One Perfect Bite: Pattie's Italian Sesame Cookies

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The recipe for these cookies comes from Patty Acciarito Meegan. Pattie is one of the best Italian cooks I know and her recipes are treasures that have been passed from one generation of her family to the next. These sesame cookies are an example of the food that comes from her kitchen. They would make a wonderful addition to your holiday cookie tray, and I can tell you from experience, that they are wonderful for dunking in an after dinner espresso or sweet wine. I sincerely doubt you'll have any of these cookies left to store, but should that happen, store them in an air tight container and they'll be fine for five days of so. Here is Pattie's recipe.

Pattie's Italian Sesame Cookies...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Pattie Acciarito Meegan

Ingredients:
2 cup butter
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 egg, room temperature
1-1/2 tablespoons anise extract
5 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk, or as needed
1-2 cups sesame seeds

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg and anise extract until well blended. Beat in the flour, baking powder and salt mixture until well incorporated. Mix for another minute or two to lighten. The dough will be firm enough to roll into balls or logs by hand Pinch off pieces the size of a large walnut and roll them into small logs. Dip in milk, then roll in sesame seeds. Place cookies one inch apart on a cookie sheet. Bake for 16 -17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until set. DON'T OVERBAKE. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks. Store in an airtight container at room temperature