Sesame Honey Cookies

Sesame honey cookies shaped into sticks, crisp and sweet, and just right for Rosh Hashanah. They have an amazing texture, a delicate halva flavor and a gorgeous color that comes from the honey. They're easy to make, with no mixer, and I'm sure you'll end up baking them all year round.

Ingredients for sesame honey cookies

• 260 g all-purpose flour (2 cups minus 2 tablespoons).
• 5 g baking soda (1 teaspoon).
• 80 g demerara sugar (½ cup minus 2 tablespoons).
• 120 g cold butter, cut into cubes.
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
• 30 ml milk (2 tablespoons).
• 30 g honey (1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon).
• Sesame seeds, for sprinkling over the cookies.

Instructions

1. In a wide bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, demerara sugar and butter cubes. Work them by hand or with a mixer until you have small crumbs (be careful not to overwork the dough).
2. Add the vanilla, milk and honey, and knead into an even ball of dough. Put the dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper and roll it into a square of even thickness (don't roll it too thin, or the cookies will burn quickly).
3. Put the dough on a baking sheet and chill in the fridge for an hour.
4. Remove the top sheet of parchment, sprinkle generously with sesame seeds, cover with the parchment again and roll lightly so the seeds stick. Using a bench scraper or a knife, cut into sticks. Arrange them with small gaps between them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (this makes about 2 baking sheets).
5. Bake in an oven preheated to 340°F (170°C) for about 13-15 minutes, or until browned (bake each baking sheet separately).
6. Let cool completely, then dig in.

Good to know

• You can swap the demerara sugar for white sugar, but keep in mind that the texture will change a little.