It’s time for another Holiday Recipe Club! Today is our first post focused on an international holiday and that holiday is Buddha’s birthday.
My friend Keely over at Gormandize with A-dizzle and K-bobo was kind enough to help me come up with the international holidays and ingredients. I was happy she was able to help me with this challenge because as much as I don’t like to admit it, I am totally clueless about international holidays (hopefully that will change soon!)
She suggested that for Buddha’s birthday we use garam masala, tofu or sesame. All of those ingredients sounded pretty wonderful to me so we went ahead and told the rest of the club what was up.
These ingredients are a little bit more challenging than usual, but I couldn’t wait to see how creative the rest of the club would get with a new holiday.
I decided to go with sesame paste, aka tahini. I had been thinking a garam masala yeast bread would be divine but between a failed hard drive and upcoming finals I worked with what I had.
These shortbread cookies are super quick and easy. I even was able to make them before class on Friday!
The tahini adds a wonderfully nutty, almost peanut buttery, flavor to the shortbread as well as making them extra flakey.
If you have been wanting to use tahini for something more than noodles now is your chance!
And if you are interested in joining the Holiday Recipe Club please contact me here! We would love to have you!
Tahini Shortbread
Recipe slightly adapted from Food & Wine
Ingredients:
- 10 tbsp (1 stick + 2 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup tahini (stirred)
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 3/4 cup AP flour
- Sesame seeds
- 1 egg for egg wash (you could also use cream)
To Make the Cookies:
- In the bowl of your stand mixer combine the butter, tahini, powdered sugar and salt. Mix until well combined – about 3 minutes on medium speed.
- Mix in the flour until just incorporated. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour in the fridge.
- Once chilled, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll the dough out to about 1/3 inch thick on a lightly floured surface and cut out your cookies. Carefully transfer each cookie to a baking sheet then brush with egg wash, then sprinkle each cookie with sesame seeds.
- Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes, or until browned (I accidentally over baked mine). Store in a plastic baggie for 3-4 days.
About bigfatbaker
I eat tahini but it’s never been a favorite of mine. I wonder how it would be in these cookies.
I’m willing to give it a try. I’ve got tahini in the fridge!
The cookies don’t taste much like tahini…more like peanut butter. Worth trying and if not your thing I bet the would make a tasty tart or pie crust
I absolutely adore tahini! I eat it on toast and dollop it on my 2 minute noodles!
These sound delicious! I’m so excited to see what everyone comes up with for this HRC!
Oooh I bet it is sooo good on toast…I need to remember that!
What a wonderful twist on traditional shortbread! And I can’t wait for that garam masala yeast bread!
Oh! Tahini cookies…how yummy! What a great way to add a little nutty flavor to shortbread. Mmmmm.
Interesting! I’ve only ever had tahini in hummus. My dad loves sesame bagels, so I’m wondering if he’ll love these cookies too. Thanks for sharing!
What a creative and great recipe!! I would love this! Yum, yum, yum! Thanks for having a wonderful blog hop! I love stepping out of my comfort zone and making something creative!
I don’t use tahini often enough. What a great recipe, never would have put it in a shortbread!
You are so creative and I love it. These look AND sound amazing! I love Tahini. I think you’re a genius…yes, I said it…for going here!
Happy birthday, Buddha!
Hahaha thank you!! These were really tasty, definitely worth trying
You are SUCH a creative cook and so adventurous. When I was in the time of life you are in, in school & worrying about finals, adventurous was Doritos and Diet Coke. You amaze me!
Awww Averie you are too sweet! Don’t get me wrong, I definitely have my college food-esqe nights…
Very interesting and creative! I think my husband will love this. Thanks for the recipe!
“Happy Cooking”
I just KNEW these cookies were yours!!! Great idea…I contemplated sesame cookies, but went savory
Lol what more could you expect from me?!
Great minds think alike, sesame = tahini in my world. I went with the traditional hummus but I love the cookie gig!
Yes! I totally agree. First thing I thought was tahini
I want to try your hummus recipe after I move this summer!
I have some leftover tahini (from making hummus) that is just begging to be used for this shortbread. What a creative use for it!
Thank you Georgia
I had the jar sitting in my cupboard longer than I care to admit. I was happy to use most of it up before it was wasted!
You’re brilliant! I love tahini,but other than salad dressing and hummus, i never know how to use it. Great idea!
You’re such a daring gourmand! I thought that when I read your Tikka Masala post–I’m definitely scare to experiment with all these awesome ingredients the way you do. These look wonderful!
Aww thank you Tara! The cookies are really something…definitely worth trying at least once!
Just thought of something while I was sitting here dreaming about Tahini! If you are a tahini lover then you will love my Tahini Chocolate Truffles!! Here is the link: http://gormandizewithus.blogspot.com.au/2012/01/double-sesame-smoky-paprika-and.html
Not trying to cross promote or anything
Just thought you would probably love them!