Benne Cookies Recipes

BENNE WAFERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Place the benne (sesame) seeds on an ungreased baking sheet and toast for 10 to 12 minutes, until light brown. Watch closes so that they don 't burn.
• In a large bowl mix the brown sugar, melted butter or margarine, egg, vanilla extract, flour, salt, baking powder and toasted sesame seeds together until combined.
• Drop dough by 1/2 teaspoonfuls 1 1/2 inches apart onto a lightly greased baking sheet.
• Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 4 to 6 minutes, until light brown. Let cookies cool for about 2 minutes before removing from baking sheets to a wire rack to cool completely. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container.

BENNE COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream together the butter and the brown sugar. Beat in the eggs. Sift together the baking powder and the flour and mix in. Stir in the sesame seeds and vanilla.
• Drop by teaspoon on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for about 25 - 30 minutes.

BENNE CRESCENT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
• Spread seeds on a baking sheet. Toast at 300 degrees for 15 minutes until toasted evenly or golden brown.
• Beat the butter, sugar, and brown sugar in mixing bowl until creamy. Blend in the vanilla, maple syrup and salt. Stir in the flour and benne seeds and mix well. Roll into cylinder, wrap in plastic film and chill for 1 hour or more.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Slice into 1/8-inch thick rounds (approximately tablespoon size), roll and shape into crescents and bake cookies on nonstick or parchment-lined baking sheet until light brown, approximately 12 minutes. Cool slightly and roll warm cookies in confectioners' sugar.
• *Cook's Note: Buy hulled raw seeds in bulk from a natural foods store.

BENNE COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 2 large cookie sheets with butter.
• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat and add the benne seeds, stirring them until coated. Toast the seeds, stirring frequently, until fragrant and darkened a shade, 2 to 3 minutes. Take care not to burn the seeds and turn down the heat if needed. Scrape onto a plate and let cool completely.
• Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt together in a medium bowl.
• In a large bowl, cream together the remaining 8 tablespoons/115 grams butter and both sugars until well combined and fluffy. Add the egg and beat well. Add the cooled toasted benne seeds and the vanilla, then stir in the flour mixture.
• Drop rounded teaspoonfuls of the cookie dough at least 2 1/2 inches apart on 1 prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until golden brown around the edges. Remove the wafers from the cookie sheet immediately and place on waxed or parchment paper to cool. Repeat with the remaining dough on the second cookie sheet, reusing the first sheet when it's cool, if needed.

BENNE' COOKIES

Steps:

• Wash sesame seeds in a fine sieve, then parch in the oven, stirring occasionally, until seeds are thoroughly dry. This takes between 7 and 10 minutes.
• Cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg, then add flour (which has been sifted twice) and put the parched seeds in last, mixing well in the batter.(This mixture should be thin enough to drop easily from a spoon. If not, add a tiny amount of water, mixing in well.)
• Grease pans thoroughly then drop a teaspoonful of batter for each cookie as this will spread in the baking, leave about three inches between each spoonful. Cook in moderate oven from five to eight minutes-until cookies are a light brown. (Watch carefully while cooking, to prevent too rapid browning. This amount of batter should make about forty cookies.

BENNE CAKES (SESAME COOKIES)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325°F.
• Lightly spray cookie sheet with oil.
• Mix together the brown sugar and butter, and beat until they are creamy.
• Stir in the egg, vanilla extract, and lemon juice.
• Add flour, baking powder, salt, and sesame seeds.
• Drop by rounded teaspoons onto the cookie sheet 2 inches apart.
• Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges are browned.
• Enjoy!