Chocolate Orange Benne Wafer Cookies

Chocolate and orange are added to a traditional benne wafer cookie for a lovely crispy and chewy cookie with flavors of caramelized brown sugar, toasted sesame seeds and chocolate.

When I was a kid, Oreos and Nutter Butters were barred from crossing the threshold of our home. Actually, we rarely had any kind of baked goods in our house. Well, except for the occasional batch of chocolate cookies that my mum made (oh, those were good).

A family dessert typically consisted of a fresh fruit salad or a cup of herbal tea. Does it sound like I'm complaining? Nope, not for a second. I am grateful for my mum's commitment to feeding us healthy, well-balanced meals.

With all of my mum's trips to specialty groceries, she occasionally surprised me with packages of Korean sesame cookies. Sweet wafers, made with a combination of sesame seeds and sugar. These usually came in a stack of four wafers which I would carefully break apart so that I could savor the sweet and toasted flavor of each bite.

To be honest, I had never tasted a benne wafer until I made this batch. When I spotted the classic benne wafer recipe in America's Test Kitchen's Family Baking Book, I was reminded of the sweet sesame treat of my childhood. These cookies, however, don't come from as far afield as Korea. Benne ("sesame" in the Bantu language of the Niger-Congo) was brought from East Africa to the southern United States during the Colonial Times, and planted widely across the area. Benne wafers originated in Charleston, South Carolina and are a classic and well-loved southern treat.

Of course, I couldn't leave well enough alone. In the spirit of baking blasphemy, I added orange zest and bittersweet chocolate to these cookies. This is not my first time messing with a classic southern recipe. However, since the Louisiana Pecan & Butterscotch Ball Cookies came out so well, I was encouraged to commit cookie heresy again. The texture is a balanced mixture of crispy and chewy, with a subtle flavor of orange that compliments the toasted sesame seeds, caramelized brown sugar, and rich chocolate.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F, with the oven rack set to the middle position. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together ½ cup all-purpose flour, ⅛ teaspoon baking powder, and ⅛ teaspoon salt.

In the bowl of a mixer (or a large bowl, using a hand-mixer), beat together 6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, softened, and ¾ cup packed brown sugar. Beat on medium-high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes.

Add 1 egg and ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract and beat for 30 seconds, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

Turn the mixer to low and gradually beat in the flour mixture until just combined. Mix in ¼ cup toasted sesame seeds.

Add ½ teaspoon (packed) orange zest and 2 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate to the dough and mix until just combined.

Place heaping teaspoonfuls of the dough onto the prepared baking sheets. Place about 2 teaspoons apart.

Bake until the cookies are spread thin and golden brown, 9 to 11 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking.

For best results, bake the cookies one sheet at a time, cooling the pans (I rinsed them in cold water and dried) before reusing. Let the cookies cool on the racks for 10 minutes, then cool completely on a wire rack, 45 to 60 minutes.

Chocolate & Orange Benne Wafers
Adapted from America's Test Kitchen Family Baking Book

½ cup all-purpose flour
⅛ teaspoon baking powder
⅛ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoon (¾ stick) unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup (packed) brown sugar
1 large egg
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup toasted sesame seeds
½ teaspoon (packed) orange zest
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F, with the oven rack set to the middle position. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.

In the bowl of a mixer (or a large bowl, using a hand-mixer), beat together butter and brown sugar. Beat on medium-high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add egg and vanilla extract and beat for 30 seconds, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Turn the mixer to low and gradually beat in the flour mixture until just combined. Mix in toasted sesame seeds. Add orange zest and chocolate to the dough and mix until just combined.

Place heaping teaspoonfuls of the dough onto the prepared baking sheets. Place about 2 teaspoons apart.

Bake until the cookies are spread thin and golden brown, 9 to 11 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking. For best results, bake the cookies one sheet at a time, cooling the pans (I rinsed them in cold water and dried) before reusing. Let the cookies cool on the racks for 10 minutes, then cool completely on a wire rack, 45 to 60 minutes.

Makes about 30 cookies.

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