AUNT ANNE'S SESAME COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg and anise extract until well blended. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt; stir into the butter mixture until well incorporated. If you are using a stand mixer, let the dough mix for another minute to add lightness to the dough. The dough will be soft, but will hand roll easily.
• Pinch off pieces of dough slightly smaller than a walnut, and roll them into small logs. Dip in milk, then roll in sesame seeds. Place cookies one inch apart on a cookie sheet. Cookies will not spread very much.
• Bake for 17 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until bottom and sides of cookies are lightly toasted. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
• NOTE*** Pay attention to this review.....By Maria C. From All Recipes....Great recipe, but here are my suggestions based upon my mother and aunt's recipe handed down by their mother and grandmother (all from Sicily.) Instead of anise, use vanilla. Instead of all white sugar, use half white and half brown sugar. Instead of dipping the rolled cookie in milk, dip in sugar water before rolling in the sesame seeds. Oh, and they use crisco instead of butter. One last note - before making these, rinse the sesame seeds, then spread on cookie sheet and lightly toast in oven. (My personal note...I will use butter and not shortening. Other parts of her review I'd like to try)