Tahini Cookies with Sesame Seeds

I admit to spending more and more time reading about how to change-up vintage dessert recipes to embrace a more healthy intake of fats and sugars (which is to say that I am open to the prospect of learning and growing). While grocery shopping, I never stress about what type of cookie/bar/cake/pastries to purchase as I rarely (no lie) buy those items.  That's because I am often in my kitchen making cookies, bars, cakes, and pastries often (so true).  And typically all of those lovelies will use butter, all-purpose flour, and sugar...together...Yes!

But I am aware of a whole new world to explore (You're already there, aren't you?) where the value of using, for example, nut butters, plant-based oils, and gluten-free flours is adding lots to your baking repertoire.  And this is great news.  None of us will move our nutritive journey forward without researching and testing, right? Though I am not gluten-sensitive or vegan, I can appreciate the search for and preparation of food that is nutritional, tasteful, healing, cost-effective, and ___________ (fill-in with your own need) as we all try to live as healthful a life as possible.  I don't know about you, but I am someone who is a heavy plant-eater supported by a fair amount of carbohydrates and the occasional animal/fish protein.  But, I bake.  And I really like to bake, and I see nothing wrong with having dessert everyday!

It's no wonder that dessert riffs are so popular nowadays.  Everything old is refashioned to something modern! New flours, new oils, vegan-inspired substitutes (one egg = 1 T. flaxseed meal and 2.5 T water! Who knew?), and blow-your-mind sugar variety have joined forces to re-imagine what once was just a simple oatmeal cookie.  I think I am ok with this.

Can you imagine me on the tahini and almond flour bandwagon?  A short time ago (a few months maybe? I know...where have I been?), I would not have given this recipe one second of my time.  I would have passed it over for my go-to trinity (see paragraph 1).  And now?  Read my lips:  It is one beautiful and tasteful addition to my "tried and trues."  Do you think I'm ready for Chocolate Chia Pudding with a Hemp Sprinkle? 😉

Food and Wine recently published this interesting cookie, and because my food intake is maturing to accommodate new essentials, I decided to go for it. These little vegetarian sweetnesses use no butter or white sugar, and except for the use of honey as the sweetener, they would be vegan (big step for me).

Notes

1.  I used both black and white sesame seeds (did you also know that there are also brown sesame seeds?), but the choice is yours.  I thought the black/white blend was attractive.

2.  I used an Italian Rhododendron honey because I had it.  Use what you have.

3.  I rolled the dough into 1-inch balls before rolling in the sesame seeds.  Then I transferred these to the baking sheet and flattened.

Tahini Cookies with Sesame Seeds
(Yield: approx. 2 1/2 dozen, depending on size)

1/2 cup sesame seeds (single color or mixed colors)
1 and 1/2 cup almond flour (can use almond meal)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sea salt (I used kosher salt)
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup tahini
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1.  Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line baking sheet with parchment paper.

2.  Place sesame seeds into a bowl for rolling.

3.  In a small bowl, whisk the almond flour, baking soda, and salt.

4.  In a larger bowl, mix the honey, tahini, and vanilla extract.

5.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until all is incorporated.

6.  Using a spoon, scoop a small amount of dough into your hand and roll into a sphere.  Add more or take some away, depending on the size of cookie you want.  This dough is very manageable!

7.  Place the dough ball into the sesame seeds and roll around until it is completely covered.

8.  Transfer to baking sheet and flatten a bit.  Leaving about 2 inches between cookies, continue until the baking sheet is filled.

9.  Bake the cookies for 8-9 minutes, keeping an eye on them, until the bottoms are golden.

10. Remove from the oven and place on cooling rack for 5 minutes or so.

11. After removing the cookies, reuse the baking sheet if necessary, for the remainder of the dough.

12. Serve whenever you want and for whatever reason.  This cookie is there for you!

13. Keep at room temperature or chilled for a couple days (let me know if they last that long), or freeze (wrapped well) for an extended period of time.

14.  Give this one a try.  Flavor is sesame forward spread across a soft crunchy cookie.

Chewy Brown Sugar Bites

I have made this batch of cookies 4 times in the last month (not kidding), tweeking the mentor recipe which never worked for me.  So I guess you could say that this blog is the primary source for these little dessert gems. Just like its paler sibling, this golden treat is easy to roll, keeps its shape, and likes to be dressed up!  But it's chewier and the only rolling needed is between your two hands.  So put your rolling pin (and your cookie cutters) back where they belong.

