Thin and Crispy Black Sesame Oatmeal Cookies
Normally whenever I make cookies I do so with my kids in mind. They each have their favorites and I diplomatically follow the cookie rotation so there’s no hurt feelings that they’re cookie didn’t make it into the circuit. Truth be told I usually make a batch of cookies once a week not an obscene amount but enough to put a cookie in their lunch box or a sweet treat after dinner, seldom do I buy cookies from the store. They love Gwyneth Paltrow’s peanut butter cookies, chocolate chip or Martha Stewart’s oatmeal cookies with maple syrup. I’m pretty sure I have the recipes memorized. I was recently at Powell’s and stumbled upon the “Genius Desserts” cookbook and once I started thumbing through the pages I couldn’t put it down. I bought the book and immediately marked all the recipes I wanted to try (with sticky notes, no dog earring pages). This cookie recipe intrigued me from the start, it’s not overly sweet with sugar and the combination of toasted sesame seeds blitzed with the sugar to a butter like consistency and oats is really “genius” with a sprinkle of flaked sea salt on top it tastes like a pretty sofisticated cookie with such simple ingredients. This recipe calls for roasted black sesame seeds or you can roast your own, I went the route in buying them already roasted and they were perfect, with the extra sesame seeds I’ve been sprinkling them on top of peanut noodles and salads.
I’m happy to report that this cookie has made it into our cookie rotation and I’m excited to make a few batches for friends in the upcoming months.
Lx
Thin and Crispy Black Sesame Oatmeal Cookies
Makes about 2 dozen cookies
Ingredients
1 cup all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup roasted/toasted black sesame seeds
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature but still cool
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
2 1/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt (such as Maldon or fleur de sel)
Preparation
Heat the oven to 350°F, with a rack in the center. Line three large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and fine sea salt in a bowl. Grind 1/4 cup of the sesame seeds and 1/4 cup of the sugar in a spice grinder or mini food processor until fine and sandy.
In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, ground sesame seed mixture, the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, and the brown sugar on medium-low speed until just combined, about 20 seconds. Increase the speed to medium and continue to beat until light and fluffy, about one minte more.
Add the egg and vanilla and beat on medium low speed until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds. With the mixture running on low speed, add the flour mixture and mix until just incorporated and smooth, about 10 seconds. Gradually add the oats and the remaining 1/4 cup sesame seeds and mix until well incorporated, about 20 seconds. Give the dough a final stir with a rubber spatula to make sure the ingredients are evenly distributed and no streaks of flour remain, especially at the bottom of the bowl.
Using a 2 tablespoon scoop or a spoon, scoop the dough into mounds. Use your hands to roll the mounds into balls. Arrange the cookies on the baking sheets, spacing them about 2 1/2 inches apart. Using your fingertips or the buttered bottom of a juice glass, gently press each dough ball until it’s 3/4 inch thick. Lightly sprinkle coarse sea salt evenly over the flattened dough balls before baking.
Bake one sheet at a time until the cookies are deep golden brown, the edges are crisp, and the centers yield to the slight pressure when pressed lightly with your finger, 13 to 16 minutes, rotating the baking sheet front to back halfway through baking. Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet on a rack. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.