Almond Anise Cookies

I’ve started this category named “Records and Recipes” which will couple recipes I’ve made with either a song or an album.

For this post, the album Tell Me I’m Pretty was my inspiration for these Almond Anise Cookies

A new chapter of my life has begun as I’ve moved to Australia for 6 months! I’ve left the Canadian summer to arrive in Melbournian winter (which doesn’t compare, but isn’t warm either).

The bluesy pop-garage-rock tones and lyrics touching on the yearning for stability coincided with my hectic weeks attempting to find housing, arranging courses, meeting new people and establishing myself in this city.

The sweet liquorice tones of anise always reminds me of spiced cakes during snowy days. I also paired it with almonds to complement the anise. I thought that this treat complemented the album and more specifically to the Cold Cold Cold song,

I used almond butter as fat alternative. It is lower in saturated fat than peanut butter and butter. It’s also an excellent source of magnesium and manganese.

Take a listen and let me know if you can relate the cookies with the album!

https://open.spotify.com/embed/album/0nW0w37lrQ87k7PLZvC4qJ

Ingredients

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon backing powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tsp anise
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 2 eggs, or flax eggs
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, metled
• ¼ cup almond butter
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ¼ cup milk or alternative

Method

1. In medium bowl, mix coconut oil, almond butter and sugar together until sugar has dissolved.
2. Mix in eggs, milk and vanilla.
3. In large bowl, mix all dry ingredients together.
4. Mix wet ingredients into dry and form into a log.
5. With cling film, wrap the dough into a cylinder, as though to make a torchon (about 6 cm diameter).
6. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
7. Preheat over to 380F.
8. Cut dough log into 1cm thickness cookies.
9. Place on a prepared sheet tray (greased, lined with parchment paper, silpat mat), and bake for 11 min for caky cookies or 15 min for crunchy.
10. Serve and enjoy!