Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. In three increments, add the flour mixture to the creamed butter, mixing between each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the milk and vanilla extract, blending until combined and the dough begins to come together in large pieces.

Use your hands to divide the dough in half, pressing it together to compact it into two disks. Wrap the disks securely in plastic wrap and refrigerate them until firm, about 1 hour.

Once the dough has chilled, roll each disk out onto a lightly floured surface until it is 1/8-inch thick. Using a sharp knife or pizza wheel, cut the dough into strips measuring 1/2-inch wide by 4 inches long. Place the cut-out cookie sticks on the prepared baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough. (Scraps can be re-rolled, but if they get too soft, re-wrap them in plastic wrap and refrigerate them until firm.)

Place the baking sheet in the freezer for 5 minutes to firm up the cookies.

Remove the baking sheet from the freezer then bake the cookies for 12 to 14 minutes, rotating the baking sheet half-way through until the cookies are pale golden brown.

Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes then transfer them to a wire wrack to cool completely.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. While the cookies cool, melt the chocolate in the microwave or a double boiler, stirring until smooth. Dip the completely cooled cookies in the chocolate and garnish with assorted sprinkles or toppings. Place the dipped cookie sticks on the baking sheet and allow the chocolate to set until it's fully hardened. Remove the cookie sticks from the baking sheet and serve or store in an air-tight container.