Name: Sesame Fig Thumbprint Cookies
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Yield: 1 dozen
Ingredients: For fig filling:; 1 cup dried figs, stems removed; 1 cup water; 3/4 cup orange juice; For cookies:; 6 Tbsp. sugar, divided; 1 cup all-purpose flour; 1/2 tsp. baking powder; 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature; 1 egg; 1/2 vanilla bean of choice*:; 1/3 cup fig filling

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Sesame Fig Thumbprint Cookies

Recipe by Adapted from The Perfect Bite and The New Sugar & Spice cookbooks

All-Purpose Cooking

Baking

This impressive little cookie is flavored with sesame and vanilla, along with hints of orange and black pepper.

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Serves 1 dozen

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cooking Time 1 hour 20 minutes

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Ingredients

For fig filling: 1 cup dried figs, stems removed 1 cup water 3/4 cup orange juice

3 Tbsp. Vanilla Bean Sugar

1/2 tsp. Coarse Black Malabar Pepper

1/8 tsp. Mayan Sea Salt

For cookies:

1/4 cup Toasted Sesame Seeds, plus 1 Tbsp. for garnish

6 Tbsp. sugar, divided 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. Mayan Sea Salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 egg

1 1/2 tsp. Madagascar Vanilla Bean Paste, OR

1/2 vanilla bean of choice*: Madagascar Vanilla Bean Mexican Vanilla Bean Ugandan Vanilla Bean 1/3 cup fig filling

Madagascar Vanilla Beans

Mexican Vanilla Beans

Ugandan Vanilla Beans

Directions

Step 1 For fig filling: In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients and cook over medium-low heat for about 1 hour or until liquid has reduced to the point that it's covering figs about halfway. Transfer to a food processor and blend until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until chilled. Makes about 1 cup filling, which can be kept in fridge for up to 1 month.

Step 2 For cookies: Use a spice grinder or mortar & pestle to grind 1/4 cup of the sesame seeds with 1 Tbsp. of sugar. Whisk mixture together with flour, baking powder, and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and remaining 5 Tbsp. sugar together until creamy. Add egg and vanilla and mix until combined. Set bowl of dough in refrigerator to chill for about 10 min. Meanwhile, line two baking sheets with parchment paper and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use a tablespoon to scoop dough about 1 inch apart onto baking sheets. Bake until just set, about 6 to 8 min. Remove sheets from oven and use a teaspoon to press a small well into the middle of each cookie. Fill each well with about 1/2 tsp. fig filling. Return cookies to oven to bake for 6 to 8 more min. or until golden brown around the edges. Remove from oven and sprinkle each cookie with sesame seeds. Let cool completely on baking sheets before serving.

Recipe Notes

*To use vanilla beans: split beans in half lengthwise and scrape seeds out from pod with the back of a knife. Use empty pods to make homemade vanilla extract or flavor homemade vanilla sugar.