Recipe: Michael Twitty’s Benne Seed Wafers Pair Well With Everything

According to culinary historian, educator, and multiple James Beard Award-winning cookbook author Michael W. Twitty, the Southern table is a place where “the real world and the places that exist in memory, myth, and mystique sit side by side.” In his new book, Recipes From the American South, Twitty outlines how the culinary identity of a broad region came to be defined by colonization and migration, by the richness of its ingredients and culinary products, by the competing visions of popular imagination and vivid, lived-in memory.

Above all, though, Twitty conveys just how much Southerners are “dynamic s, cooks, and entertainers” — something that naturally comes out during the holidays. “The variety of offerings matters,” Twitty says of his ideal gathering. “We Southerners are used to the ‘groaning table,’ filled with seasonal and family favorites.” For a holiday spread in particular, “I like a lot of flavors. I also like things that match the seasons and a rich range of color is essential: It shouldn’t look boring or monochromatic.”

Which is why benne seed wafers make the perfect, sweet-meets-savory addition to a cookie swap snack spread. Benne seeds, a variant of sesame seeds native to West Africa brought to the Americas during the transatlantic slave trade, bring a light nuttiness to their namesake cracker, which Twitty says pairs best on a cheese plate along with pimento cheese, shrimp paste, and relish (there’s a recipe for that in the book as well, featuring pickled watermelon rinds and chow chow). “Benne works well with spicy, sweet, and cheesy elements,” he says — the perfect partner to so many items on that groaning table.

Note: If you can’t find benne seeds in stores where you are, Twitty notes they’re readily available from online retailers based in the South.

1 cup (150 grams) benne seeds or white sesame seeds
1 cup (130 grams) all-purpose (plain) flour, preferably unbleached
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon kosher salt or 1/8 teaspoon fine salt
8 tablespoons (4 ounces/115 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup (190 grams) packed light brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Step 1: Position racks in the bottom third and upper thirds of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line two or three baking sheets with parchment paper.

Step 2: Spread the seeds in a single layer on one of the pans and toast until they have a nutty fragrance and are a light brown, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool, then transfer to a small bowl.

Step 3: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Step 4: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle (or in a large bowl with a hand mixer), cream the butter, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla together on medium speed until super light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn the speed down to low and add the dry ingredients in three additions, beating until just combined. Add the toasted seeds until just combined.

Step 5: Finish mixing the dough by hand to make sure no bits of flour or butter are hiding on the bottom of the bowl and the dough is thoroughly mixed.

Step 6: Use a small ice cream scoop or a tablespoon to form the cookies (about 1 rounded tablespoon each) and place on the prepared baking sheets, leaving 2 inches (5 centimeters) between them to allow for spreading.

Step 7: Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly golden brown, switching racks and rotating the pans front to back halfway through.

Step 8: Let cool completely on the pans on wire racks. Store airtight at room temperature for up to one week or in the freezer for up to one month.

Haley Hunt Davis is an Atlanta and L.A.-based food, beverage and product photographer. Styled by Ryan Norton, an Atlanta-based food stylist and macaron maker at La Macaron Guy.