If you haven’t guessed yet by how often sesame is featured in my recipes, I love all things sesame, including tahini. As a quick snack, I often spread tahini and apricot jam on toast. The subtle tartness of apricots paired with the creaminess and nutty flavor of tahini is a perfect match. Last time I made myself this mid-afternoon snack it occurred to me that I should recreate this flavor combination in a cookie.
And so the tahini apricot thumbprint cookie was born. The cookie dough is filled with tahini and a hint of cardamom, and nestled in the center is a wonderful dollop of apricot preserves. To arrive at the final cookie, I referenced and made several tweaks to a few different cookie recipes including Bon Appetit, a New York Times recipe for peanut butter blossoms, and Sugar Spun Run’s thumbprint cookies.
After several iterations, I arrived on a thumbprint cookie recipe that holds its shape well in the oven, has a consistency that is easy to work with, and yields a tahini cookie that is light and buttery, rather than dense and oily. These bite-sized cookies are the perfect snack and add a new dimension to the classic thumbprint cookie. If you’re like me and enjoy a bit of cardamom in your desserts, check out my brown butter chocolate chunk cookies.
Tips for Success
- Room temperature butter: For this recipe, avoid microwaving cold butter to soften it up. To make sure the cookies hold their shape in the oven, they are best made with butter that has gradually softened to room temperature where you can make an small indent with your finger but not to the point where the butter is starting to get melty or greasy.
- Shape the cookies immediately: Right after making the dough, begin rolling and shaping the cookies. To avoid too many cracks in the cookie, roll a small ball of dough between your balms until there are no visible seams. Immediately after, slowly press straight down with your index finger to make a well. You can also use a small measuring spoon. If your dough ball is breaking when trying to roll it, you may need to press the dough between your fingers a couple of times to help the dough come together before shaping it.
- Make sure your cookies are cold before they go into the oven: Take the cookies out of the freezer and fill them with jam just before they go into the oven. If making multiple batches, make sure not to place the cookies on a warm baking sheet before they go into the oven.
- Bake the cookies until barely golden: The cookies will continue to brown once out of the oven. Be sure to take the cookies out of the oven well before they turn golden, and when they appear set and have the slightest sign of beginning to turn golden. The cookies will still be very soft but they will harden and turn golden as they cool.
Tahini Apricot Thumbprint Cookies
Cuisine: CookiesDifficulty: Baking session28
cookies30
minutes11
minutesThese tahini apricot thumbprint cookies have a wonderfully nutty flavor and a subtle tartness from the apricot jam. A hint of cardamom takes these cookies to the next level. These make a delightful afternoon snack or a perfect bite-sized dessert after a meal.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups (188g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup (70g) granulated sugar
1/3 cup (70g) light brown sugar
1 large egg yolk
1/2 cup (110g) tahini
1/3 cup apricot jam
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cardamom. Set aside.
- In another bowl, using an electric mixer, cream the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until the mixture is smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Beat in the egg yolk just until blended and then beat in the tahini until the mixture is smooth and well blended.
- Gradually beat in the flour mixture, pouring in about 1/3 of the mixture at a time and beating briefly just until the flour is incorporated. In the last addition, you may need to use a spoon or your hands to finish fully mixing the dough.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone baking mat. Scoop up small pieces of dough and roll between the palm of your hand to form a smooth ball about 1-inch in diameter. Place the ball on the baking sheet and press straight down with your thumb or index finger to create a well. Feel free to use your hands to gently press the dough back together if it begins to crack. Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Freeze the cookies for 30 minutes. When the cookies have about 10 minutes left in the freezer, preheat the oven to 375.
- When the oven is ready, remove the cookies from the freezer, and use a small spoon to fill the indentation with apricot jam. If it’s difficult to fill, place the jam in a small bowl and microwave for a few seconds to loosen it up.
- Bake for approximately 10-12 minutes until very light golden brown. Let cool completely before serving or removing from the cookie sheet.
Notes
- If you’d like to make the dough in advance, you can shape the cookies and freeze or refrigerate them overnight before baking. If fully frozen, the baking time may need to be slightly extended.
Leave a comment