Sesame Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter

• 3/4 cup white sugar

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/4 cup ground sesame seeds (you can use a spice or coffee grinder to grind the sesame seeds)

• Pinch of salt

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 2 eggs

• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

• 6 ounces chopped chocolate

• 1/2 cup plus 2 teaspoons whole sesame seeds

Preparation

1. In a small saucepan brown 1 stick of unsalted butter. Once it has been browned add it to the bowl of a stand mixer and let it cool until it re-solidifies. If you are short on time you can expedite this process by creating an ice bath and placing the stand mixer bowl in it.

2. Add 3/4 cup of white sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, and your remaining stick of unsalted butter to the stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until it is light and fluffy (about 3-4 minutes on medium-high).

3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl whisk together 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup ground sesame seeds, a pinch of salt, and 1 teaspoon baking soda.

4. Add your 2 eggs and tablespoon of vanilla extract to the stand mixer. Beat until it is well combined (about 2 minutes on medium speed). Scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is incorporated.

5. Add the dry ingredients to the mixer and beat on low until everything is combined.

6. Add the 6 ounces of chopped chocolate and 1/2 cup of whole sesame seeds and beat on low until everything has been mixed together.

7. Refrigerate the dough for 1 hour.

8. Preheat the oven to 350 ºF (180 ºC). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

9. Using a cookie scoop (I recommend these) portion out your cookies into equal sizes. Flatten them into disks and place them on your lined baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Add your 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds as topping to each cookie.

10. Bake the cookies until they are golden on the edges (about 8-12 minutes). Cool the cookies on wire baking racks and then store in an airtight container until you serve them.

Notes

• Yield: ~ 24 cookies