Black Sesame Lace Cookies

From the kitchen of Carly

Crisp, lacy cookies that shatter on your tongue, studded with nutty black sesame and brightened by fresh orange. They're delicate and sophisticated, the kind of thing that makes you reach for just one more.

Black Sesame Lace Cookies

Black sesame seeds give these lace cookies a toasted, nutty depth that orange juice amplifies into something bright and sophisticated. They spread thin and crispy, with a delicate shatter on the bite. The trick is refrigerating the batter first, then using the flattest baking sheet you own so they spread into proper lace and not blotchy amoebas.

Prep
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Cook
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Total
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Servings
4
Difficulty
medium

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 7 tbspunsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cupgranulated sugar
  • 7 tbsppacked light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cupunbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cupfresh orange juice
  • 3 tbspblack sesame seeds

Instructions

  1. Fit a stand mixer with the paddle attachment and beat the butter on medium speed until light and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add both the granulated sugar and brown sugar and keep beating for about 1 minute, until combined. Drop the speed to low, add the flour, and mix until fully incorporated. With the mixer still running, slowly drizzle in the orange juice and blend for about 30 seconds. The mixture will look a little broken at this point, which is fine. Scatter in the sesame seeds and mix to distribute.

  2. Scrape the batter into an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or keep it chilled for up to 1 week.

  3. When you're ready to bake, position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line a very flat baking sheet with parchment paper. Flat really does matter here: this batter spreads aggressively, and any warp in the pan will send your cookies into odd, amoeba-like shapes instead of clean rounds.

  4. Pinch off rounded tablespoon-size balls of dough and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet, spacing each one at least 3 inches apart to give them room to spread.

  5. Slide the sheet into the oven and bake for 16 to 18 minutes, until every cookie is completely golden brown all the way through. Leave them on the baking sheet set over a wire rack and let them cool completely until firm to the touch before gently peeling them off the parchment.

  6. Layer any leftover cookies between sheets of parchment or waxed paper in an airtight container. They keep at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Tips from the kitchen

  • Batter temperature matters: cold dough spreads evenly. If your batter warms up while shaping, pop it back in the fridge for 10 minutes.
  • Space cookies at least 3 inches apart on an absolutely flat, even baking sheet. A warped sheet will cause uneven spreading and burnt edges.
  • Let cookies cool completely on the baking sheet before moving them. They firm up as they cool and become much easier to peel off without cracking.
  • Fresh orange juice is not negotiable here. Bottled juice tastes flat and misses the brightness that makes these sing against the earthy sesame.

Variations

  • Swap orange for lemon juice for a sharper citrus note that cuts the sesame richness.
  • Use white sesame seeds instead and add a teaspoon of vanilla extract for a more delicate, less toasty flavor.
  • Add 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper to the batter for a subtle heat that plays against sweet and nutty.
  • Dust cooled cookies with fleur de sel for a sweet-salty contrast that highlights the sesame.

Make ahead and storage

Store in an airtight container with parchment between layers at room temperature for up to 3 days. These don't freeze well because the lace structure gets brittle and shatters in thaw.