Taralli Dolci al Finocchio | Simple Italian Fennel Seed Cookies Recipe

This is a very old and traditional cookie recipe from southern Italy. The cookies are very quick and easy to make, aren't overly sweet, and they last a really long time. You can make a big batch and have a light snack on hand for weeks!

Perhaps the most difficult thing about making these sweet taralli is sourcing baker’s ammonia. This ingredient was used a lot in the past as a preservative, so when you see it in a recipe you know that you’ve found a very traditional food! Even if it isn’t locally available near you, it can be easily sourced online and is a good ingredient to have on hand if you plan to tackle any other historic baking projects.

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Taralli Dolci al Finocchio Recipe

Makes: About 65 small cookies

Cook Time: 45 minutes

For this recipe, you will need:

• ½ cup whole milk, or as needed
• 1 teaspoon (4 grams) ammonium bicarbonate (“baker’s ammonia”)
• 2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
• 6 ½ tablespoons (80 grams) sugar, plus extra for topping
• 4 tablespoons (20 grams) fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon (4 grams) baking powder
• 2 tablespoons (30 grams) lard

Pour about half of the milk into a small bowl and add the baker’s ammonia. Stir until the powder dissolves completely.

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, fennel seeds, baking powder, lard, and the milk/ammonia mixture. Knead the ingredients together in the bowl, and gradually add the rest of the milk as you continue to mix by hand. Add just enough milk to create a very soft dough that isn’t super sticky.

Once the dough is roughly formed, transfer it onto a clean work surface and knead until even and well-incorporated. Preheat the oven to 395° F (200° C).

On a surface lightly dusted with flour, roll the dough out with a rolling pin until it is about ¼ inch (6 millimeters) thick. With a knife, cut the dough into long strips that are about 1 ½ inches (3.8 centimeters) wide. Gently scrape a fork along the top surface of each strip to roughen the dough a little bit, then sprinkle some extra sugar on top, to taste.

Cut the strips in the opposite direction to create small squares. Place the squares on a large, parchment lined baking sheet. Bake the cookies for 20 minutes, or until lightly golden.

Let the cookies cool and store in an airtight container for up to a month. They can be eaten as-is, or dipped in wine or coffee.

Buon appetito!