Why It Works
- Coating each portion of dough in sesame seeds before baking gives the cookies a gentle crunch, lets the seeds toast in the oven, and reinforces the warm, nutty flavor of the tahini.
- Freezing the raw dough briefly firms the butter, helping the cookies hold their shape after baking.
- Pressing the indentation partway through baking locks in a defined shape, since the edges of the cookies are set but the centers are still soft. Adding the jam at this point gives it time to thicken and set without leaking, while keeping it from overcooking.
Holiday cookie season calls for recipes that are easy, reliable, and a little more special than the usual lineup. If you like thumbprint cookies for their ease and their jammy centers, you’ll appreciate this tahini version, which keeps the classic structure but adds deeper flavor and a more grown-up edge. Tahini adds a bold, roasted sesame note, shifting the cookie from straightforward buttery sweetness to something more earthy and aromatic. These sesame-studded cookies have a crisp edge that contrasts nicely with the soft, jam-filled center.
These cookies are everything you want during the rush of holiday baking. The red jam centers look striking against the pale white sesame coating, and they stay fresh for several days, which makes them easy to bake ahead. Plus, they hold up well for packing into tins for gifting or setting out alongside more traditional holiday cookies. The recipe below was developed by our colleague Renu Dhar in our Birmingham, Alabama test kitchen. The dough begins with creaming the butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar until light and airy, with the brown sugar adding a subtle molasses depth. The eggs and vanilla are mixed in next, and then the tahini, blending smoothly and adding warm, roasted sesame richness. The dry ingredients—flour, baking powder, and salt—go in last and are mixed just until the dough comes together into a soft, cohesive mass that’s easy to shape. Be careful not to overmix once the flour is added—overworking the dough can cause too much gluten to develop and result in a dense cookie.
Serious Eats / Victor Protasio
The dough is scooped and rolled into smooth balls, then coated in white sesame seeds, which toast in the oven, giving the cookies a crunchy texture and enhancing their nutty flavor. Because unchilled thumbprint dough can significantly spread as it bakes, the shaped cookies get a short freeze to help them hold their structure. Renu makes their namesake thumbprint indentation partway through baking, when the edges are set but the centers are still soft. Pressing the well at this stage keeps it sharply defined, while adding the raspberry jam partway through baking gives it time to thicken and set without leaking, yet prevents it from overcooking or scorching. The finished cookies have crisp, sesame-coated edges, tender middles, and bright, jammy centers.
The tahini brings a warm, toasty note that runs through the cookie, while the raspberry jam adds a bright pop that cuts through the richness, creating a combination that’s simple but special. They’re as good with tea or coffee as they are on a crowded dessert table, offering something familiar but still a little unexpected.
Serious Eats / Victor Protasio
This recipe was developed by Renu Dhar; the headnote was written by Laila Ibrahim.
