These delectable Sicilian anise lemon taralli are subtly flavored with anise seed and lemon zest and topped with a lemon glaze. Crisp on the outside and soft and crumbly on the inside, it's hard to stop at only one!
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These Sicilian style anise and lemon taralli are traditionally prepared on November 2nd, for All Souls Day, but are delicious and easy to prepare all year round! Not to be confused with the ever popular lemon knot cookies or anginetti, these do not have a cake like texture.
Instead, anise lemon taralli are slightly crisp on the outside and tender and crumbly on the inside. Flavored with anise seed and lemon zest in the dough and lightly glazed with lemon icing, these are the cookies you'll want to reach for to enjoy with your coffee or tea.
The secret to lemon taralli's satisfying texture...
It's all about the ammonium carbonate, also known as baker's ammonia! If you haven't tried baking with this ingredient before, I highly recommend it!
Before baking powder was available back in Sicily, my mom explained that they did all their baking with ammonium carbonate. This is basically a leavening agent and is responsible for this crisp textured cookie with a tender crumb.
It's often used in these breakfast cookies as well as what I used to prepare my Easter cookies.
Baking with ammonium carbonate is completely safe and in case you're worried about the strong scent of this product which is apparent during baking, I guarantee that you will not taste it in the cookies.
Ammonium carbonate can be replaced with equal amounts of baking powder.
You can purchase ammonium carbonate at most grocery stores located in the baking/spice aisle or you may easily purchase it here.
Ingredient List
- All-purpose flour
- Sugar
- Ammonium carbonate: may be replaced with baking powder
- Salt
- Butter: unsalted
- Lemon: zested and juiced
- Anise seed
- Milk
- Eggs
- Powdered sugar: for the glaze
The following are step by step instructions with images to guide you through this recipe. Please scroll to the end of this post for the detailed printable recipe card.
Step by Step Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour; sugar; ammonium carbonate and salt.
- Add the cubed butter and cut into the dry ingredients with your fingers or a pastry cutter.
- Stir in the lemon zest and anise seed.
- In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and milk. Pour into the bowl with the dry ingredients and use a wooden spoon to stir the mixture until a raggedy dough is shaped.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for a few minutes until smooth.
- Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerated for 30 minutes.
To shape the lemon taralli
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cut the dough into 4 pieces. Keep the dough wrapped until you are ready to shape it.
- Divide each quarter portion of dough into roughly 6 -40 gram pieces.
- Lightly flour your work surface and roll each piece into a 30 cm long rope.
- Fold the rope, then twist 3 times.
- Pinch the ends together and place on the prepared baking sheets.
- Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
To glaze
- Whisk the powdered sugar and lemon juice. Stir in milk 1 teaspoon at a time until you have the desired consistency. I used 3 tsp. milk.
- Dip the top of each taralli in the glaze, allowing the excess to drip away.
- Place on the wire rack to set. Once the glaze is hardened, they may be transferred to a well sealed container for storage.
Recipe Notes
-Ammonium carbonate may be replaced with an equal amount of baking powder.
-The taralli may be prepared without the anise seed, if you prefer.
-For extra lemon flavor, add the juice of 1 lemon to the dough and reduce the amount of milk by 2 tbsp.
-For a festive look, add colored candy sprinkles on the glaze before it sets.
-This recipe was originally made with strutto or lard, instead of butter.
Keep the cookies in a well sealed container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Wrap cookies well in a freezer safe container for up to 1 month. Defrost at room temperature.
Did you try this recipe?
Let me know how much you enjoyed it by rating it in the recipe card below!
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Check out more Sicilian cookie recipes!
- Sicilian Easter Cookies with Eggs
- Italian Breakfast Cookies
- Tetù - Chocolate Spice Cookies
- Easy Pignoli Cookies
- Biscotti Regina (Sesame Seed Cookies)
- Cuccidati
- Biscotti di San Martino
- Pistachio Amaretti
Sicilian Anise Lemon Taralli Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon ammonium carbonate may be replaced with baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 lemon, zested
- 1 teaspoon anise seed
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup milk
For the glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ½ lemon, juiced about 1 ½ tbsp.
- 3 teaspoon milk
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour; sugar; ammonium carbonate and salt.
- Add the cubed butter and cut into the dry ingredients with your fingers or a pastry cutter. Stir in the lemon zest and anise seed.
- In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and milk. Pour into the bowl with the dry ingredients and use a wooden spoon to stir the mixture until a raggedy dough is shaped.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for a few minutes until smooth. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerated for 30 minutes.
Shape the taralli
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cut the dough into 4 pieces. Keep remaining dough wrapped until you are ready to use it.
- Divide each piece of dough into roughly 6 -40 gram parts.
- Lightly flour your work surface and roll each piece into a 30 cm long rope. Fold the rope, then twist 3 times.
- Pinch the ends together to form a ring and place on the prepared baking sheets. Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
To glaze
- Whisk the powdered sugar and lemon juice. Stir in milk 1 teaspoon at a time until you have the desired consistency. I used 3 tsp. milk.
- Dip the top of each taralli in the glaze, allowing the excess to drip away.
- Place on the wire rack to set. Once the glaze is hardened, they may be transferred to a well sealed container for storage.
Notes
-For extra lemon flavor, add the juice of 1 lemon to the dough and reduce the amount of milk by 2 tbsp.
-For a festive look, add colored candy sprinkles on the glaze before it sets.
-This recipe was originally made with strutto or lard, instead of butter. Storage Keep the cookies in a well sealed container at room temperature for up to 5 days. To Freeze Wrap cookies well in a freezer safe container for up to 1 month. Defrost at room temperature.
Nutrition
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tom
Very good. I made them using baking powder, next time I will try with ammonium carbonate.
Nadia
Hi Tom, glad you enjoyed them. I think you’ll enjoy the lovely texture that ammonium carbonate gives these taralli!
tom adhoc
Years ago my friends' mother made these for Christmas. They were soft on the inside and crisp on the outside.Amazing! I did not get that with baking powder. I've seen ammonium carbonate at the Italian grocery store but never figured out its use,.....until now. Old dogs can learn new tricks.
Nadia
Hi Tom, yes the ammonium carbonate really does give them that unique texture that's not quite replicated with baking powder. Don't let the aroma bother you while they are baking as it dissipates once cooled. Let me know how they turn out!
RG
Just wanted to let you know that I thought this recipe was fantastic! Love the anise paired with lemon. These are great with a cup of coffee. Thanks for sharing.
Nadia
Thank you, I’m thrilled to hear you enjoyed them, I love them with my coffee too!
Anna Bucciarelli
Just in time for Christmas Nadia. Your recipe may be Sicilian but my Neapolitan mama's taralli are just the same as your recipe (after following her around to get proper ingredients for, as you know, she had no actual recipe and we had to watch carefully to build a recipe from watching her). She made tons of them to give and keep for us kids in a huge covered enamel pot. Sometimes she used Anise seed but often not - they were always delicious and baked all year round. I bake them usually only during the holidays . So glad to see this recipe and thank you for sharing.
Nadia
Hello Anna, oh I didn't know about the Neapolitan version, so many similarities although I do love them with the anise, it adds great flavor. Enjoy!