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Sesame cookies, Lebanese-style, are a bakery favorite and so fun and easy to make at home. They are thin, crisp little cookies with sesame seeds on one side and pistachios on the other. Favorite!
โSesame cookies, Lebanese-style, are a bakery favorite and so fun and easy to make at home. They are thin, crisp little cookies with sesame seeds on one side and pistachios on the other. Favorite!
Sesame cookies are always a part of my treasure hunt when I hit Lebanese bakeries in nearby Dearborn. There are several styles of sesame cookies, thicker “s” shaped cookies or twists, coated all over in sesame seeds, and barazek cookies, a thin sesame cookie with sesame seeds on the top of the cookie and pistachios on the other side. This sesame cookies recipe is for barazek, which come together simply and are very fun to make.
Sesame Cookie Ingredients
Gather all your ingredients–hereโs what youโll need:
- Sesame Seeds.ย The star of the show, coating one side of the cookie. Use white sesame seeds and toast them or buy toasted sesame seeds to give the cookies their distinctive flavor and crunchy texture.ย
- Pistachios. Raw or roasted pistachios, coarsely chopped, coat one side of the cookie. Chop in the food processor or by hand. These give the cookies their nutty flavor.
- All-Purpose Flourย The base for the cookie dough.
- Baking Powder and baking soda.ย Important for the crisp texture of these.
- Salt.ย Enhances all the flavors in the cookies.
- Unsalted Butter.ย Make sure itโs at room temperature for easy mixing.
- Sugar.ย Both confectioners’ sugar and light brown sugar are used for sweetness, depth of flavor, and moisture. Dark brown sugar is a fine substitution for the light.
- Egg.ย Binds the ingredients together and adds richness.
- Vanilla Extract.ย A hint of vanilla complements the nuttiness of the sesame seeds.
How to Make Sesame Cookies
Step 1: Prepare the Ingredients
Prep two bowls, one small bowl each for the sesame seeds and pistachios. Use a wide enough bowl for each of these so that there is plenty of space to press the flattened cookie dough balls.
Step 2: Make the Cookie Dough
Use the bowl of a stand mixer or hand mixer to cream the butter and sugars together until they are light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined.
Step 3: Combine Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients on low speed, mixing until just combined. Avoid over-mixing as it can lead to tough cookies.
Step 4: Refrigerate
โTurn the dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap, wrap the dough and chill it for 30 minutes.
Step 5: Shape and Bake
Place an oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 350ยฐF (180ยฐC). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Divide the dough into balls about a heaping teaspoon (9 grams) per ball. Flatten a ball in the palm of your hand, then press one side of the disc in the sesame seeds, pressing into the seeds several times. Flip the disc over and press the other side of the dough in the chopped pistachios. Knock of any excess. Place on the prepared cookie sheet, placing the cookies about one inch apart as you go. Bake on sheet pan at a time in the preheated oven for 17-19 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are golden brown. For best results for the texture, allow the cookies to cool briefly before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.
Storing Leftovers
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They will stay fresh for at least a week. Make sure the container is truly airtight to prevent the cookies from softening or becoming stale.
To keep the cookies for longer, freeze them. Place the cookies in a sealable freezer bag or airtight container. They can be stored in the freezer for up to three months. When you’re ready to enjoy them, simply thaw at room temperature.
Tips and Variations
The first time I made these I realized it takes some doing to encourage the seeds and nuts to stick to the cookie dough discs; pressing numerous times in the sesame seeds in particular give you an even coating all the way out to the edge of the cookie.
Black sesame seeds are not typically used for this traditional Lebanese cookie, but they make an interesting variation for black sesame cookies! Try mixing them with white sesame seeds for the sesame side of the cookies.
You can toast sesame seeds for this recipe, though they will toast on their own during baking.
Toasted sesame oil can be added to impart that distinct flavor, just a tiny drop or two with the vanilla extract–far from traditional but a sesame option!
Sesame Cookies
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups unbleached, all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup sesame seeds, toasted
- 1/2 cup pistachios, finely chopped
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, cream the butter, brown sugar, and confectionersโ sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 minutes.
- Stop to scrape down the bowl. Add the vanilla and egg and beat on medium-high speed until the egg incorporates fully and the batter becomes thick and smooth, 2 more minutes.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together theflour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt.
- Arrange an oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 350ยฐF (165ยฐC). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Finely chop the pistachios and place them in a small bowl. Place the sesame seeds in another small bowl.
- Divide the dough into pieces about 9 grams each.Roll each piece into a ball between your palms, then flatten the ball slightly, about ยผ-inch (6 mm) thick, in your hand. Press one side of the dough in the sesame seeds, allowing the circle to stick to your fingers. Lift and press 3 to 4 times, coating this side of the cookie with as many sesame seeds as possible. Flip over the dough disc and press it gently into the chopped pistachios, knocking off any excess.
- Bake the cookies for 17-19 minutes, until golden brown. Remove the pan from the oven and cool the cookies completely before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These came out delicious! Thank you for the recipe. I must add though that the printed recipe version skips some steps, so I went back to the this web page to read the steps all the way through. I must admit, I am not much of a baker. Also, I got 40 cookies from 1 batch not 56. I guess if I could have made them smaller. Again, great and easy recipe for delicious traditional Lebanese Barazek. Thank you!