After rolling the dough into 3/4" spheres, I dipped the tops into sugar pearls, cocoa nibs, neon sprinkles, chocolate jimmies, and minced nuts.  I even stuck a pecan half on some as you see above.

Chilling the dough and using less butter was the magic fix for cookies that always spread too much and were too greasy before I decided to change up this recipe.

Drum roll please... May I present to you a one-bowl wonder (no electric mixer needed) with an easy method, visual appeal, and a rich, sweet taste to accompany your drink of choice :)

Chewy Brown Sugar Bites
Yield: 50 bite-sized cookies (approximately 1.5 inches in diameter)

6 tablespoons butter, melted
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
1 egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup self-rising flour
Toppings of your choice (sprinkles, jimmies, coarse sugar, etc.)

Directions

1.  Prepare baking sheet with parchment paper.
2.  Place melted butter, brown sugar, and salt (if using) into a large bowl and stir (I used a fork) until combined.
3.  Stir in egg and vanilla until mixed and then add flour.  Stir again until well-combined.
4.  Using a spatula, scoop batter onto a piece of plastic wrap and wrap up tightly.  Refrigerate for a few hours (or overnight).
5.  Remove dough from refrigerator.
6.  Preheat oven to 350ºF.
7.  Gather your toppings.  Place a small amount of each topping into its own shallow bowl.
8.  Take small amounts of dough and roll into balls.  In my photos, the balls were about 3/4" in diameter.

9.  Dunk the top half of each ball into a topping and place onto baking sheet, decorated side up.
10. Cookies should be about 2 inches apart.  I was able to get 35 cookies on one baking sheet.
11. Bake for about 10 minutes until golden.
12. Remove and cool on rack.  They crisp up as they cool.
13. If you are using one baking sheet, remove the cookies to a platter after about 5 minutes.  Allow sheet to completely cool.
14. Repeat steps 8-12 with remaining dough, using the same sheet of parchment paper.

15.  These cookies keep well.  I usually stash about a dozen in a zip-lock bags and place in the refrigerator (for a momentary sweet) or the freezer (for longer storage).
16.  Enjoy this keeper :)

Coconut Macaroons

Truth #1:  I have tried making coconut macaroons a few times in my life, and I was always disappointed...very disappointed.  I concluded that one needed some culinary school experience to discover the magic of the macaroon.

Truth #2:  I have never liked the taste of coconut.  Not in a Mounds Bar, not in coconut icing sprinkled with the sweetened shreds, and not even in the current coconut water trend.  I dropped this anti-coconut bomb gently in my Once-baked Biscotti recipe which, oddly enough, has coconut.

But,  I was drawn to this recipe because these macaroons are just too cute!  And I know a lot of coconut lovers. And sometimes you must do the thing you think you cannot do.

Truth #3:  These Coconut Macaroons are sweet and chewy, just like you remember as a child (at the beach, on the boardwalk).  They are easy to throw together at the last minute, have a lovely color (due to using whole eggs, not just whites), they freeze well, and...they are fancy schmancy looking!

Coconut Macaroons
(adapted slightly from here)
Yield: 30 small (two-bite)

2 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon almond or vanilla extract
3 cups sweetened shredded coconut

Directions

1.  Preheat the oven to 350º F.
2.  Line your cookie sheet with parchment paper, a silpat, or butter the sheet directly.
3.  In a large mixing bowl whisk together the eggs sugar, salt, and extract.  Add the coconut and blend with a fork or spatula (otherwise the whisk gets clogged with the mix).

4.  Drop by tablespoon-size dollops onto the baking sheet.  They do not spread while baking so an inch between cookies is fine.  Use the side of a knife to tidy up coconut pieces that might fall off when placing on the cookie sheet.  The batter is sticky, so repair is very easy.

5.  Bake the cookies for about 10-12 minutes, turning midway to even out the golden color of the edges.  I use a convection oven which bakes more quickly.  Adjust the time to your oven.
6.  When the macaroons are golden brown with crispy edges, remove them from the oven and place on a rack to cool.
 

P.S.  After cooling, you could add a chocolate foot to make them taste just like a Mounds bar (follow the directions in the Once-baked Biscotti recipe).

Let me know what you think of these little gems!