Charleston Benne Wafers
Thin, crisp cookies made from toasted sesame seeds, a Lowcountry treat with West African roots dating to the colonial era.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 25 min
- Servings
- 30
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 60 kcal
Equipment
- •Baking sheet
- •Mixing bowl
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 60 kcal
- fat
- 3
- carbs
- 7
- protein
- 1
- calories
- 60
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 325°F. Line your sheet pans with parchment paper.
- 2
Toast the sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat until golden and fragrant. Let them cool slightly.
- 3
Beat the butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy.
- 4
Beat in the egg and vanilla extract.
- 5
Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. Mix this into the butter mixture.
- 6
Gently fold in the toasted sesame seeds.
- 7
Drop scant teaspoons of batter onto the prepared sheet pans. Space them far apart so they have room to spread.
- 8
Bake for 8-10 minutes until the edges turn golden brown.
- 9
Let the wafers cool completely on the sheet pan before removing them. They are fragile and will break while warm.
Chef's tips
Toast the sesame seeds first to bring out their rich, nutty flavor. Work quickly once the wafers come out of the oven since they firm up fast.
Storage
Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.
Reheating
No reheating necessary; best enjoyed at room temperature.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Skipping toasting the sesame seeds, which leaves the wafers with a flat flavor
- •Baking the wafers too long, which makes them taste bitter
Serving suggestions
Cooked Charleston Benne Wafers?
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