READY IN 32 mins

Aunt Anne's Sesame Cookies

Read Reviews (81)

"After trying my hand at countless sesame cookie recipes, my Italian girlfriend shared her Aunt Anne's recipe and I knew my search had ended! Basically an anise flavored butter cookie covered in sesame seeds. The smell when removing them from the oven is wonderful!" — DianeF

Directions

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.

Kitchen-Friendly View

PREP 15 mins
COOK 17 mins
READY IN 32 mins

Reviews More Reviews

Most Helpful Positive Review

Mar 30, 2006

Outstanding little cookie, great with coffee. Just a note on saving money. If you have an Asian market nearby, buy the sesame seeds there at 80% less than the normal grocery store.

—David Spaulding

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Most Helpful Critical Review

Aug 18, 2006

The dough had a pronounced anise smell but when baked they lacked flavor. The cookies were very easy to make. I omitted the milk wash and had no problem with the seeds sticking. A pretty cookie but needs more flavor. Perhaps a little vanilla and more anise.

—Marie C.

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86 Ratings

Jan 10, 2004

Thank you, thank you to the person who posted this recipe! When I was a little girl, my grandmother's neighbor made these same cookies. They are wonderful, and the recipe is perfect...they are just as I remembered. I highly recommend them!

—LOVESFOOD80

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Dec 12, 2003

Wow! My search has ended, too! I got some sesame seeds from our local bagel shop (he gave them to me already toasted) and they made all the difference in the world! Absolutely the hit of my Holiday cookie tray! Thanks!

—TAURUS5359

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Nov 15, 2008

These cookies were perfect!!! I made them exactly as written except I used half the butter. I agree with Marcelle2...this recipe only made 40 cookies. Also, you don't have to dip the dough in milk to get the sesame seeds to stick. I did it with and without. The only difference is that the dough gets more heavily coated when dipped in the milk first, but its so much more of a mess! The photo shown is without dipping them in milk. You can see they have plenty of sesame seeds on them. This is a great recipe that I will pass down to my daughters!

—Lillian

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Dec 10, 2005

Diane, you've won my heart!! I've loved these cookies since I was little and was so thrilled to find this recipe to add to my Christmas cookie collection. They're amazing! The amount of anise extract is perfect. One reviewer said that her little logs got huge. Mine turned out fine but maybe it's because I make all of my doughs the day before so my cookies go into the oven a bit chilled from being refridgerated all night. I can't thank you enough Diane for submitting this wonderful recipe! Happy Holidays to all!

—LINDA MCLEAN

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Dec 02, 2009

By far this is the best recipe for sesame cookies! And I've been baking italian cookies for 60 years. The dough is the perfect consistency for rolling in your hands. You won't need the milk, just roll right into the seeds. I used my favorite ''Fiori di Sicilia'' instead of anise extract. It's an unbelieveable combo of citrisy & vanilla flavoring, like nothing you've tried before! It can be purchased on line. There should be a 10 star rating for this recipe!

—jodee

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Mar 04, 2007

As the baker of the family, I was requested to bring Italian cookies to my Italian in-laws for Mother's Day. Yikes! However, I was told that these cookies tasted just like the ones from the Italian bakery. Success! My one recommendation would be to buy the sesame seeds in bulk so that they are cheaper. I used almost two full spice bottles from the grocery, and that was not inexpensive!

—Mama Cass

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Nutrition

Calories
72 kcal
4%

Carbohydrates
7.1 g
2%

Cholesterol
12 mg
4%

Fat
4.4 g
7%

Fiber
0.4 g
2%

Protein
1.2 g
2%

Sodium
31 mg
1%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Aunt Anne's Sesame Cookies

Serving Size: 1/60 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 60
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 72
Calories from Fat: 40

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 4.4g 7 %
Saturated Fat 2.2g 11 %
Cholesterol 12mg 4 %
Sodium 31mg 1 %
Potassium 22mg < 1 %
Total Carbohydrates 7.1g 2 %
Dietary Fiber 0.4g 2 %
Protein 1.2g 2 %
** Sugars 2.6g
Vitamin A 2 %
Vitamin C < 1 %
Calcium 4 %
Iron 6 %
** Thiamin 6 %
Niacin 5 %
Vitamin B6 1 %
Magnesium 4 %
Folate 7 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.