Sesame Tahini Cookies for #SundaySupper

The Middle East brings many images to mind. Veiled women walking through an open-air market. Rich colors and intricate patterns on textiles. A vast dry desert leading to a beautiful oasis. Camels readied for a long journey. Mosques with their exquisite architecture and colorful tiled interiors. Tagines, fragrant spices, tall metal pitchers, festive plates, and so much more. It is a broad region with many cultures and foods. There is one Middle Eastern ingredient I’ve been wanting to use for the longest time. I finally tackled it and made Sesame Tahini Cookies.

Tahini is a paste made from sesame seeds. If you like peanut butter or any nut butter you should like tahini. It isn’t as sweet or as thick as some store-bought peanut butter. It separates and needs to be stirred well before using. Be patient, keep stirring, and it will smooth out and eventually come together. Try not to make a mess like I did by stirring hard and splashing oil all over the place.

How are the sesame tahini cookies? They are crunchy, mildly sweet, and reminiscent taste of peanut butter cookies. If you do not care for overly sweet desserts, these are for you. Sesame seeds coat the outside giving a hint to the flavor inside. Bake a batch then grab a glass of milk and be ready to enjoy a special Middle Eastern treat.

Do you enjoy Middle Eastern cuisine? What is your favorite dish? Scroll down to find more recipes by Sunday Supper bloggers. We are taking a virtual culinary journey across the region. It’s an exploration you do not want to miss.

2.67 from 3 votes

Print

Sesame Tahini Cookies

A recipe for sesame tahini cookies. The cookies are slightly sweet, crunchy, and coated with sesame seeds. They are a great dessert or snack for any occasion.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 1 hour 45 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 2 hours

Author Renee

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 stick, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup well-stirred tahini
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar

Instructions

1. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
2. Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl using an electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
3. Add the tahini and vanilla and beat to combine.
4. Reduce speed to low and add flour. Mix until just combined (you will have a crumbly dough).
5. Press dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill dough until firm, about 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
6. Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of the oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or non-stick liners.
7. Stir together sesame seeds and sugar and spread out on a small plate.
8. Roll dough into 24 balls of equal size. Roll balls one at a time in seeds to coat. Place rolled balls 2 inches apart on baking sheets.
9. Bake cookies for 12 to 15 minutes, rotating halfway through, until puffed and starting to crack.
10. Cool cookies on baking sheets for 10 minutes. (Cookies will easily break when hot). Carefully transfer cookies to a wire rack and cool completely.

Recipe Notes

A recipe for sesame tahini cookies. The cookies are slightly sweet, crunchy, and coated with sesame seeds. They are a great dessert or snack for any occasion.

Recipe adapted from Epicurious – Gilded Sesame Cookies

Check out these Middle Eastern recipes by Sunday Supper bloggers:

Mezze {Appetizers}

• Muhammara – Supper for a Steal
• Homemade Labneh Cheese – The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
• Burnt Eggplant with Garlic, Lemon and Pomegranate Seeds – Take A Bite Out of Boca
• Roasted Tomato Hummus – Family Foodie

Salata {Salads and Sides}

• Fried Cauliflower w/ Sesame Parsley Sauce (Qarnabeet Mekleh Bil Taratoor) – girlichef
• Charred Eggplant and Chickpea Stew – The Wimpy Vegetarian
• Couscous, Lentil and Chickpea Salad – Citronlimette
• Persian Jeweled Rice – Vintage Kitchen Notes
• Lebanese Rice – Cindy’s Recipes and Writings

Main

• Quinoa Falafel – Jane’s Adventure in Dinner
• Jamie Oliver’s Beef Tagine – Shockingly Delicious
• Chicken Biryani – Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen
• Crockpot Curry Chicken – The Foodie Army Wife
• Quinoa Falafel with Fresh Herbs – Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
• Shakshuka – kimchi MOM
• Beef Tagine Over Couscous – Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Grilled Red Snapper with Cilantro and Onion Stuffing or حمراء مشوية مع حشوة – Food Lust People Love
• Falafel with Israeli Salad – Webicurean
• Chicken Shawarma – The Texan New Yorker
• Spaghetti Squash Pastitsio with Greek Yogurt Bechamel – Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Kushari – Curious Cuisiniere
• Israeli BBQ Chicken – From Fast Food to Fresh Food
• Quick Persian Rice and Spiced Beef – MarocMama

Halwa {Desserts}

• Ghraybeh Cookies – Killer Bunnies, Inc
• Ghraybeh – That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Fried Honey Citrus Cakes – Neighborfood
• Easy Baklava Cake – NinjaBaking.com
• Sesame Tahini Cookies – Magnolia Days
• Basbousa (Semolina Cake) – Mess Makes Food

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter each Sunday. We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET and you do not want to miss out on the fun. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can find more information and sign up by clicking here → Sunday Supper Movement