August 9, 2014

Open Sesame Cookies

Blue ribbon winner: Brown butter in the dough and frosting

Open Sesame Seed Cookies

1 cup unsalted butter, softened, divided

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1/3 cup sesame seeds

1 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

2 tablespoons water

2 cups Gold Medal All-Purpose Flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon flaked sea salt

3 cups sifted confectioner’s sugar

3 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Brown 1/2 cup butter, toasted sesame seed oil and sesame seeds in medium saucepan over low heat until golden brown (watch carefully to avoid burning). Remove from heat; set aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Mix remaining 1/2 cup butter, sugar and egg thoroughly. Add 2 heaping tablespoons of sesame seeds (from the browned butter) to sugar mixture. Blend in water. Measure flour after sifting. Stir dry ingredients together; blend into sugar mixture. Roll dough into 3/4-inch balls and place on ungreased baking sheet. Flatten the balls with the bottom of a greased glass dipped in sugar. Bake about 10 minutes or until lightly golden around the edges. For frosting, blend confectioner’s sugar, milk and vanilla together with the remaining browned butter-sesame seed mixture. Stir until smooth. Frost cooled cookies. Store in airtight container. Yields: approximately 4 dozen cookies, with a generous amount of frosting.

-Recipe from Gayle, DuPage Fair (IL), 2013 Gold Medal Flour Contest