Sesame White Chocolate Cookies

• servings: 18 cookies

Ingredients

8 tablespoons unsalted butter (113 grams)

1/2 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed (95 grams)

1/2 cup white granulated sugar (110 grams)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt

1 large egg

2 tablespoons sesame oil (25 grams)

1/3 cup honey (93 grams)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup tahini

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, plus two tablespoons (212 grams)

4-6 ounces white chocolate, chopped into half inch/inch pieces (not white chocolate chips)

3 tablespoons sesame seeds

Directions

1. Brown the butter. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Cook the butter, stirring and scraping the bottom occasionally, until it begins to bubble and pop. Continue cooking until the butter foams and you can see brown flecks swimming in the butter when you stir. You’ll know it’s done browning when you no longer hear bubbling and popping — as that’s when all the water has been cooked off. Immediately remove from the heat and allow to cool just until warm.

2. Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, baking soda and baking powder to a large mixing bowl. Whisk until combined, ensuring to break up lumps.

3. Whisk in the just-warm butter, followed by the egg, sesame oil, honey, vanilla and tahini.

4. Fold in the flour until a few streaks of white remain, then add around half of the white chocolate chunks and continue folding until the chunks are evenly distributed and the remaining white streaks have disappeared.

5. Cover and allow to chill in the refrigerator or freezer until firmed up enough to scoop.

6. Dole out about 18 balls of dough (around 1.5 ounces, each, or about 3 tablespoons. I like to use a #44 portion scoop for this.) Using the remaining chocolate, place 2 or 3 pieces in the scoop before scooping. Or you can press them into the tops of the dough balls after.

7. Roll the edges of the dough balls in the sesame seeds, cover and allow to chill until very firm, at least an hour.

8. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F. Line two half-sheet trays with parchment paper and place 6 dough balls on one tray. Bake on the middle rack for 6 minutes, then rotate the tray front to back and give it a tap on the rack to slightly deflate the cookies. Continue baking for 5 to 6 more minutes or until the edges are deep golden brown and the centers look just barely set.

9. Allow to set up on the tray for 2 or 3 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat twice with remaining dough using the other, room-temperature half sheet tray.