It’s that time of year again. The weather has started to cool off, fall festivals are popping up on the street here and there, and people are starting to make plans for the upcoming holidays. When we can finally stop running the AC all day, our oven gets a little busier. Today I want to share these cute sesame checkerboard cookies with you. They are easier to make than you’re probably thinking. The result is a buttery soft nutty cookie that is perfect for pairing with a hot beverage like tea or coffee. If you love peanut butter cookies, you cannot miss this one. It is made with nut-free ingredients, so it’s a great alternative for anyone who has a peanut allergy.
News on Omnivore’s Cookbook
Today I have exciting news to announce. We have a new member on the Omnivore’s Cookbook team – welcome Lilja Walter! She has been working in restaurants in New York since 2014 and is currently cooking at Momofuku Kawi. She will be working with me in the kitchen to assist me with cooking and developing recipes, focusing especially on Chinese baking and desserts.
I’m really happy to have Lilja joining the force. We’ve been working together for a month, and I’m already asking myself why I didn’t do this earlier. Not only is she an experienced cook who can help with research and testing of anything related to Chinese pastries and baking. But she also provides feedback on my savory dishes so I can make improvements. We also bounce ideas off each other in the kitchen and we’re planning to create some very exciting recipes for the upcoming holiday season. And not to mention, it’s such a relief that I have another pair of hands to help with prep and cleanup. Now, instead of running around, washing three dozen dishes after testing one recipe, we can test a dish multiple times and finish up the day with a clean kitchen. And this sesame checkerboard cookie recipe is one that Lilja suggested and developed. I hope you like it as much as I do!
Sesame Checkerboard Cookies Cooking notes
What is black sesame paste
As its name suggests, black sesame paste is a black-colored paste made from ground roasted black sesame seeds. It is commonly used as a filling in Asian desserts and baked goods such as mooncakes and rice cakes. Alternatively, you can make black sesame paste at home, using this recipe from Just One Cookbook.
Chinese sesame paste and alternatives
Similar to black sesame paste, the Chinese sesame paste is made from ground roasted white sesame seeds. Different from tahini, sesame seeds are toasted until golden brown and then ground. The paste has a nuttier taste and a light brown color. You can easily find Chinese sesame paste in an Asian market or online. Or you can simply use tahini to replace it.
Workflow
Making checkerboard cookies is easier than you’re probably thinking. (1) Make the cookie dough
Cream the butter and sugar Add honey Divide into two batches of dough Add the black sesame paste and Chinese sesame paste to each batch separately
(2) Shape the checkerboard cookie dough
Shape the dough into rectangles and chill them Cut the rectangles into long strips, then layer the strips in an alternating pattern to make the checkerboard design Coat the dough with sesame seeds Chill the dough again Cut the dough into cookies and bake
We decided to make six-squared checkerboard cookies instead of nine-squared ones because we liked the rectangular shape. But you can make nine-squared cookies if you prefer.
An alternative approach
At the end of the cooking, we had some dough left. We simply smooshed them together, shaped it into a round log, then cut it into cookies. Some of them turned out like swirl cookies and some like abstract art. They looked pretty cool too! So my conclusion is, don’t let the checkerboard intimidate you. If you accidentally mess up the checkerboard pattern, your cookies will still turn out pretty cool!
More Asian desserts and sweets
Mango Sticky Rice Creamy Red Bean Popsicles Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies 4-Ingredient No-Churn Black Sesame Ice Cream Mango Sago
If you give this recipe a try, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it (once you’ve tried it), and take a picture and tag it @omnivorescookbook on Instagram! I’d love to see what you come up with. Lilja Walter is a part of the Omnivore’s Cookbook team and worked closely with Maggie to develop and test this recipe.
