Benne Seed Wafers

Submitted by Recipe Baroness

"According to legend among the descendants of Negro slaves of Charleston, the benne is a good luck plant for those who eat it seeds. Benne is the southern word for sesame seeds, and they make the most wonderful, delicious cookies you ever wrapped your lips around! This recipe come from the Junior League of Charleston's Cook Book, Charleston Receipts."

 

• Ready In: 30mins
• Ingredients: 8
• Yields: 100 wafer cookies

ingredients

• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1 cup plain flour (all purpose)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 3⁄4 cup toasted sesame seeds
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1⁄2 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

directions

1. Toast your sesame seeds and let cool.
2. Cream the butter and sugar, adding beaten egg, then the flour that has bee sifted with salt and baking powder. Add the vanilla and Sesame seeds.
3. Drop by teaspoonfuls on greased cookie sheet.
4. Bake in preheated 325°F oven.
5. Allow to cool one minute before removing them from the cookie sheet and place on cooling rack.
6. This makes a transparent cookie wafer.

Reviews

[Lynne L.]

Benne is not the southern word for sesame seeds. It is the Bantu (Nigerian) word taught to southerners by the slaves from Nigeria who brought the seeds, and this recipe, to the south.

 

[Petalpages]

These were scrumptious! I made them after reading South of Broad by Pat Conroy, in which he references Benne Wafers. Nice to learn a little more history about them, too. Transported across the states to South Carolina with the first bite of these melt-in-your mouth cookies.<br/>Thank you!

 

[Sharon123]

I just loved the tast of the toasted sesame seeds! Sweet and delicious! Thanks! Made for Everyday is a Holiday tag.