Benne Wafers Recipe (Sesame Seed Cookies) (2024)

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Published on Modified: by Alexandria Drzazgowski. This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

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Benne Wafers are another word for thin, crispy cookies made with sesame seeds. This recipe creates delicious, crunchy cookies that are great with milk!

Benne Wafers Recipe (Sesame Seed Cookies) (1)

“Hello Reader! I try my hardest to research recipes as best as I can before posting to ensure I am representing each culture correctly. If this recipe is from your country and I have made a mistake or you have suggestions for how to make it more authentic, I would love to hear! Please leave a comment below letting me know what should be different, and I will rework the recipe. It is always my intention to pay homage and respect to each cultural dish that I cook. Thanks for reading!”

Until today, I’ve never really considered sesame seeds an ingredient if you know what I mean. A topping? Sure. But a full-on ingredient… not really.

I’m excited though, because this recipe for Benne Wafers from the Central African Republic really showed me the beauty of sesame seeds. When the sesame seeds toast, they have a beautiful flavor that’s all their own.


The seeds in these cookies make them a great middle ground for people that don’t have a huge sweet tooth. They taste a bit toasty and savory, but the cookie batter makes them sweet and delicious!

Benne Wafers Recipe (Sesame Seed Cookies) (2)

What Are Benne Wafers?

Benne wafers are cookies that originated in Africa, but are now very popular in America as well. To make these cookies, toast sesame seeds and then combine them with a buttery cookie dough. When the cookies bake, the bottoms get very crispy and crunchy!

What Ingredients Are Used to Make this Recipe?

Sesame seeds
Egg
Butter
Flour
Brown sugar
Salt
Baking powder
Vanilla

How Are Benne Wafers Made?

First, you’ll need to toast your sesame seeds for about 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

Melt butter in your microwave and use an electric hand mixer to combine with sugar in a large bowl.

Add egg and mix again.

Combine flour and baking powder into the dough and hand mix until a dough is formed.

Add the toasted sesame seeds.

Use a small cookie scoop to scoop balls of dough. I placed my cookies on an open air cookie sheet covered in parchment paper.

Bake at 375 degrees for 14 minutes. Allow cookies to cool and then enjoy!

Where Did this Recipe Come From?

Benne wafers originated in Africa and are very popular in the Central African Republic. However, when slaves were transported to America, they brought their favorite recipes with them. These slaves began making their benne wafer recipe Now, benne wafers are a popular snack in South Carolina (for example, the Olde Colony Bakery is home to the Charleston Version of Benne Wafers!

Thanks for reading! If you want more cookie recipes, check out my other blog posts:

  • Fast and Easy Maple Cookies
  • Alfajores (Dulce de Leche Cookies from Argentina)
  • Sheqerpare Cookies from Albania
  • Algerian Shortbread Cookies with Raspberry Filling
Benne Wafers Recipe (Sesame Seed Cookies) (3)

Benne Wafers Recipe (Sesame Seed Cookies) (4)

Benne Wafers (Sesame Seed Cookies)

Benne wafers from Central African Republic are beautifully crispy, crunchy cookies made with sesame seeds!

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: baking, Cookies, Dessert

Cuisine: central african republic

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 14 minutes minutes

Total Time: 34 minutes minutes

Servings: 30 cookies

Calories: 108kcal

Author: Alexandria Drzazgowski

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sesame seeds
  • 1 egg
  • ¾ cup butter, melted
  • 1 cup flour
  • ¾ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ tsp Salt
  • ¼ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp vanilla

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Place sesame seeds on a cookie sheet and toast for about 15 minutes, checking and stirring them every 5 minutes or so. Keep a close eye on your sesame seeds as they burn easily.

  • Remove the sesame seeds from the oven and place them aside to cool.

  • Bump oven up to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

  • Melt butter and use an electric mixer to combine with sugar.

  • Add egg and mix with electric mixer again.

  • Add flour and baking powder and use a spoon to mix by hand.

