Tahini Miso Cookies

This recipe for Tahini Miso Cookies features nutty, sweet and salty tahini sesame and miso-flavored cookies, rolled in sugar and black sesame seeds for extra crunch and flavor.

Why you'll love this recipe

These Tahini Miso Cookies are loosely based on the New York Times' recipe for Peanut Butter Miso Cookies.

They're:

Easy to make: they're made by creaming the butter and sugar, adding in the wet ingredients, followed by the dry ingredients. Really simple, and only require about 15 minutes of chilling.

Not too sweet: using salted butter and miso tones down the overall sweetness of these cookies.

Full of flavor: the earthy nutty flavor from the tahini comes through, balanced with a slight sweetness and saltiness from the miso paste.

Ingredients you'll need

For the cookies:

• all-purpose flour: regular flour
• baking soda: is a leavening agent that helps the cookies brown
• baking powder: also a leavening agent that helps the cookies puff up
• salted butter: room temperature; you can use unsalted butter and add ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• light brown sugar: adds a little sweetness, moisture and deeper flavor
• granulated sugar: sweetens the cookie and gives it a crisp texture
• white miso paste: also known as shiro, is a yellow/light brown Japanese paste that adds a mild savory, salty umami flavor; you can find it in most Asian supermarkets in plastic tubs; it's a little different than red miso paste, which is more dark brown in color
• tahini sesame paste: a light, tan-colored paste with sesame flavor; you can use Chinese sesame paste (zhimajiang) or tahini, commonly found in Middle Eastern grocery stores
• egg: binds the cookie dough together
• vanilla extract: for flavor

For coating: (optional)

• granulated sugar
• black sesame seeds

You can find these ingredients at your local supermarket or Asian grocery stores.

How to make tahini miso cookies

In a bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking soda and baking powder.

In a stand mixer bowl fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar, until light and fluffy.

Add in the miso, tahini and continue beating until well combined.

Add in the egg and vanilla extract and beat until incorporated.

Lower the speed and add in the flour mixture.

Mix until just combined.

Chill the cookie dough in the fridge for 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350F.

Line a baking sheet or cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Add the sugar and black sesame to a small shallow bowl. Give it a mix.

Use a large cookie scoop and form the cookie dough into a round ball.

Roll the cookie dough ball in the sugar and black sesame mixture, coating it evenly.

Place the cookie dough ball onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and flatten a bit.

Repeat with the remaining cookie dough.

Bake the cookies at 350F for 8 minutes, and remove from oven, giving the tray a few taps to flatten.

Continue to bake for another 4-5 minutes, remove from oven and rap the tray again.

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

How to store

Store the Tahini Miso Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature or up to 1 week.

You can freeze the cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 month.

Defrost the cookies at room temperature for about 30 minutes before enjoying.

Cookie pairings

Serve the cookies with a black sesame latte, Vietnamese iced coconut coffee, or black sesame oat milk.

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