Meghan Dale
Fayetteville, AR
(The photo is hard to see, so also typing it here)
Sesame- Seed Pillows
Plump, light, Italian-style cookies
3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup shortening
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon double acting baking powder
3 eggs
1 jar sesame seeds
Into a large bowl, measure all ingredients except sesame seeds. With mixer at low speed, beat ingredients until well blended, occasionally scraping bowl.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Shape 2 teaspoonfuls dough at a time into 2-inch long ovals. Roll ovals in sesame seeds. Place cookies 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 15 minutes or until very lightly browned. Remove cookies to rack to cool. Store cookies in tightly covered container up to 3 weeks. Makes about 5.5 dozen.
My mom enjoys these most mornings with breakfast and it was one of the first items that I would help with in the kitchen growing up. I got my own bowl of dough to work with, and used cookie cutters for my shapes to make them easier to handle. Instead of sesame seeds, my cookies were topped with sprinkles! My mom continues to bake these, and whenever she makes a batch will expertly bubble wrap and air mail them to me (and she still to this day will make a few ‘special’ sprinkle cookies to include), and I’ve also taken up the recipe in my own home for my family to enjoy.