Black Sesame Cookies
Chewy Japanese-bakery style sugar cookies swirled with toasted black sesame paste and rolled in black sesame seeds for a nutty, marbled bite. The viral Summergeist bake of July 2026.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 6 tbsp black sesame paste
- 1/4 cup black sesame seeds, toasted
Instructions
-
1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
-
2
In a large bowl, cream 1 cup softened unsalted butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and 1/2 cup packed brown sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
-
3
Beat in 2 egg and 1 tsp vanilla extract until fully combined.
-
4
In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 tsp baking soda, and 1/2 tsp salt, then stir into the wet mixture until a soft dough forms.
-
5
Dollop 6 tbsp black sesame paste over the dough and fold gently 3 to 4 times with a spatula so it swirls through without fully blending, creating a marbled effect.
-
6
Scoop the dough into 1 1/2 tablespoon balls, roll each ball in 1/4 cup toasted black sesame seeds, and place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
-
7
Bake until the edges are set but the centers still look slightly underdone, 10 to 12 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.