Paximadia have been enjoyed prior to any memory I have of when biscotti started appearing in cafes and coffee houses.
Greeks will often enjoy a Paximadi as part of a breakfast or as a side with a Greek coffee. Since the autumn of last year, I’ve been enjoying my Greek coffee each morning and some Paximadia on the side is always nice for dunking.
With a a little Greek twist, my mom’s basic recipe has the addition of pounded anise seeds (just enough to release their flavours).
For those not in the know, anise seeds are used to flavour and aromatize Greece’s national booze of choice, Ouzo.
If you have your own Paximadia recipe, try adding some anise seeds into the mix. The aroma of these cookies baking will send you floating and the hint’O licorice flavour against the strong brew of Greek coffee is a simple joy.
Paximadia With Anise
4 cups of all-purpose flour
(approx. as the dough should be dense yet easy to roll).
1 cup vegetable oil
1 shot of Ouzo
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup chopped almonds
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 Tbsp. of cracked anise seeds
(preheat your oven to 350F)
- Using your hands, mix the oil, Ouzo, sugar, vanilla, anise seeds and eggs (add 1 at a time) and incorporate well.
- In another bowl, add your baking powder and sifted flour and mix well.
- Add your wet to dry and knead with your hands for about 5 minutes. You should at this time have a soft dough.
- Form your loaves on parchment paper and leave as much empty space between each loaf.
- Bake on the middle rack of your oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Turn off your oven. Let cool until you’re able to safely handle them.
- Slice your Paximadia widthwise (serrated knife) and lay them back out on the cookie sheet. Place them back in the turned-off oven for at least an hour to dry out. The residual heat of the oven will do the rest of the work.
40 Responses
It’s never occurred to me to try making these. Good idea, and I like the idea of the anise seeds.
Love the differences in this to biscotti which has just been completely bastardized in this country. The first time I ever tasted it was homemade and that is truly the only way to go. I bet this tastes just as wonderful!
Ooh, they look fantastic!
Anise is perfect with coffee. Growing up in an Italian family it was Sambuca in coffee and anise flavored cookies. These look delicious!
…and that empty cup over there..is that mine? ;)
Those sound yummy.
I think I had the worst hangover of my life after getting drunk on ouzo on the island of Crete. Didn’t stop me drinking it again though, I just treated it with a little more respect. ;-)
This is my kind of treat Peter! Thanks for sharing this recipe with your loyal readers.
Just stumbled on your blog doing a Toronto food search – oraio enai! I love paximadia, and indeed have a Tupperware full sent from my yiayia as a housewarming/let-me-fill-your-cupboards-koritsi-mou gift. :) Her paximadia use sesame, a bit of anise, and walnuts; very addictive!
Added you to my feed-reader and look forward to reading more.
My favourite part about these is the anise. I bet it gives them that extra edge. Perfect for dunking in my coffee (I personally don’t like Greek coffee..but hey…).
Peter look delicious but Im still dream with a red bullet!!!!! (kidding) but I like too this and I love anise xxGloria
Sorry Peter I want to say red MULLET!! Im so tired here is so late! xxxGloria
IN SA we call this a rusk and we also enjoy it with morning coffee. My mother also puts aniseed in hers. In my mind I can see you sipping coffee and dipping a paximadia on that lovely porch of yours.
IN SA we call this a rusk and we also enjoy it with morning coffee. My mother also puts aniseed in hers. In my mind I can see you sipping coffee and dipping a paximadia on that lovely porch of yours.
IN SA we call this a rusk and we also enjoy it with morning coffee. My mother also puts aniseed in hers. In my mind I can see you sipping coffee and dipping a paximadia on that lovely porch of yours.
IN SA we call this a rusk and we also enjoy it with morning coffee. My mother also puts aniseed in hers. In my mind I can see you sipping coffee and dipping a paximadia on that lovely porch of yours.
IN SA we call this a rusk and we also enjoy it with morning coffee. My mother also puts aniseed in hers. In my mind I can see you sipping coffee and dipping a paximadia on that lovely porch of yours.
IN SA we call this a rusk and we also enjoy it with morning coffee. My mother also puts aniseed in hers. In my mind I can see you sipping coffee and dipping a paximadia on that lovely porch of yours.
IN SA we call this a rusk and we also enjoy it with morning coffee. My mother also puts aniseed in hers. In my mind I can see you sipping coffee and dipping a paximadia on that lovely porch of yours.
IN SA we call this a rusk and we also enjoy it with morning coffee. My mother also puts aniseed in hers. In my mind I can see you sipping coffee and dipping a paximadia on that lovely porch of yours.
