Tender tahini sugar cookies with nutty sesame flavor, softly golden rims and a delicate sesame-seed topping.
The feature to preserve is the shaping: Divide into twenty mounds about 36 g each. Place 2 inches apart and flatten with damp fingers to ⅜ inch thick; add optional sesame seeds.
Before mixing, measure without packing the flour. Tahini separates in storage. Stir the jar completely before measuring so each spoonful contains both oil and sesame solids. Do not pour off the oil or scoop only the dry bottom.
Use the observable baking cues as well as the timer. Allow the crumb to cool before packing; the texture continues to settle after the tray leaves the oven.
Tahini Sugar Cookies
Per tray: 10–12 minutes · 2 batches, about 12 pieces per 13 × 18-inch half-sheet pan.
Allow about 74 minutes: 25 hands-on, 0 required chilling, 24 baking all batches sequentially, 25 cooling including pan rest, and 0 finishing/set time. Preheat during preparation or final chilling. Extra trays and optional decoration add time.
Kitchen tools you’ll need
- US measuring cups and spoons or kitchen scale
- Mixing bowl and silicone spatula
- Wooden spoon
- Baking sheets
- Parchment
- Cooling rack
Tender tahini sugar cookies with nutty sesame flavor, softly golden rims and a delicate sesame-seed topping.
Ingredients
Scale ingredients and US equivalents, including eggs; weigh beaten egg for fractional batches. Keep piece size, thickness, oven temperature and baking time per tray unchanged. Extra trays increase whole-batch time.
Cookie dough
Optional topping
Instructions
Mixing
- Make the doughStir butter, tahini, both sugars and salt until combined. Mix in egg and vanilla, then flour whisked with baking soda. Do not whip excessive air into this soft dough.
Thermal management
- Prepare for shapingNo chilling is scheduled. Prepare the pans and preheat during mixing. Keep the dough away from a warm oven.
Shaping
- Shape the batchDivide into twenty mounds about 36 g each. Place 2 inches apart and flatten with damp fingers to ⅜ inch thick; add optional sesame seeds.
Baking
- Bake to the right textureHeat a conventional oven to 350°F (177°C). Bake on the center rack for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers have lost their wet shine. Keep the tops lightly colored. Use cool pans for later trays.
Cooling
- Cool before servingRest on the pan 5 minutes, then move carefully to a rack. Allow 25 minutes total cooling, including pan rest; the crumb firms as it cools.
Chef’s Science & Pro Tips
Stir the tahini jar
Tahini separates in storage. Stir the jar completely before measuring so each spoonful contains both oil and sesame solids. Do not pour off the oil or scoop only the dry bottom.
Shape with purpose
Divide into twenty mounds about 36 g each. Place 2 inches apart and flatten with damp fingers to ⅜ inch thick; add optional sesame seeds. Bake similar-sized pieces together.
Serving and texture
Tender tahini sugar cookies with nutty sesame flavor, softly golden rims and a delicate sesame-seed topping. Let the crumb cool fully before judging texture; pack only once the finish has set.
Storage & Make-Ahead
| Method | How long | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Room temperature | 3–4 days | Cool completely and seal in an airtight container. Keep unfrosted cookies separate from moist or strongly flavored treats. |
| Refrigeration | Raw dough: up to 2 days | Cover raw dough tightly. Refrigerating plain baked cookies is unnecessary and can dry them; let chilled dough become workable before shaping. |
| Freeze raw | Up to 2 months | Freeze portioned dough balls on a tray, then seal in a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, allowing extra time and checking for a set center. |
| Freeze baked | Up to 2 months | Freeze fully cooled, plain cookies in a sealed container with parchment between layers. |
| Restore | 30–60 minutes | Thaw baked cookies in their closed container at room temperature. For a freshly warmed plain cookie, use a 300°F oven for 2–3 minutes; cool briefly before serving. |
Notes
- US measures are shown first; gram weights help avoid packed flour. Spice weights are approximate: use measuring spoons for small quantities. Egg weights exclude shells. Temperatures are for a conventional oven.
Nutrition
Approximate nutrition per serving calculated from ingredient weights divided by 20; required fillings and toppings included, optional decorations excluded. Brands, unused coating and actual serving size affect the estimate.
RECIPE REVIEWEDREVIEWEDSUGAR COOKIES
Frequently Asked Questions
A few helpful answers before you bake.
Why is my tahini dough oily?
Tahini separates in storage. Stir the jar completely before measuring so each spoonful contains both oil and sesame solids. Do not pour off the oil or scoop only the dry bottom.
What makes tahini sugar cookies different?
Tender tahini sugar cookies with nutty sesame flavor, softly golden rims and a delicate sesame-seed topping. Stir the tahini jar. Follow the specified technique rather than substituting the shaping method from a different sugar-cookie recipe.
Can I make tahini sugar cookies ahead?
Prepare with the storage instructions below. Cool completely before sealing, and keep the stated piece size when baking refrigerated or frozen dough.
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