Sesame Spice Chips

By norsegal8

I fondly remember these molasses-cinnamon cookies from my childhood. However, I’ve made them even better by adding sesame seeds. These round, cinnamon-brown cookies are great served with baked apples. I’ve even concluded a formal dinner party by arranging them on a silver plate and passing them when coffee was served. Substitute these cookies for graham crackers in your next pie for the best crumb crust ever.

Ingredients

• 2 cups (240 grams) unsifted all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon each ground ginger and allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup light molasses
• 5 ounces (2/3 cup) sesame seeds

Details

Servings 8

Preparation

Step 1

1. Adjust rack to lower third of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two large cool baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Dough: Sift the flour, baking soda, spices, and salt on a sheet of waxed paper; set aside. In the large bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter at medium-low speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Beat in the sugar at medium speed until creamy. Add the egg and beat just until fluffy, then gradually add the molasses until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Lower speed, gradually blend in the dry ingredients, and mix just until thoroughly combined.

3. Using a 16-inch pastry bag fitted with a ½-inch plain decorating tip (such as Ateco #6), pipe half teaspoons of dough 1 inch apart on cool baking sheets.

4. Decoration: Using a damp pastry brush, flatten the cookies slightly to remove the tip left from piping. Generously sprinkle the sesame seeds over cookies. With another baking sheet, press down evenly on cookies to flatten them all at once.

5. Bake, one sheet at a time, for 8 minutes, or until cookies are flat, feel slightly firm to the touch, and are cinnamon brown. Place baking sheet on a wire rack to cool. Lift cookies from parchment when cool.

6. Stack in an airtight metal container at room temperature and store up to 1 week.


Notes
If you want more sesame seed flavor, shape teaspoons of soft dough, 1 teaspoon at a time, into balls, then roll in sesame seeds to coat before flattening and baking them.

You’ll enjoy serving these cookies with baked apples, poached pears, or simply homemade applesauce. For a special hostess gift, package these along with a pound of toasted unsalted macadamia nuts—perfect partners.