These delightful holiday cookies were submitted by Madeline L., who said, “This is an Italian recipe that my mom (90 years old) has made for as long as I can remember. My grandmother used to make them, too. It is special to me because she mostly made them around the Christmas holidays.”
Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Whisk or sift together the flour and baking powder.
In a separate bowl, cream together the shortening or butter, sugar, egg and vanilla until lightened in color. Alternately add in the milk and flour mixture to make a cookie dough. Wrap and chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
Portion the dough using a 1 tablespoon scoop. Roll each cookie into a baton shape, approximately 1 x 2-inches. Roll in sesame seeds and arrange on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake the cookies for 9–10 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a rack to cool completely.
