Anise Bread Rolls (Pan de Anis)

By
Marian Blazes
Marian Blazes
Marian Blazes is a freelance writer and recipe developer with a passion for South American food. She wrote a cookbook focusing on the cuisine of Brazil.
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Updated on 09/28/20
Anise Bread Rolls (Pan de Anis)

The Spruce / Wanda Abraham
Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Cool and Rise: 2 hrs 35 mins
Total: 3 hrs 25 mins
Servings: 25 servings
Yield: 25 rolls
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
66 Calories
3g Fat
8g Carbs
1g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 25
Amount per serving
Calories 66
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 3g 4%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Cholesterol 9mg 3%
Sodium 256mg 11%
Total Carbohydrate 8g 3%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Protein 1g
Calcium 21mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

You won't be able to resist these sweet little breads when they are fresh from the oven. Flavored with anise, they are rolled into olive-like spirals and baked. Serve them with a meal or as a midmorning snack. 

Anise seed, which tastes a bit like licorice, is a popular flavoring for desserts and sweet breads in Latin America. It lends the tender, enriched dough a lightly spicy, fragrant aroma and flavor, and makes it a nice pairing for coffee or tea.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons anise seeds
  • 1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon water (divided)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons yeast (active dry)
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup vegetable shortening (or butter)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 3/4 cups bread flour (plus more as needed)
  • 1 egg

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Anise Bread Rolls (Pan de Anis) ingredients

    The Spruce / Wanda Abraham

  2. Place the anise seeds in a pot with 1 1/2 cups water and bring to boil. Remove from the heat, cover, and let cool to lukewarm.

    anise seeds in a pot with water

    The Spruce / Wanda Abraham

  3. Add the yeast, the anise seed water from previous step (including the seeds), and the sugar to the bowl of a standing mixer. Let rest 5 minutes.

    anise seeds, water, yeast and sugar in a stand mixer

    The Spruce / Wanda Abraham

  4. Add the all-purpose flour, vegetable shortening or butter, and the salt and mix on low speed with the dough hook attachment until well blended.

    add flour and butter to the anise mixture in the stand mixer

    The Spruce / Wanda Abraham

  5. Slowly add the bread flour and continue to knead. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes until it is smooth and elastic and pulls away smoothly from the sides of the bowl. Add a couple more tablespoons flour if the dough seems too sticky.

    anise bread dough in a stand mixer

    The Spruce / Wanda Abraham

  6. Place the dough in an oiled bowl and let rise for one hour.

    dough ball in a bowl

    The Spruce / Wanda Abraham

  7. Punch down the dough and separate into golfball size pieces (about 35 grams each). Roll each piece into a ball. Cover the balls with plastic wrap and let rest for 5 minutes.

    anise bread dough balls covered with plastic wrap

    The Spruce / Wanda Abraham

  8. Flatten each ball into a slightly oval shape, about 3 inches wide and 4 to 5 inches long, using a rolling pin if necessary.

    anise bread dough rolled out

    The Spruce / Wanda Abraham

  9. Starting at one end of the oval, roll dough up into a spiral. Place seam-side down on a baking sheet.

    anise bread roll on a baking sheet

    The Spruce / Wanda Abraham

  10. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Mix 1 egg with 1 tablespoon water and brush the tops and sides of rolls with egg mixture. Let rolls rise in a warm place for a half hour.

    anise bread rolls brushed with egg wash

    The Spruce / Wanda Abraham

  11. Bake the rolls in a preheated oven for 12 to 25 minutes until they are golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.

    baked Anise Bread Rolls (Pan de Anis)

    The Spruce / Wanda Abraham

Tips

  • When shopping for supplies, make sure to purchase anise seed and not star anise. While the two have somewhat similar tastes, anise seed has a stronger, more licorice-like flavor. It is sometimes spelled aniseed.
  • A stand mixer with a dough hook makes this recipe easier, but you can make this recipe by hand. Allow extra time for mixing and kneading.