1/2 cup butter, melted                                         1 1/2 tsp. anise extract ( or vanilla )

2/3 cup sugar                                                      1 tsp. anise seed ( optional )

2 eggs                                                                1/2 cup whole almonds, toasted ( optional )

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking powder

Mix eggs; add sugar; add cooled butter and anise extract. Sift dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture. Fold in anise seeds and ground almonds, ( if you are using ). Batter will be stiff. Scoop by teaspoon fulls and form into balls. Place them just behind the center point of a heated pizzelle iron and cook for 25 seconds. Lift off with a fork and cool on wire racks. Makes 2 Dozen – freezes in small packages. If cookies lose their crispness, bake in a 300* oven for 5 minutes. ,