie in the world. It is now sold in over 100 countries. Oreo was first produced in 1912 by the National Biscuit Company, now known as Na-Bis-Co.

What is the difference between anise and star anise? ›

Their similar licorice-like flavor makes these two natural substitutes for each other. However, because star anise has a much stronger flavor, you'll need to halve the amount when substituting it for anise seed. Likewise, use twice as much anise seed when substituting for star anise.

What is the difference between licorice and anise flavor? ›

Anise tends to be spicy and a little sweet. Licorice, on the other hand, can be bitter, salty, and even sour. They smell similarly because they both have anethole, which is an organic flavoring compound. Anethole is also in star anise and fennel, which are also known to taste similar to licorice and anise.

Is star anise a Christmas scent? ›

This is when the spices take centre stage: cinnamon sticks, gratings of whole nutmeg, power-packed cloves, liquoricey star anise and lots of vanilla and citrus – it's the smell and taste of Christmas in a nutshell.

What country invented Christmas cookies? ›

The First Christmas Cookies

Those who would like to take credit for the invention of the Christmas cookie will have to arm wrestle the Germans for it. They believe that Weihnachtsplätzchen, a term that refers specifically to cookies and broadly to holiday treats, encompasses the origin of Christmas baking.

What was the first Christmas cookie? ›

History. Modern Christmas cookies can trace their history to recipes from Medieval Europe biscuits, when many modern ingredients such as cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, almonds and dried fruit were introduced into the west.

How early to start Christmas cookies? ›

You'll find that most of your favorite Christmas cookie recipes can be made anywhere from a month to six months before the 25th of December. (Consult this handy how-to guide to the matter.) Generally, most recipes will be best if baked and then frozen.

What is Santa Claus's favorite cookie? ›

Chocolate Chip cookies

You can never go wrong with these classic, delicious cookies. Santa himself lists these as his favorites, and he prefers them soft and gooey with lots of chocolate chips. If you decide to leave these out for him, make sure there's a glass of cold milk nearby!

Why are they called Jesus cookies? ›

She found a delicious recipe for gluten-free “Jesus cookies.” My daughters call those really puffy, soft sugar cookies with lots of icing and sprinkles you find in the grocery store “Jesus cookies” because they seemed to get them during Sunday School A LOT.

What is the number one holiday cookie? ›

Peanut Butter Blossoms are America's favorite Christmas cookie, based both on total number of pageviews from the U.S. population as a whole, and number of states that ranked it as their top cookie (which is six, by the way).

What is the #1 cookie in the US? ›

Nearly 93% of all American households serve and enjoy cookies as treats or after meals. However, it's the chocolate chip cookie that's the most popular in the U.S. and around the world. How much do youknow about chocolate chip cookies?

What is the #1 cookie in the United States? ›

1 Chocolate Chip Cookie (No Further Description Necessary)

America's favorite cookie and the one dubbed “the American cookie” is the Chocolate chip cookie.

What is the number one selling cookie? ›

Oreo is the world's best-selling cookie and has been a favorite for over 100 years. Its popularity can be attributed to its unique sandwich cookie design and creamy filling.

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