Sicilian Sesame Seed Cookies – with a tahini twist

Sicilian Sesame Seed Cookies. I’m not Italian, but I absolutely love these. And because I like to get a bit creative, I’m swapping some of the butter in the traditional recipe for tahini. It adds extra nuttiness and a beautiful depth of flavour. Of course I’m using Well & Good plain flour to make these gluten free and they’re going to be amazing – I can’t wait for you to try them.

Ingredients

• ¾ cup sesame seeds, lightly toasted in a frying pan (tip: keep them moving so they don’t burn)
• 2 cups Well & Good gluten free plain flour, plus a little extra if needed (gluten free flour can be a bit lighter than wheat flour, so you may need to adjust)
• 1½ teaspoons gluten free baking powder
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup softened unsalted butter
• ¼ cup hulled tahini
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or lemon zest
• About 6 tablespoons milk

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 185°C. In a frying pan, lightly toast the sesame seeds over medium heat, stirring so they colour gently but don’t burn. Tip them into a shallow dish to cool – this is where you’ll roll the cookies later. Line two baking trays with baking paper and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. In another bowl, beat the butter, tahini, and sugar until smooth and fluffy, then mix in the vanilla or lemon zest. Add the flour mixture a little at a time, scraping down the sides as you go. Add the milk, one tablespoon at a time, until you have a soft, workable dough.
3. Turn the dough out onto a clean surface and gently bring it together until smooth, adding a tiny bit of flour only if needed. Pinch off small pieces of dough and shape into roughly 2-inch cookies. Brush them lightly with milk, then roll them in the toasted sesame seeds to coat.
4. Arrange the cookies on the trays, leaving about 1 inch between each. Bake for 20–25 minutes, until golden brown. Let them cool, then enjoy that crunchy, lightly nutty bite with your coffee or tea.