Tehina (also sometimes spelled tahini) is a paste made from sesame seeds.

It’s got great flavor to pair with meats or salads, but also, apparently, works well as an ingredient in dessert. These cookies remind me a bit of peanut butter cookies, although they’re lighter and, obviously, don’t pose the same risks to people with peanut allergies. More importantly, they’re delicious!

Ingredients:

• 1.75 sticks (7 ounces) of unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 cup tehina (the best brand is Soom)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

Start by combining the room-temperature butter with the sugar in a stand mixer on medium speed, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, for about 2 minutes.

Add the tehina and keep mixing until you get a uniform consistency.

Preheat the oven to 350 Farenheit.

In another mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and a pinch of kosher salt. Whisk them together and then add to the tehina mixture. Beat the everything together until they’re just barely incorporated.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or even better, overnight.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a tablespoon, put the batter onto the parchment paper in small uniform heaps.

Bake the cookies for about 15 minutes.

Let cool for 10 minutes on the sheets, then move to wire racks.

The cookies should last for at least 1 week at room temperature if stored in a sealed container. The dough can surive in the freezer for months.

Enjoy!

From Michael Solomonov’s Zahav