Tahini Shortbread Cookies
A delicious yet simple cookie that is perfectly made to accompany a hot cup of tea. They only require six ingredients and even though they can be a little messy (sesame seeds), their salty-sweet combination offers a crumbly yet enticing mouthfeel. This recipe is from Soframız - a cookbook from Sofra, one of my favorite Boston-based bakeries. I used a mixture of whole-wheat flour and oat flour instead of all-purpose flour but I definitely do regret this - I recommend that you use all-purpose flour and follow the recipe, as I should have. Make these cookies and once you realize how tasty they are, buy the Soframız cookbook - it is so worth it! Check out the video below of me making them at home and be sure to see this video with music on Instagram - @HasatCo.
Tahini Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients:
1 1/4 stick (5 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds
1 cup tahini (see Note below)
Process:
Lightly flour a work surface.
Combine the butter, confectioners’ sugar, and tahini in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until smooth, 4 to 5 minutes. Scrape the bowl. Add the flour and salt and mix at low speed until the dough is smooth.
Transfer the dough to the prepared work surface. Divide the dough in half and knead until smooth. Roll each piece of dough into a log approximately 1 inch in diameter.
Spread 1⁄4 cup sesame seeds onto a small plate. Roll each log in the sesame seeds, coating the log completely. Wrap each log tightly in parchment paper, twisting each end. Refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Slice the logs into 1⁄4-inch-thick coins and place them on the prepared baking sheet 2 inches apart.
Bake until firm around the edges and not colored, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool completely on the baking sheet. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Note
Sometimes tahini has a layer of oil that separates, so be sure to incorporate all the oil into the paste before measuring to prevent this dough from being too crumbly. If there is a visible layer of oil on top, it is easier to combine by pouring the contents of the jar out and stirring to combine. It is especially important in this recipe that the oil is fully incorporated or your cookie will not come together.