Benne Seed Biscuits Recipes

BENNE WAFERS (CHARLESTON'S CLASSIC SESAME SEED COOKIES)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• If using sesame seeds, rather than authentic benne seeds, toast seeds in dry skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 3-5 minutes or until lightly browned. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar until well mixed, light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Make it extra fluffy to add volume to the dough so you get the full number of cookies out of it! Add the eggs one at a time, beating well to combine after each egg.
• Sift together flour and baking powder. Stir dry ingredients into butter-sugar mixture. Stir in benne or sesame seeds and vanilla extract.
• Drop dough by scant 1/2-teaspoons-full (I did a little less than 1/2 teaspoon to make them more bite-sized, since the dough spreads quite a bit) onto parchment paper about 1 inch apart. If desired, spoon dough into a ziplock bag and trim off the corner, or into a pastry bag, and pipe tiny amounts onto the parchment paper instead of using spoons.
• Bake for 7-9 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove cookies onto a rack to cool.
• Store in an airtight container or separate into baggies as gifts or favors.

THE BEST BENNE WAFERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• If your sesame seeds are not toasted, place them on an ungreased baking sheet and toast for 10-12 minutes or until they turn light brown.
• They may burn easily, so watch closely to prevent this from happening.
• Mix the brown sugar, melted butter, egg, vanilla extract, flour, salt, baking powder, and toasted sesame seeds together until well combined in a large mixing bowl.
• Drop cookie dough by half-teaspoonfuls onto greased baking sheet. Make sure that at least 2 inches separate them; they spread A LOT.
• Bake at 375 degrees F for about 5-6 minutes or until edges become light brown. They will appear a little puffy when you take them out.
• Let them sit for 2-3 minutes.
• They should be pretty flat.
• Remove them to a wire rack and allow to cool (be careful--they're pretty crispy and crunchy!).
• Store cooled cookies in an air-tight container.

BENNE WAFERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Place the benne (sesame) seeds on an ungreased baking sheet and toast for 10 to 12 minutes, until light brown. Watch closes so that they don 't burn.
• In a large bowl mix the brown sugar, melted butter or margarine, egg, vanilla extract, flour, salt, baking powder and toasted sesame seeds together until combined.
• Drop dough by 1/2 teaspoonfuls 1 1/2 inches apart onto a lightly greased baking sheet.
• Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 4 to 6 minutes, until light brown. Let cookies cool for about 2 minutes before removing from baking sheets to a wire rack to cool completely. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container.

BENNE SEED ANGEL BISCUITS

Steps:

• In a small bowl stir together yeast, water, and a pinch sugar and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
• In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and remaining sugar. With your fingertips blend in shortening and butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add yeast mixture and 1 1/4 cups buttermilk, stirring until a dough just forms, and gather into a ball (dough will be sticky). On a lightly floured surface with floured hands knead dough gently 6 times and pat out into a 10-inch round (about 1/2 inch thick). Chill dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, at least 8 hours and up to 2 days.
• Preheat oven to 425°F. and lightly butter a large baking sheet.
• With a 2 1/2-inch round cutter dipped in flour cut out as many as possible and arrange, sides just touching, on baking sheet. Gather scraps into a ball and pat out dough. Cut out more rounds in same manner. Brush biscuits with additional buttermilk and sprinkle with benne seeds. Bake biscuits in middle of oven 10 minutes, or until golden, and cool on racks. Biscuits may be made 1 week ahead and frozen in sealable plastic bags. Thaw biscuits and reheat in a preheated 350°F. oven for 5 to 10 minutes or until heated through.

BENNE SEED BISCUITS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
• Place the benne seeds in a shallow pan and roast for 5 minutes. They should be the color of butterscotch and have a delicious toasted smell. If they're not ready, shake the pan to toss and return to the oven for 1 to 2 minutes, but be careful not to burn them.
• Sift the flour, baking powder and teaspoon of salt into a large bowl. Add the lard and work the mixture with a pastry blender or your fingertips until it has the texture of cornmeal. Add the milk and mix well. Mix in the benne seeds. Place the dough on a floured surface, knead for a few seconds and shape into a ball.
• Roll the dough out to about 1/8-inch thickness. Using a 2-inch biscuit cutter, stamp out rounds and lay them on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for about 12 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with a little bit of salt and serve hot. The biscuits may be stored in an airtight tin or jar; reheat before serving.