Baking Obsession

It can’t be easier than that. You don’t have to roll the dough or shape the cookies. The baked dough is cut into diamonds or squares. The cookies are buttery and almost shortbread like in texture, but with middle-eastern character.

Makes about 36

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 2/3 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup sesame seeds, toasted lightly and cooled

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Center an oven rack.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the tahini and beat until combined well. Beat in the egg, vanilla, and salt. Add the flour and beat batter until just combined. Beat in the raisins and benne seeds. Spread the batter evenly in a buttered or lined with parchment paper, jelly-roll pan, 15 1/2 by 10 1/2, and bake in the middle of the oven until a tester comes out clean, about 16 to 20 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a rack and cut into 36 bars. The cookies may be made 3 days in advance and kept in an airtight container.