Halvah Cookies (aka tahini cookies)

These were originally checkerboard style with half chocolate and half tahini but we loved the tahini bits the best.  This recipe is just for tahini cookies.  They taste like a less sweet halvah. So good!

Halvah Cookies

Makes about 1 dozen cookies, would double nicely

Ingredients

83g powdered sugar

1 stick unsalted butter, room temp, reduce salt if using salted butter

1/3 cup well stirred tahini, room temp

1 1/2 tsp Diamond or 1 tsp Morton kosher salt

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extra

188g flour

cup raw white and/or black sesame seeds

Preparation

Step 1

Whisk powdered sugar, unsalted butter, tahini, room temperature, kosher salt, and vanilla extract in a medium bowl until sugar is dissolved and mixture is smooth. Mix in flour with a rubber spatula until no pockets of dry flour remain. 

Form into a log and wrap with parchment.  

Chill for 2 hours or longer (you can freeze it). 

Optional, brush with water and cover with sesame seeds or sprinkles before cutting. Let sit at room temp for 15 minutes for easy slicing.  Slice 1/2 inch thick slices. Place on parchment or silpat lined baking sheet. They don't spread much so you can place them an inch apart.

Bake at 325 for 25 minutes until lightly browned.

Let cool before serving.  They are better cool.

Aggression Cookies in a bag (aka Cooking with toddlers)

This was a favorite recipe when the kids were little.  They could help without any mess and the cookies were always delicious.  I would let them shape them on the cookie sheet in any shape they liked, knowing that they would look like blobs in the end.  They were always so proud of their work.  And since the batter doesnt have eggs in it, they can safely eat it raw.  This recipe is really easy to double or triple!

Aggression Cookies
makes 12-18 cookies

1 cups oats (old-fashioned)
1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup flour (try a mix of wheat and white)
1 stick butter
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
a few shakes of cinnamon, if you like
dash of vanilla, if you like

Put all the ingredients in a ziplock bag (if you've doubled or tripled the recipe then you'll need more bags and more kids).  Hand it to a child and tell them to squeeze and punch and push... the more, the better.  You can also use a large bowl if you're not working with children.

Prepare a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper.  Roll the dough into small, walnut-sized balls and place about 2 inches apart on the prepared sheet(s).  They will S P R E A D.  Bake at 350 for about 10-12 minutes or until the edges brown.  Remove to a cooling rack.