Gilded Sesame Cookies

Name: Gilded Sesame Cookies
Prep time: 1 h 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Yield: 24 servings
Ingredients: 1¼ cups all-purpose flour; ½ teaspoon baking powder; ¼ teaspoon salt; ½ cup unsalted butter; ½ cup sugar; ½ cup tahini; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; ⅓ cup sesame seeds; ¼ teaspoon luster dust; 1 piece parchment paper

Delicate tahini-based cookies coated in sesame seeds and optional luster dust for a glamorous touch. These buttery, Middle Eastern-inspired treats are both elegant and delicious.

24 servings

1 hr 43 min

Published October 4, 2025

Be the first to rate this recipe

Ingredients

•1¼ cups all-purpose flour
•½ teaspoon baking powder
•¼ teaspoon salt
•½ cup unsalted butter
•½ cup sugar
•½ cup tahini
•1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•⅓ cup sesame seeds
•¼ teaspoon luster dust
•1 piece parchment paper

Cooking Instructions

1.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl.
2 min
2.
Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes, then beat in tahini and vanilla. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in 2 batches, mixing until a crumbly dough forms. Transfer dough to a sheet of plastic wrap and press into a disk. Chill dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour.
65 min
3.
Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
10 min
4.
Stir together sesame seeds and luster dust (if using) in a small bowl.
1 min
5.
Roll dough into 1-inch balls, then roll balls 1 at a time in seeds to coat and arrange 2 inches apart on lined baking sheets. Bake, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until cookies are puffed and starting to crack, 12 to 15 minutes total. Cool on sheets 10 minutes (cookies will be very fragile when hot), then transfer from parchment to a rack to cool completely.
25 min

Cooking Instructions

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl.

2 min

Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes, then beat in tahini and vanilla. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in 2 batches, mixing until a crumbly dough forms. Transfer dough to a sheet of plastic wrap and press into a disk. Chill dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour.

65 min

Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

10 min

Stir together sesame seeds and luster dust (if using) in a small bowl.

1 min

Roll dough into 1-inch balls, then roll balls 1 at a time in seeds to coat and arrange 2 inches apart on lined baking sheets. Bake, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until cookies are puffed and starting to crack, 12 to 15 minutes total. Cool on sheets 10 minutes (cookies will be very fragile when hot), then transfer from parchment to a rack to cool completely.

25 min