Italian Sesame Seed Cookies (Giuggiulena)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. Place the sesame seeds in a shallow bowl; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

With an electric mixer, cream together the vegetable shortening and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, vanilla extract and anise oil, and beat until completely combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add all of the flour mixture until it is thoroughly combined.

Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and break off a handful-size piece of dough and knead 5 to 10 times, or until smooth. Using your hands, gently roll the dough into a log about 1-inch in diameter. Cut the log into 3-inch pieces, roll in the sesame seeds, pressing them to adhere, and place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat until you have used up all of the dough.

Bake until the cookies are golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Allow the cookies to sit on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.