Recipe: Barazek (Sesame Cookies)

"Cookies" may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Syrian food, but I promise once you try barazek you may consider Damascus as a potential baked good mecca. (Pun intended. Not really. Cause, you know, Mecca is in Saudi Arabia.)

Barazek with sesame seeds.

I made barazek late at night after braving Superbowl traffic (#EADOproblems) and consumed them with relish even later at night with some milky tea. I love their slightly sweet, nutty flavor. Some recipes call for sesame seeds, some call for pistachios, some both. I opted to segregate my mix-ins and split the batch.  Credit for the (slightly adapted) recipe below goes to Amira's Pantry:

Barazek

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter brought to room temperature

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

• 1 egg

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 teaspoon vinegar

• 1 1/2 cup white flour

• 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup sesame seeds

• 1 cup coarsely chopped unsalted pistachios

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Cream together sugar and butter.

3. Mix in egg, vanilla extract, and vinegar.

4. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.

5. Add flour-baking powder mixture to wet ingredient. Let rest in fridge for 30 minutes.

6. Shape dough into small discs. Coat with sesame seeds or pistachios or both by pressing them in a bowl filled with the aforementioned ingredient(s).

7. Bake for about 20 minutes until bottom is golden brown.