Traditional Spanish Dishes
The Best Homemade Juanola-Style Licorice Pill Recipe from Spain
Homemade licorice pills, inspired by the classic Spanish Juanola, with notes of anise, honey, and mint and a dark cocoa finish.
An artisanal preparation to occasionally enjoy an intense, aromatic, and firm sweet with a chewy texture. It does not reproduce the original industrial formula.
01
Ingredients
Have everything ready before you begin.
- ✓25 g of edible licorice powder
- ✓60 g of powdered sugar
- ✓30 g of mild honey
- ✓20 g of food-grade arabic gum powder
- ✓80 ml of water
- ✓1 teaspoon of anise seeds
- ✓1/2 teaspoon of natural mint extract
- ✓2 tablespoons of pure unsweetened cocoa
02
Step-by-step method
- 01
Prepare the anise infusion
Put the water and anise seeds in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat until very hot, without boiling vigorously. Turn off, cover, and let rest for 10 minutes.
- 02
Sift the dry ingredients
Sift the licorice powder and powdered sugar into a bowl. Add the arabic gum and mix everything with a spoon until integrated.
- 03
Aromatize the honey
Strain the infusion and return it to the saucepan. Add the honey and heat over low heat, stirring until dissolved. Remove from heat and add the mint extract.
- 04
Form the dough
Pour the hot mixture slowly over the dry ingredients and stir continuously with a spatula, taking the powder from the center to the edges until a united paste is obtained.
- 05
Knead and adjust texture
When the dough can be touched without burning, knead for 2 or 3 minutes. It should be compact, flexible, and slightly sticky, but not liquid. If it crumbles, moisten your hands with a few drops of the reserved recipe water; if it's too soft, let it rest for 5 minutes.
- 06
Prepare the tray
Sprinkle the tray with some of the pure cocoa to prevent the pills from sticking and give them a dark, dry finish.
- 07
Shape the pills
Divide the dough into small portions of approximately 4 g. Form balls and gently flatten them until thick disks are obtained; you can also prepare short cylinders.
- 08
Cover and define the pieces
Place the pieces on the tray and sprinkle with the remaining cocoa. Gently turn them to lightly cover them. If you want more defined edges, press each disk with the smooth part of a small spoon without making them too thin.
- 09
Let the pills rest
Leave them in a cool, dry place for 8 hours or, preferably, overnight. Do not cover them while they are still wet to avoid condensation making them sticky.
- 10
Check the result
After resting, they should retain their shape and present a firm, chewy texture, with successive notes of honey, anise, licorice, and mint.
- 11
Store correctly
Store them in an airtight container, separated with parchment paper, and consume them within approximately one week. On very hot days, keep them in the refrigerator and let them sit at room temperature for a few minutes before trying them.
- 12
Serve the pills
Present them in a small tin, a ceramic bowl, or on wax paper. They can be taken after a meal or with a coffee.
- Do not vigorously boil the infusion to preserve the aroma of the anise.
- Sift the dry ingredients to avoid lumps.
- Do not add more licorice if the flavor is intense, as it could be bitter.
- Let the pills rest overnight in a cool, dry place.
- Consume them in moderation. Licorice may not be recommended for people with hypertension, heart or kidney problems, pregnant women, and other sensitive groups.
- This preparation is a homemade version inspired by Spanish licorice pills, not the original industrial formula.