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Lebanese Sesame Cookies #BakingBloggers


This month, Sue of Palatable Pastime told the Baking Bloggers that for February: "Share your baked Middle Eastern food with us, sweet or savoy. It can be a main dish, dessert,  pastry, anything as long as part of it is baked." Here's the #BakingBloggers virtual Middle Eastern bakery...

Lebanese Sesame Cookies 

Given that I could go sweet or savory for this challenge, I was tempted to make a version of stuffed grape leaves. The Greeks call them dolmades; the Turks call them dolma; and the Lebanese call them warak enab. No real differences that I could see. And I've already made them stuffed with quinoa and beef, with the addition of pumpkin puree, and even with lentils and chestnuts. So, I wanted to go a different route. I made a Persian version of baklava, called baghlava, but the photos were not pretty. So, I'll try again soon. 

So, for today, I'm sharing an easy, biscuit-like cookie that isn't really sweet enough to satisfy a real sweet tooth. But I find them irresistable; I enjoyed dipping them into espresso.

Ingredients makes 3 dozen 1-1/2" biscuits

  • 2-1/4 C flour
  • 1 t baking soda
  • 1/2 C butter, softened
  • 1/2 C organic granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 t pure vanilla extract
  • 1 T whole milk + more for finishing
  • 1/4 C raw sesame seeds or more if you want to completely coat the cookies
  • Also needed: baking sheets, parchment paper

Procedure

Preheat the oven to 375˚F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Whisk together the flour and baking soda and set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, cream the softened butter with sugar until lightened and fluffy, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in the egg, vanilla, and 1 T milk until well-combined.

Slowly add in the flour mixture and beat until it comes together into a stiff dough. Roll the dough into thick ropes and cut into 1" segments. Place them about and 1" apart on the prepared baking sheets and gently flatten the top of the rope.

Brush the cookies with milk and sprinkle the tops with sesame seeds. Place the sheet in the oven and bake for 16 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from the oven and cool the cookies completely. They will harden as they cool and be delightfully crisp. 

Comments

  1. You have been a cookie making monster lately. Wish I was sitting with you dipping them into coffee, and visiting.

    ReplyDelete
  2. They sound delicious and I love how easy they sound too!

    ReplyDelete
  3. These look like the perfect bites!

    ReplyDelete

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