We had the opportunity to try a White Wine Cookie with Fennel at a recent function.  When we got home, my wife googled and found a recipe and showed it to me.  I automatically looked for other recipes – as I always do, just to get different perspectives, methods, etc.  I settled on this one and am presenting it to you as a another cookie, but this one you can really make anytime you want a quick nibble.  Of course there are variations, but the simplicity of ingredients reminded me of my “Italy meets India” cooking school days.  This is a delicious cookie, crunchy with a hint of fennel! This is another Christmas Treat – Red or White Wine Cookies with Fennel.   

Yes, you can make these cookies using red or white wine. I used red wine for the first batch, a Malbec to be precise.  I love the taste of a Malbec and it transfers beautifully to the cookie! The dough was nicely colored as well. The fennel seeds complement the taste and make for a nice surprise when you bite into it. I also used olive oil instead of vegetable oil as recommended – oh my goodness! Olives and grapes, a match made in heaven!

For embellishment, not that it needs any, I used candy coated fennel seeds to ramp up the flavor and make it more of a fun cookie. I’ve used them before in previous years – especially during the Italy meets India cooking school days. My friend Maria who did the classes with me, loved those candy coated fennel seeds. Fennel is great for digestion, and while this is candy coated, it looks colorful on top of a cookie, it’s good for you and it tastes great.  Not always a necessary embellishment but she would indulge me (and indulge in the seeds 🙂 ) whenever I asked!

The dough is delightful and a joy to work with. It didn’t need any mixing on a floured surface after coming together in the bowl. I just stirred the ingredients together with a firm rubber spatula, kneaded a couple of times in the bowl, to get it into a ball . I ripped off small bits of dough and made balls out of them before rolling into logs.  This gave me the chance to eyeball each piece to ensure they were about the same size.  I got about 60 one bite pieces.  I was never very good at making logs so started with rolling using my palm and then switched to finger shaping.  Whatever works for you, do it!

This isn’t a sweet cookie, it is just a delightful anytime cookie! After tasting the finished product, I decided to also make a batch using white wine, a Sauvignon Blanc.  The cookies came out just as good, I know they will disappear off the sweet table. Like all things Italian, simple recipe, few ingredients and great taste! As always – enjoy!

Ingredients
½ cup wine, red or white wine  (I used a Malbec for the red and a Sauvignon Blanc for white, and remember if you won’t drink it, don’t cook with it)
½ cup sugar
⅓ cup olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tsp fennel seeds (use more if you like the flavor)
½ teaspoon baking powder 
2¼ cups all-purpose flour

Directions
Pre-heat oven to 350f – line a baking tray with parchment paper, set aside
In a medium mixing bowl add wine, oil, sugar, salt, baking powder and fennel seeds – stir well
Add the flour and mix well until it forms a smooth dough – it happens right before your eyes
Using your impeccably clean hands, just knead the dough in the bowl once or twice to bring everything together – it is a soft beautiful dough
Divide the dough roughly in half and work with half at a time – tear off a small piece of dough and roll it into a ball, place on your baking tray
Roll each ball into a rope about 3 – 4” long, about ¼” high, wrap it around your finger and press the ends together 
Note: if you have been gifted with large fingers, this may not work with the length of rope, merely make it longer
Place (or replace) on the baking sheet and continue until all the balls are made and both batches are finished – you can either leave them like this – classic style, or dip the top into the colored fennel seeds or white sugar and place on the pan
Bake for 25 – 35 minutes 
If you get to 35 minutes and the cookies are firm to the touch and crunchy when you try one, they are ready; if not, turn the oven off but leave the cookies in the oven to continue to let the insides get crunchy with the residual heat
Sample your handywork – enjoy!