Italian Cookies III

Ingredients

• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1 cup butter
• 3 eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon anise
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons multicolored candy sprinkles

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar and baking powder. Cut in butter using a pastry blender or rub between fingers until well blended. Stir in the eggs, vanilla and anise extracts and mix into a firm dough. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes. Roll tablespoonfuls of dough into balls and place them 1 inch apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until firm. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks. In a small bowl, stir together 1 cup confectioners' sugar and 1 1/2 tablespoons water. Drizzle over cooled cookies and decorate with sprinkles.