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Murielle Banackissa
Stacked Orange Blossom Sesame Cookies on a plate

Orange Blossom Sesame Cookies

Print recipe
30 mins Prep: 10 mins Cook: 20 mins
Serves 20

Crispy around the edges, soft and chewy in the center, these cookie have a wonderful floral aroma and a delightful rich and nutty flavor profile. Sweetened with maple syrup, they make a great evening treat or afternoon snack.

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp ground flax or chia seeds
  • 3 tbsp water
  • 2 tbsp black and white sesame seeds
  • 3/4 cup runny tahini
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 2 tsp orange blossom water
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 cup + 3 tbsp whole wheat flour
  • 1/4 cup runny black sesame paste

Recipe

  1. Step 1

    In a large bowl, whisk together the ground flax seed and water. Set aside.

  2. Step 2

    Sprinkle the sesame seeds into a clean and dry pan. Toast on medium heat until the white sesame seeds start changing color, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

  3. Step 3

    Into the bowl with the flax mixture, add in the tahini, maple syrup, orange blossom water, sea salt, and baking soda. Stir to combine using a silicone spatula.

  4. Step 4

    Add the flour and 1 tablespoon of the toasted sesame seeds and stir until no flour streaks remain.

  5. Step 5

    Pour the runny black sesame paste onto the cookie batter and gently fold it in, creating a marble effect. Do not over-mix or your cookies will end up looking gray. Set aside to thicken while you preheat the oven.

  6. Step 6

    Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350ºF.

  7. Step 7

    Using a tablespoon, scoop the cookie mixture and push it onto the prepared baking sheet using a finger or another spoon. The mixture will be runnier than a more traditional cookie dough and that’s totally normal.

  8. Step 8

    Repeat the process for the rest of the dough, leaving about half an inch of space between each cookie.

  9. Step 9

    Sprinkle the remaining tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds onto the cookies.

  10. Step 10

    Bake for 20 minutes or until the cookie tops are dry and the cookies are golden brown around the edges.

  11. Step 11

    Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet then transfer to a cooling rack to let cool completely. Enjoy!

Common Questions & Swaps

  • Can I use only white sesame seeds? Totally; the combination of both colors is mostly for aesthetic reasons.

  • What if my tahini is not runny? The consistency of the tahini is key to the success of this recipe. I opt for tahini that is imported from the Middle East and it’s always runny to perfection and contains only one ingredient: sesame seeds.

  • Can I replace tahini with another nut or seed butter? Probably. At that point, you wouldn’t really be making sesame cookies, but they’d still be tasty. Make sure that the nut or seed butter that you use is runny, not thick, and that it only contains the nut or seed itself—no added ingredients.

  • Can I replace the maple syrup with another sweetener? I think vegan honey or agave would work great as replacements.

  • Is orange blossom necessary? Can I replace it? Its flavor works really well when paired with the flavor of sesame seeds, but if you do not have it on hand, you can leave it out or replace it with vanilla extract.

  • Can I use another type of flour? I have not used other flours in this recipe, but I think oat flour wouldd work well here.

  • What if I don’t have black sesame paste? Leave it out.

Stacked Orange Blossom Sesame Cookies on a plate
Orange Blossom Sesame Cookies closeup
Sesame seeds on a plate. Black spoon holds white sesame seeds.
Orange Blossom Sesame Cookies
Orange Blossom Sesame Cookies with bite taken out