Hi Bernadette–thanks so much, I’ll review the steps here! These sure can be made any size you like; sometimes I make them larger too.
I am fortunate to have a Lebanese restaurant and food shop nearby which sells these, but I wanted to try making my own. Two impressions of this recipe: 1. If I make these again I will use 3/4 cup butter, not 1/2โthe dough was quite dry so I added more milk; 2. 2 cups of sesame seeds is way too much! I covered the 24 cookies generously with a 3.17 oz. (90 g) jar (1/3 cup?). If I up the butter, I might have to use more sesame seeds, but probably not many more.
Wonderfully delicious outcome and my hubby (today’s baker) said the dough was very easy to work with. Thanks for posting this. An excellent recipe we’ll enjoy making often! Noting liz n’s comment, my husband is also Sicilian heritage and these are very much like a cookie favorite of his called Regina cookie from the Italian neighborhood days. Those are oblong (just as she describes) a little thicker and most often made with shortening. His comment today regarding these is they are his new fav and he is retiring the Regina recipe. ๐
I have made these cookies for many years first with my grandmother (Scillian) and now for my family and the one’s I make are oblong but taste exactly the same yummy!
Oh how neat! I wonder if it’s the same recipe ultimately.
Ohhhh, this recipe is a keeper! The perfect, just-sweet-enough cookie for coffee! They don’t last long, either, by which I mean that my husband and grandsons devoured them in an afternoon (minus the ones I hid, shhhh…).
I’ve been looking for this recipe forever, and this is it, so close to exactly what my “sito” made! She formed the S-shape you referred to in the article above (in fact, that’s what made me stop and try the recipe…), but she also formed the cookies into a twist. My mother thinks that she added just a touch of rose water to the recipe, but I haven’t tried that, unwilling to mess with the perfection of your recipe!
My father was Syrian & my mother Austrian & a amazing cook especially Syrian food. We made these cookies but shaped them like little torpedos(like little kibbees). We baked them then when they came hot out of the oven dipped them in cold baklawa syrup & rolled them in sesame seeds or ground walnuts. So delish & seeds & nuts stay on better. Looking for a recipe for a sweet Syrian bread we called cross & bus bee my moms copy is so worn out. It was made in loafs like bread Araby not pita it uses 12 eggs, lots of clarified butter & mahleb. When you roll out the loaves u prick it allover with a fork. Its rich, sweet ,short& oh so good. Always made it at Easter. would love it if anyone has this recipe.
How do you store these to keep them crisp? I can’t seem to get them to stay crispy and that’s my favorite part.
I keep them airtight and that does the trick!
I have been making a very similar cookie like this for years, and it is up there close to #1 in favorites. The recipe I found was in Joy of Cookies, and has some anise extract in them. And I know about finding sesame seeds, everywhere! Just delicious cookie.
i grew up eating these and they’ve always been a favorite of mine. this summer i grew a large patch of sesame plants and when the harvest came in, all i could think about was Lebanese sesame cookies. i tried your recipe and it is excellent! it was exactly what i was looking for. thank you, Maureen!
You sent me to heaven! Not only with this fabulous recipe but a trip down memory lane. I too traveled up to Kedzie with a Lebanese man I dated while living in Chicago. Always in jeans so we could easily brush the crumbs. The greatest times! The Lebanese man now my husband and I, a truly converted cook. I will be sure to make this sesame cookie or biscuit quite soon. Thankfully Evelyne
gracias por compartir esta receta hoy comi unas galletas de sesamo pero las de usted se ven mejor voy a hacerlas pues este estilo se ven deliciosas.
Muchas Gracias Martha!
can you freeze these cookies…and can i use toasted sesame that i purchased in a container?
Hello–yes, you can use purchased toasted sesame! I haven’t frozen these before but if you wrap them tightly and in an airtight container, they should hold fine frozen.
Oh, wow! I can’t wait for the weekend to arrive so that I can bake these. They look simply delicious. My mom’s side of the family is Lebanese, and I don’t think they know about these wonderful cookies. Thank you so much!
Dear Maureen: I finally baked your delicious sesame cookies for yesterday’s Sunday family gathering. They were a big sensation simply and flew off the plate! Everyone wants your recipe now, hehehe. Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge with such generosity.
Carlos, that is just wonderful! Thank you so much for sharing (with me and with your family!)!
LOL on your seeds inbetween the keyboard. I did the same thing just before sitting down – to search the web for a recipe for the cookies I bought yesterday – aka barazek. I have all the ingredients – and will give these a try to serve up to family on Sunday (yes – I’ve already enhaled the 12 I purchased). Luckily, as a T1 diabetic (a whore to insulin for past 50 years) – I am able to eat these cookies without my blood sugars going to wonky – well at least the ones I purchased didn’t ๐ I’ll give you a heads up on how they turn out!!!
Please do–I’ll look forward to hearing about it!
If you look for recipes for Italian sesame seed cookie, you’ll find almost the same recipe. They are my sons
favorite.
These look a lot like Italian gigolene cookies !
Whether they were borrowed from the Middle East
or arose independently, it is clear that great minds think ( and eat)
alike LOL
…..Sal