They sparked an interest for me because from pictures and the sound of them, they reminded me of a Middle Eastern cookie called Barazek (or as Syrians call it, Barazeh), a thin, crispy cookie covered in toasted sesame seeds, that I love. (I should attempt those sometime too!) They seemed like a hybrid between those and Ka’ik, which are breadsticks coated in sesame seeds that are slightly sweetend and are enjoyed with tea in the morning, and actually the Giuggiulenas turned out to be just that!

When my husband and I tried these, they instantly became our new favorite milk companion. They can be enjoyed warm or at room temperature and are perfect for absorbing milk without becoming soggy on contact. They hold their bite even after a good dunk and through our taste testing, we found that they also pair wonderfully with tea and coffee, which can’t be said about all cookies.

 

The great thing about these is that they come together so quickly and you can have delicious, fresh cookies in a matter of about 45 minutes, baking & slight cooling time included!

Giuggiulena
18-20 Cookies

2 cups Flour
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
2 tsp ground Anise
1/4 tsp Sea Salt
6 tbsp Butter
1/2 cup Sugar
1 Egg
1 1/2 tsp Vanilla
1/4 cup Sesame Seeds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, anise and salt until combined.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter until fluffy. Add the sugar and continue beating until combined. Add the egg and vanilla and beat a few minutes more.

With your mixer on low, add the flour mixture in three parts until it is completely incorporated.

Turn the dough out onto a clean surface and knead the dough until smooth, about 5-10 turns. Divide it into quarters and roll out each quarter until it is about 3/4-inch in diameter. Cut into 2-inch long pieces and roll each of the pieces of dough in the sesame seeds until it is fully coated.

Place on your prepared baking sheet and bake for about 20-25 minutes until the cookies began to slightly brown.

Serve with milk or coffee and enjoy!