Self Frosting (Anise) Drops (COOKIES!)

Happy feast of St Nicholas!  In our family, St Nick fills our shoes overnight and also comes and frosts these cookies!  They are simple and a family tradition, and they also happen to be low fat; 15 grams for the whole recipe, which I've had make 7 dozen (very small, bite size) cookies!  Use whatever flavor extract you want; traditionally it's anise, but not everyone likes the licorice-ness, so I've also used plain old vanilla as well as almond.

Ingredients:
3 eggs at room temperature
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon anise extract

In a medium mixing bowl, beat eggs until fluffy.  Add sugar gradually, beating constantly.  Continue to beat 20 minutes more (we find another platform to rest our hand mixer on, cause 20 minutes - wow!).  In a separate small bowl, combine flour with salt and baking powder.  Gradually add flour mixture to egg mixture, mixing the whole time.  Beat another three minutes.  Add extract.  Drop by 1/2 teaspoonfuls onto greased and floured cookies sheets, swirling to form a round cookie (we use stoneware but they are hard to get off prettily, but we don't mind cracked cookies).  Let stand 8 hours, or overnight, to dry.  Bake at 325 F for about 10 minutes or until a creamy golden color on the bottom.  Store in air tight tins.  The 'frosting' forms while they are being baked.

Sweet and simple!  Happy Advent!