Tahini Cookies
In the world of ingredients, when I think of tahini, hummus is the first thing that registers in my brain. Confession—I usually get premade hummus at the grocery and don’t even bother making it from scratch. When inspiration strikes, and I do feel like making my own, I end up buying what seems like a giant jar of tahini since I don’t use it that much other than a drizzle here and there. That was until I baked these tahini cookies.
I think it’s safe to say that baking with tahini has become a thing. These cookies had the wonderfully crumbly bite of shortbread. I think of them as a more grown-up, sophisticated version of a peanut butter cookie minus the classic crosshatch on top. Before they made it on the sheet pans, I rolled each ball of dough in a mix of black and white sesame seeds. I loved the contrast and random pattern in my favorite color combination.
Tahini Cookies
Adapted from Bon Appetit
Makes about 24 cookies
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons honey
3/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup white sesame seeds
1/4 cup black sesame seeds
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the butter, sugar and honey until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in the tahini until fully combined. Beat in the dry ingredients in 2 additions. The dough will be a bit sticky.
In a small bowl, combine the white and black sesame seeds. Scoop the dough by heaping tablespoon-full (about 1 ounce) and roll in the sesame seeds. Place on the prepared sheet pans about 2 inches apart.
Bake the cookies until light golden brown, about 13-15 minutes, rotating sheet pans about halfway through cooking. Let the cookies cool on the pans. They will firm up as they cool.
Store in an airtight container.
