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Baked » Recipes » Cookies & Bars

Brown Butter Sesame Seed Cookies

Published: Nov 22, 2020 · Modified: Jan 4, 2023 by Baked · This post may contain affiliate links · 1 Comment

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Brown butter sesame seed cookies are great for gifting! Melted white chocolate and a sprinkle of toasted seeds adds a touch of charm.

A batch of brown butter sesame seed cookies on two layers of crinkled parchment paper on a pink fabric background with silver holiday decorations around the perimeter.

This post first appeared March 15, 2018, and was last updated November 22, 2020.

These brown butter sesame seed cookies are crumbly and rich, reminiscent of classic Scottish shortbread. However, unlike traditional shortbread, brown butter gives these cookies a caramel-like base note. Cooking sesame seeds in the butter as it browns also adds extra richness!

We dipped the edges of our cookies in melted white chocolate with an extra sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds. Melted dark chocolate, milk chocolate, or even white chocolate mixed with matcha powder would also be beautiful! Be sure to let the chocolate set fully (overnight in the fridge is your best bet) before packaging the cookies as gifts.

Jump to:
  • Ingredients
  • Method
  • Tips & Notes
  • Substitutions
  • Recipe

A small decorative glass plate on top of a pink plate with two brown butter sesame seed cookies on the plate.

Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top, or scroll to the bottom of the post to see the printable recipe card with full ingredient measurements and complete instructions.

Ingredients

Ingredients to make brown butter sesame seed cookies.

Method

Place the butter and sesame seeds in a small deep pot over medium-low heat on the stovetop. Cook the butter, swirling it often, until it turns deep amber in colour. Set the brown butter aside.

While the butter is cooling, preheat the oven and line a standard half sheet baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium-small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

  • A pot with melted butter and sesame seeds inside.
  • A hand whisking flour in a pink glass bowl.

Pour the brown butter and sesame seeds into another larger bowl. Add the brown sugar and whisk until smooth.

  • Brown sugar and brown butter in a large glass bowl.
  • A hand whisking brown sugar with brown butter and sesame seeds.

Add the egg to the brown butter, and again, whisk smooth.

  • A bowl of brown butter, brown sugar, and sesame seeds with an unwhisked egg.
  • Whisked wet cookie ingredients.

Dump half of the flour into the wet ingredients and gently fold until no streaks of flour remain.

  • Flour being dumped from a pink bowl into a larger glass bowl of wet cookie ingredients.
  • Cookie dough in a glass bowl with a rubber spatula inside.

Add the remaining flour and again, gently fold until well combined.

  • A bowl of cookie batter with unmixed flour on top.
  • A hand using a rubber spatula to mix flour into cookie dough.

Divide the cookie dough into twelve equal portions. Using your hands, roll each portion into a smooth ball.

  • Twelve portions of cookie dough in a small rectangle enamel dish.
  • Hands rooling cookie dough portions into smooth balls.

Place the cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheet. Dip the base of a flat-bottomed drinking glass or mug into flour and use it to gently press each cookie ball until the edges of the dough start to crack. Though floured, you will probably still have to gently peel the pressed cookie from the bottom of the glass/mug.

  • A hand holding a flat-bottomed copper cup over a pan of cookie dough balls, of which half have been flattened with the cup.
  • A hand peeling a pressed cookie from the bottom of a flat-bottomed copper cup.
A baking sheet lined with parchment paper topped with twelve flattened cookies.

Place the flattened cookies in the preheated oven and bake them until the edges and bottoms are golden. Cool the cookies on a wire rack completely before decorating.

A cooling rack with twelve brown butter sesame seed cookies.

To Decorate The Brown Butter Sesame Seed Cookies

Place the remaining sesame seeds in a small, dry pan or pot on the stovetop. Cook the seeds over medium-high heat, swirling often, until the seeds are fragrant and turn medium-dark gold in colour. Spoon the seeds into a small heat proof vessel and set aside.

Melt the chopped white chocolate in short bursts in the microwave, or over low-medium heat in a small pot on the stovetop, until no lumps remain.

Dip the edge of each cookie in melted white chocolate then sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. Place the dipped cookies on a wire rack on the counter, or in the fridge, until the chocolate hardens, before serving or packaging as gifts.

  • A hand dipping a cookie into a small pinkish bowl of melted white chocolate.
  • A hand sprinkling sesame seeds onto cookies half-dipped in melted white chocolate.

Tips & Notes

For more detailed instructions on how to brown butter, visit this brown butter chocolate chip cookies post.

Close up of a cooling rack of twelve cookies dipped in white chocolate and topped with toasted sesame seeds.

Substitutions

For a whole grain option, substitute light spelt flour for all-purpose.

