Tahini cookies have become a favorite in Israel in the last ten years or so. They’re simple, quick and full of sesame/halva/tahini flavor, that Israeli love.
This version adds a bitter-orange jam on top, for an extra layer of flavor.
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minutesMahlab – one of my favorite secret ingredients, mahlab is made our of ground pits of the St. Lucie’s cherry. It is used all over the Middle East and the Mediterranean to add sweet umami-aroma that’s hard to describe to any baked good. Add it to your Hanukkah doughnuts, Shabbat babka, any cookie recipe, loaf cakes and pancakes. I can’t recommend enough. You can get it here Ziyad Shaker Gourmet Ground Mahlab.
INGREDIENTS
3½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter
9 oz. (1 cup) tahini
½ teaspoon mahlab (optional, see note above)
¼ cup orange or apricot jam
DIRECTIONS
- Oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- In a bowl of a food processor, mix Flour, sugar, butter, tahini and mahlab to form crumbs. Transfer crumbs to a lightly floured working surface and briefly knead to a dough.
- Use your hands or an ice cream scoop to create 1” balls and arrange them 2” apart on the cookie sheets.
- Use your thumb to make an indent in each cookie and fill it to the rim with jam.
- Bake for 10 minutes and cool on a cooling rack. Store in an airtight container up to a week.