  • Line an open air cooking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop 12 cookies onto your cookie sheet and bake at 375 for about 14 minutes. Your cookies will start to brown and be very thin and wafery!

  • Allow to cool fully and enjoy!

  • Leave a comment on this post letting me know what you think.

Notes

Recipe copyright The Foreign Fork. For educational and personal use only.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 108kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 68mg | Potassium: 39mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 150IU | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 1mg

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lisa says

    Benne Wafers Recipe (Sesame Seed Cookies) (9)
    Fabulous, everyone loves them

    Reply

    • The Foreign Fork says

      So glad to hear it Lisa. Thanks for the review!

      Reply

Leave a Reply

Benne Wafers Recipe (Sesame Seed Cookies) (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between benne and sesame seeds? ›

It's essentially the heirloom ancestor of sesame seeds--sesame and benne are the same species, but sesames have been bred to maximize oil output, which unfortunately has cut down on flavor. Chris Shepherd from Houston restaurant Underbelly was nice enough to send me, you can taste all that sesame used to be.

What flavor are Benne wafers? ›

The Benne Wafer is a thin cookie, made with tasty toasted sesame.

What is the flavor of benne? ›

“Benne is a delicate flavor, even when toasted. It plays well with different flavors and has more of a nutty, honeyed flavor,” she says.

What is the story behind Benne Wafers? ›

In Africa, the benne plant was thought to bring good luck and ward off evil, which is doubtlessly one of the reasons it was so widely grown by African-American slaves in their gardens. The Gullah people called it the “goodwill” plant, and, even today, the wafers are said to bring good fortune to those who eat them.

What is another name for benne seeds? ›

Sesame (/ˈsɛsəmi/; Sesamum indicum) is a plant in the genus Sesamum, also called benne or gingelly. Numerous wild relatives occur in Africa and a smaller number in India. It is widely naturalized in tropical regions around the world and is cultivated for its edible seeds, which grow in pods.

Which is better tahini or sesame seeds? ›

Whether one is better than the other depends on the specific dish and the desired flavor and texture. For example, tahini paste is essential for making hummus or baba ghanoush, while ground sesame seeds are a great garnish for sushi or noodle dishes.

How long do Benne wafers last? ›

How long do Benne wafers stay fresh? Benne wafers stay fresh for up to 6 months. However, we make them fresh every day so do not feel like you need to order your cookies months in advance.

What is a Charleston cookie? ›

A popular South Carolina tourist attraction inspired a new cookie flavor — and you can try it for yourself. Pepperidge Farm announced the debut of Soft Baked Charleston Birthday Cake cookies, a festive treat with white chocolate and multi-colored sprinkles.

Why are Nabisco famous chocolate wafers so hard to find? ›

Nabisco Old Fashioned Chocolate Wafers have been a staple in our homes for generations. They are a key ingredient in scores of desserts. Unfortunately, Nabisco has "removed them from the product line to make room for new innovations." How is there not "room" for this beloved and much used cookie in their product line?

Is beniseed same as sesame seed? ›

So, buy some Sesame or better known in the markets as Beniseed and make yourself a pot of Nutrient packed and flavorful soup. Yes! Beniseed does have this slightly bitter after taste but it's one you will love.

Are there 2 types of sesame seeds? ›

Sesame, a genus of Sesamum, is a member of the Pedaliaceae family. According to the difference in germplasm color, sesame can be classified as white sesame, black sesame, and yellow sesame, among which black and white sesame are the more common and widely grown dominant species, as shown in Figure 1.

What do benne seeds taste like? ›

If you've ever had the pleasure of nibbling cookies or other foods made with benne, you already appreciate its slightly sweet, nutty, buttery flavor contributions.

Are til seeds and sesame seeds same? ›

Introduction: Sesame (Sesamum indicum), often known as Til, is a flowering plant in the Sesamum genus. It is farmed for its edible seeds, which are produced in pods, and has become widely naturalized in tropical locations around the world.

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