Cold-Pressed Anise Seed Oil

Pure anise seed oil (Pimpinella anisum), cold-pressed in our own facility in Amman from selected seed. No heat, no solvents, no refining.

True anise, not star anise

Worth stating plainly, since the two are often confused. This is Pimpinella anisum — the small ridged seed used across Levantine baking, related to fennel, caraway and cumin.

Star anise (Illicium verum) is the woody star-shaped pod from a Chinese evergreen. The two taste similar because both are dominated by anethole, but they are unrelated plants. This is the anise of kaak and ma'amoul.

A flavouring, not a cooking oil

One of our registered food flavourings — used by the drop rather than the spoonful. A single drop carries the character of a spoonful of ground seed, so it goes into a mixture rather than into the pan.

Pressed, not distilled

Anise is usually sold as a steam-distilled essential oil: highly concentrated, and never used undiluted. Ours is cold-pressed from the whole seed, carrying the seed's fatty acids alongside its aromatic compounds. Gentler than the distilled version, and usable as it comes — though still strong enough that a little goes a long way.

For bakers in particular

Most bakeries grind anise seed by hand, which means the strength varies with the grind, the freshness of the seed and how evenly it disperses through the dough.

A drop-dose flavouring solves all three. It measures consistently batch to batch, disperses evenly through a mixture, and doesn't leave visible specks where you don't want them. Available in bulk with batch documentation for commercial buyers.

In the kitchen

• Kaak and ma'amoul — the traditional use, and the one most people buy it for
• Bread — anise bread, sweet loaves, and rusks
• Biscuits and cookies — into the dough before mixing
• Syrups and qatar — a drop while warm
• Custards, rice pudding and muhallabia
• Poached fruit, particularly pears and figs
• Tea — a single drop

Start with one drop and taste before adding more.

How it's made

Cold-pressed on German machinery without heat or chemical solvents, then filtered and bottled. Unrefined, non-GMO, hexane-free, vegan-friendly. Nothing added.

Produced in an ISO 22000 certified facility and tested by independent third parties. Halal certified. Available in retail bottles, bulk, and private label for bakeries and food manufacturers.

Storage and notes

• Use sparingly. Far stronger than the ground spice.
• Store in a cool, dark place with the cap closed. The aroma carries — keep away from other stored foods.
• Anise is traditionally avoided in large amounts during pregnancy. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, check with a healthcare professional before regular use.
• Colour and aroma vary naturally between batches with the season and harvest.