Anise Seed Cookies

Name: Anise Seed Cookies
Prep time: 23400 s
Cook time: 960 s
Total time: 24360 s
Yield: 1
Cuisine: Moroccan
Ingredients: All purpose flour: 490 g; Baking powder: 14 g; Sugar: 100 g; Powdered sugar: 60 g; Almond flour: 100 g; Unsweetened shredded coconut: 34 g; Salt: 4 g; Anise seeds: 26 g; Orange: 1 (zested); Orange juice: 120 g; Oil: 100 g; Vanilla paste: 4 g; Butter: 200 g (softened); Raw sugar: for coating

30 Sep 2025

Asaf Maoz

Chef

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Difficulty

Easy

Total Time

6H 46MIN

Cuisine

Moroccan

Ingredients

All purpose flour: 490 g

Baking powder: 14 g

Sugar: 100 g

Powdered sugar: 60 g

Almond flour: 100 g

Unsweetened shredded coconut: 34 g

Salt: 4 g

Anise seeds: 26 g

Orange: 1 (zested)

Orange juice: 120 g

Oil: 100 g

Vanilla paste: 4 g

Butter: 200 g (softened)

Raw sugar: for coating

Chef Asaf Maoz’s anise seed cookies—also known as Moroccan cookies—offer a fragrant, nostalgic finale to Yom Kippur’s break-fast, served golden and crisp alongside fresh mint tea.

Also called Moroccan cookies, chef Asaf Maoz remembers his father always bringing a box of these treats after synagogue. “It became our sweet ending to the day,” he recalls.

How to make Anise Seed Cookies

01.

Prepare the Dough

Preheat oven to 330°F.
In the order listed, add all ingredients to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater.
Mix until the dough is uniform and no flour residue remains.
Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 4 hours.

02.

Shape the Rolls

Divide the dough into 8 equal portions (about 160 g each).
Roll each portion into a tight log about 3 cm in diameter, using cling film to ensure smooth, uniform rolls.
Freeze for at least 2 hours, or until completely firm.

03.

Coat in Sugar

Sprinkle sugar in the raw onto a sheet of baking paper.
Brush each frozen log lightly with water, then roll in sugar until fully coated.

04.

Slice and Bake

Using a sharp, non-serrated knife, slice the logs into ½-cm-thick cookies.
Arrange on a parchment-lined baking tray, leaving space between each cookie.
Bake for 14–16 minutes, until golden.

05.

Cool and Serve

Let cool completely.
Store in a sealed container in a cool place.
Serve with fresh mint tea.

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30 Sep 2025

The Chef

Asaf Maoz is a Los Angeles-based chef celebrated for blending his Syrian and Italian heritage at Carmel, a vibrant restaurant inspired by the flavors and energy of Tel Aviv's Carmel Market.

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