Butterless Black Sesame Cookies （黑芝麻饼干）
No, these aren't cookies n' cream impostors. No, they're not some unpleasant web of faux superfoods either. And no, they aren't stones.
These are soft, toothsome black sesame cookies, with an interlacing of deep, nutty melodies, derived from raw black sesame seeds and roasted coffee grounds, as well as dulcet tunes of sugary goodness. The thick, chubby cookies themselves pitch in a delicate, chewy texture, while an additional blanket of black sesame topping offers another viscous, lush feel in the mouth.
First thought to be cultivated in the Indian subcontinent, sesame seeds made their way around their surrounding sphere, expanding towards the Middle East, North Africa, and East Asia, giving rise to what we know today as tahini, sesame oil, and many other developed cultures enshrining the seeds and their uses. Black sesame seeds in particular are today most commonly sold in Japan, China, and Korea, playing a huge role in traditional cuisines. There seeds harbor a weight of nutritional components, including vitamin B2, hersperidin, and 2- methoxycinnamic acid-- which has been shown to exhibit antibacterial activity as a metabolite.
Evidently, there is no loss in incorporating black sesame seeds into these delightful cookies! I adapted this recipe from @Niki the Mad Baker's Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe on Food.com, cutting out butter and subbing it with vegetable oil in the mean time-- and let me tell you, you really can't tell the difference... especially when all the different deep, nutty flavors are fighting for dominance in these cookies!
Cuisine: American-Asian
Serving(s): 18 cookies
Level: Easy
Level: Easy
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 60 min (+ cooling time)
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup white granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons espresso
- 2 tablespoons raw honey
- 1/3 cup ground black sesame powder (+ 3 tablespoons for topping)*
Instructions:
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper and preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour and baking soda. Set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, cream together oil, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until fluffy. Add in egg, espresso, and raw honey. Continue to whisk until color lightens and mixture begins to exact more exertion to mix.
- Combine dry with wet ingredients, transferring dry components into wet around 1/3 of portions at a time. On the final third round, add in ground black sesame powder and continue to fold until just combined.
- Scoop batter into dough balls of approximately 2 tablespoons, and roll in remaining ground black sesame powder. Line balls of dough on baking tray, and freeze for at least 30 minutes.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes.
- Remove cookies onto a cooling rack and let cool for roughly 10 minutes. Bite into your soft, chewy cookies and enjoy! Cookies can be left at room temperature in an airtight container, layered with parchment/wax paper and a slice of bread, for up to 1 week. Afterwards, freeze in an airtight container/ziplock bag. When desiring further consumption after so, simply warm in oven or microwave for 10 second intervals to restore homely warmth in your cookies!
Notes:
*you can make your own ground black sesame powder by grinding black sesame seeds in a food processor until the seeds become slightly moist from natural oil secretion. This paste can be conveniently stored in an airtight container in the pantry for months!
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