Traditional Anise Drops Minus Their Tops!

My husband says they are delicious. I miss my Mom more than ever as she knew when  to make these cookies and when not to attempt to make them. My Mom's cookies never failed to  form the white caps. I have modified the recipe and made them on everything from  parchment, aluminum foil and silicone liners but no caps! The bottoms come out very shiny on silicone, a bit of the cookie seems to stick to aluminum foil, foil being suggested by the "Joy of Cooking" cookbook. My mother used parchment for all of her baking and my husband kept my Mom's house stocked with parchment paper!

My cooking instuctor suggested running a dehumidifier in the winter!   If your anise drops had caps on them this year, let me know where you live  and most important, your secret!