You can decorate the tops of the cookies however you like. Dipping the edges in chocolate as pictured, spreading the tops with frosting, or drizzling with glaze are all nice options.

Milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or white chocolate mixed with matcha powder are all great substitutes for plain white chocolate.

A stack of two pink plates with two brown butter sesame seed cookies on the plate, one whole, and one halved, with a glass of milk nearby.

More Cookies For Gifting!

Cinnamon Sugar Cookies

Honey & Oat Cookies

Chewy Vegan Ginger Spice Cookies

Linzer Cookies

Recipe

A batch of brown butter sesame seed cookies on two layers of crinkled parchment paper on a pink fabric background with silver holiday decorations around the perimeter.

Brown Butter Sesame Seed Cookies

5 from 1 vote
Author: Kelly Neil
Yield: 12
Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Cook Time 25 minutes mins
Total Time 45 minutes mins
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Comments

Description

 

Brown butter sesame seed cookies are great for gifting! Melted white chocolate and a sprinkle of toasted seeds adds a touch of charm.

Equipment

  • Measuring cups and spoons or a digital kitchen scale
  • Small saucepan
  • Wooden spoon
  • baking sheet
  • Parchment paper
  • Whisk
  • 2 Mixing bowl
  • Wire rack
  • Heat-safe vessel

Ingredients
 

  • ½ cup butter
  • ¼ cup sesame seeds, plus 2 teaspoons for garnish
  • 1-¼ cup all-purpose flour, plus 1 to 2 teaspoon extra for pressing cookies
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
  • 1 egg
  • ¼ to ½ cup white chocolate, chopped

Instructions
 

  • Place the butter and sesame seeds in a small saucepan over medium-low heat on the stovetop.
  • Cook the butter, swirling it often, until it turns deep amber in colour, about 12 to 14 minutes. Set the brown butter aside and let it cool for 10 minutes.
  • While the butter is cooling, preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC).
  • Line a standard 17-¼ x 12-¼ inch (44 x 31-cm) half sheet baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • In a medium-small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt
  • Pour the brown butter and sesame seeds into a large bowl. Add the brown sugar and whisk until smooth. Add the egg, and again, whisk smooth.
  • Dump half of the flour into the wet ingredients and gently fold until no streaks of flour remain. Add the remaining flour and again, gently fold until well combined.
  • Divide the cookie dough into 12 equal portions (approximately 35 grams each). Using your hands, roll each portion into a smooth ball.
  • Place the cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheet.
  • Dip the base of a flat-bottomed drinking glass or mug into flour and use it to gently press each cookie ball until the edges of the dough start to crack.
  • Though floured, you will probably still have to gently peel the pressed cookie from the bottom of the glass/mug.
  • Place the sheet of flattened cookies in the preheated oven and bake them for 13 to 15 minutes, or until the edges and bottoms are golden. Cool the cookies on a wire rack completely before decorating.
  • To decorate the cookies, place the sesame seeds in a small, dry pan or pot on the stovetop.
  • Cook the seeds over medium-high heat, swirling often, until the seeds are fragrant and turn medium-dark gold in colour.
  • Spoon the seeds into a small heat-safe vessel and set aside.
  • Melt the chopped white chocolate in 30 second bursts in the microwave, or over low-medium heat in a small pot on the stovetop, until no lumps remain.
  • Dip the edge of each cookie in melted white chocolate then sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.
  • Place the dipped cookies on a wire rack on the counter, or in the fridge, until the chocolate hardens, before serving or packaging as gifts.

Notes

For more detailed instructions on how to brown butter, visit this brown butter chocolate chip cookies post.
You can decorate the tops of the cookies however you like. Dipping the edges in chocolate as pictured, spreading the tops with frosting, or drizzling with glaze are all nice options.
To package as gifts, it’s best to let the dipped cookies set in the fridge overnight.

SUBSTITUTIONS

For a whole grain option, substitute light spelt flour for all-purpose.
You can decorate the tops of the cookies however you like. Dipping the edges in chocolate as pictured, spreading the tops with frosting, or drizzling with glaze are all nice options.
Milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or white chocolate mixed with matcha powder are all great substitutes for plain white chocolate.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 56kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 13mg | Sugar: 7g
Did you make this recipe?Let us know on Instagram @baked_theblog or tag #bakedtheblog!
« Cranberry Persimmon Crisp
Pecan Shortbread Cookies »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Beth says

    May 05, 2021 at 9:44 pm

    I made these, and we really are enjoying them! They are mildly sweet and the distinctive sesame flavor comes through nicely. Instead of flour, I used Swedish pearl sugar when flattening the balls, which worked beautifully and added visual and textural interest. I’m sure these would be delicious embellished with chocolate, but we are greatly enjoying them au naturel. Thanks for sharing this recipe!

    Reply

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