IN SA we call this a rusk and we also enjoy it with morning coffee. My mother also puts aniseed in hers. In my mind I can see you sipping coffee and dipping a paximadia on that lovely porch of yours.
These look great, Peter! The perfect thing with a nice coffee. My mother uses Sambuca in hers. Same idea, different execution, delicious result!
I will look out for Paximadia when I go to Greece (which is 3 weeks today)!
Thanks to you Peter I will now know lots more things on the menu than I did last time I went!!
Hooray — I just added anise seeds to my shopping list (for a beet-and-anise tapa), and now I’ll have another recipe to make with them. Thanks!
It does sound like a wonderful way to start the morning Peter…Greece’s answer to biscotti:D
I love these!! And I generally love anise- I’m starting to think that its going to be one of those next “it” ingredients (the way matcha green tea was)…I’m starting to see it pop around everywhere all of a sudden and being used by top patissiers. Love reading your posts when its your recipes or your moms! Do you use anise seeds in infusions too? I drink that before going to sleep, helps the same way chamomile does.
I like licorice/anise flavor, so I think I would like these. I would do exactly what you do: enjoy them with a cup of coffee.
These look really delicious. I love anise.
Aaahh, Ouzo. Delicious. I have never even heard of Paximadia before and i am very intrigued Peter!
Lulu, Paximadia are rather easy and keep well in a container…dunking time!
Judy, homemade is always best and they aren’t a hassle to make.
Vb, I do love the anise flavour and coffee combo.
Maryann…coffee is served anytime.
Jan, I’ve been there (ouzo hangover) but the key is to eat when you drink.
Lisa, thanks…come have a coffee and cookie.
Hi Maria and thanks for visiting. Aren’t you lucky to have giagia send you a bundle of paximadia? I’ll look forward to seeing you around more and I’m just an email away.
Pete, you don’t like Greek coffee? When made corectly, can’t be beaten.
Ahh Gloria, rem mullet, cookies, coffee… a new combo?
Nina, we associate rusk as being more on the savory/dry bread side of the ledger..regardless…it’s all good.
Sticky, many parallels in both cuisines…taste is what counts!
Jan, the Greek bakeries will have them – don’t buy the supermarket ones (crap).
Lydia, they are a wonderful little spice…enjoy!
Ahem Val, Paximadia.
Marianna, you could be right…it’s funny how some people accept yet reject other ingredients with a licorice flavour – anise is wonederful.
Emiline, These make having coffee a wonderful ritual.
Mary, they truly are.
Helen…behold…paximadia…wanna dunk?
I can’t imagine the flavour with anise in it. I’ll bet it’s delicious. Now I’ll have to take another trip to Greektown.
oh my goodness , the photos are all mouth watering…
mmmm… these just speak to my senses… I love anise in biscotti and I bet here, its even better!
When i was a child, my grandmother used to buy something very similar to these called Anisette Sponge, made by Stella D’Oro. I just adored them. Thanks for bringing back a lovely memory of Tea with Grammy!
Ah, baximadia… the most underrated and unappreciated biscuit in the whole wide world! My mother-in-law and her sister recently whipped up a batch and I have been enjoying them with my morning coffees. Well done Peter, your recipe looks good!
Fantastic Peter!! I just adore the flavour of anise and I bet this tastes so good!
I love Italian Sambulca, so I know I’d love Greek Ouzo. These biscuits are like Italian biscotti, right?
peeeeeeeeeeteeeeeeeeeeeeer… i LOVE LOVE these…….
loooooooove these…
Giz, they really are easy to make…unless you insist upon heading down to the “Dani”.
Dhanngit, that’s the magic of sunlight.
Meghan, I love the aroma when they get dipped in the coffee.
Marjie, always a pleasure to trigger a memory.
Sam, despite in being frappe season, I still enjoy my morning Greek coffee, with a paximadi.
Rosie, you bet they do!
Susan, you call’em biscotti, we call them Paximadia.
CCCCCCCCEEEEEEEEEFFFFFFFFFFF….thanks!
Peter, Thank you for sharing so much with all of us who yearn for γιαγιάς cooking.
You reminded me once I asked γιαγιά why did we always shared παξιμάδια at every wake and funeral gathering? She asked me to listen to the stories the people shared and then I will know that the coffee and paximadia everyone shared along with the stories brought to mind the sweet and bitter moments we all share in this life. So coffee reminds us of the bitter moments and the paximadia are served to remind us of the sweet moments we shared. It was all about “balance” in our lives.
Thanks again
Yiota
I move anise seed paximathia. I make mine with olive oil and no eggs. Any way you slice it, they’re delicious!