These sweet and slightly salty cookies are so delicate. They’re light and crispy, yet quite soft and not overly crunchy. They’re a variation on Benne Wafers, which are very popular in the Southern U.S. and paired with hot or iced tea.
Now I wouldn’t exactly call these “healthy” cookies, but sesame seeds pack much more of a nutritional punch than chocolate chips. They’re a fantastic source of calcium, magnesium, and iron. While most cookies are loaded with sugar and are essentially empty calories, the sesame seeds add protein and healthy fats, including both polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. I wouldn’t eat a dozen in one sitting that’s for sure, but you can feel a little less guilty eating these than you would eating cream-filled Oreos.
Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. baking soda
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup packed light brown or yellow sugar
1 large egg, room temperate
½ tsp. vanilla extract
¾ cup sesame seeds, plus 2 tbsp. for sprinkling
Directions
1. Heat oven to 400°F and spread sesame seeds on a baking sheet. Bake seeds for 8-10 minutes until they start to turn golden. Check them often so that they do not burn.
2. Turn oven down to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper, and set aside.
3. In a bowl combine flour, salt, and baking soda, and mix just until combined.
4. In a separate bowl cream butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy for about 2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla, and beat until combined.
5. Add flour mixture and toasted sesame seeds, and stir until combined.
6. Shape dough into a large ball, wrap it in cellophane, and place it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. This prevents the cookies from spreading too much and becoming overly thin.
7. Drop dough in tablespoon-sized portions onto the baking sheet, allowing at least 2 inches between cookies for spreading. Flatten slightly with the back of a spatula.
8. Sprinkle each cookie with a pinch of the reserved sesame seeds.
9. Bake until golden, about 8 minutes. Remove from oven, and cool on a wire rack. Be careful when transferring cookies, as they are quite breakable.
Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart Living, October 2000.
Images are the author’s own.
Information from: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=8