< PreviousLEBANESE HOLID A Y250 Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Have ready 2 ungreased baking sheets. To make the cookies, in a large bowl, stir together the sugar and butter. Add the baking powder, eggs, and anise seed oil and stir to combine. Gradually add the milk and flour alternately, stirring after each addition. Use your hands to knead the dough together well. Set aside. For the topping, in a small dish, thoroughly beat the egg with the milk. In another dish put the sesame seeds. Add the drop of anise seed oil and stir with a fork to combine. Pinch off a walnut-size piece of dough and roll it into a 4-inch (10 cm) long rope. Bring the ends together to form a circle. Brush one side of the round with egg wash and dip lightly in the sesame seeds. Place seed side up on the ungreased baking sheets. Repeat with the remaining dough, egg, and sesame seeds, placing cookies 2 inches (5 cm) apart on the baking sheets. Bake two sheets at a time until lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes, switching and turning the baking sheets halfway through baking. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Note: Anise seed oil, extracted from the Pimpinella anisum plant, adds a wonderful licorice flavor to baked goods. Buy anise seed oil online or in well- stocked grocery stores. It is quite strong, so use it sparingly. Note that star anise oil, extracted from the Illicium verum plant, has a similar flavor profile but is not the same. For the cookie dough: 1¼ cups (250 g) sugar 1 cup (240 ml) clarified butter (page 248) 5 teaspoons baking powder 2 large eggs 6 drops anise seed oil (see Note) 1 cup (240 ml) milk 6 cups (750 g) all-purpose flour For the topping: 1 large egg 1 tablespoon milk ½ cup (75 g) white sesame seeds 1 drop anise seed oil (see Note) Although I certainly remember eating a fair share of these classic, anise-laced Lebanese cookies on special occasions, I don’t recall ever making them when I was a kid. We always picked them up at the Lebanese bakery when we were in Detroit. This is funny to me because they’re so easy to make and such a pleasing, lightly sweetened treat to have with coffee or tea. In short, they’re the perfect sweet for people who don’t love sweets. Ka’ak Sumsum Sesame Cookies Makes about 56 (2-inch / 5-cm) cookiesNext >