As I've said before, a dessert without chocolate (almost) isn't worth the calories to me. Of course truth be told there are many treats that sneak in past this rule. Biscotti regina, or "queen cookies," are one of them. Simple but flavorful thanks to their coating of nutty sesame seeds, these crisp oblong confections are a perfect light snack. Tradition holds that the "queen" in the name is Margherita di Savoia, the second regent of a united Italy who was well-known for her love of sweets–and no, I don't think we're related.

P.S. Congrats to Nola–she's the winner of the FashFoward Boutique giveaway. Didn't win? Don't worry! You can enter to win a $100 gift certificate to Shop September here!

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Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour
1.5 tablespoons of baking powder
1.5 teaspoons salt
1 cup sugar
3 extra large eggs
3/4 cup olive oil
1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract
1.5 teaspoons orange juice
sesame seeds, for coating

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine flour, powder, salt and sugar in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, juice and extract.
2. Add the egg mixture to flour mixture and stir until a smooth dough forms (it will be crumbly and slightly oily).
3. Form the dough into small ovals about one inch in diameter. Roll the top and sides of each cookie in sesame seeds. Place one inch apart on baking sheets and bake 25 minutes or until golden and just firm.