
These Black Sesame Shortbread Cookies are irresistibly crumbly, delicate, nutty, and tasty. And their appearance makes them a perfect Halloween dessert!
Jump to Recipe
Hello folks! How are you doing? I hope this week has been treating you well.
Also, are you getting prepared for Halloween? And by this, I mean sampling all those chocolates you might have already bought for kids. That’s quality control, you know… just be sure to buy more chocolates for trick-or-treaters before the Halloween night lol.
And if you are looking for Halloween inspiration, I am also happy to share with you another fun recipe.
Black Sesame Shortbread Cookies
How cool are these Black Sesame Shortbread Cookies?
Please don’t be fooled by their appearance and particularly greyish hues. Despite their colour which some may consider as unappealing or even suspicious, they are not what they look like. They are absolutely delicious and dangerously addictive. Buttery, nutty, crumbly, and melt-in-your-mouth – this is what you can expect from these cookies.
They are so easy to make, too! The only additional prep step is making a paste by pulsing sesame seeds in a food processor or blender. A bullet type of blender would be perfect for this. And did I mention that this dough does not require a use of mixer and chilling?
More Halloween Ideas
Are you looking for more Halloween recipes? Be sure to check these fun ideas:
Witches’ Fingers Cheese Biscuits
I hope you like these Black Sesame Shortbread Cookies and that you will give this recipe a try soon. If you make them, please let me know in this post or send me an Instagram message or share your photos adding the hashtag #havocinthekitchen.
Cheers!




Black Sesame Shortbread Cookies
Course: Dessert25
servings15
minutes15
minutesThese Black Sesame Shortbread Cookies are irresistibly crumbly, delicate, nutty, and tasty. And their appearance makes them a perfect Halloween dessert!
Makes ~25 small-medium cookies.
Ingredients
2/3 cup (ab. 95 gr.) black sesame seeds, toasted + more, for sprinkling, if desired
1/2 cup (1 stick or 125 gr.) butter, soften
2 tbsp. (15 gr.) icing sugar
a good pinch salt
1/2 to 1 tsp. cinnamon (optional)
1 tsp. vanilla extract (optional)
1 and 1/4 cups (150 gr.) all-purpose flour + more, for dusting
Directions
- First, you will need to make a rough paste by pulsing black sesame seeds in a blender (a bullet type of blender would work well). It does not need to be perfectly smooth, it should look moist and somewhat crumbly. But if you find it hard to process the seeds or you blender is not powerful enough, adding a little (~1 tsp.) of water would ease the process.
- Cut the butter into few large pieces, place in a microwave-safe bowl, and heat for about 25-40 seconds or until very soft (partly melted); or melt a small saucepan over stovetop heat.
- Combine the soften/melted butter with the black sesame paste, icing sugar, salt, cinnamon, and vanilla (if using). Beat with a wooden spoon for 30 seconds until well-incorporated.
- Stir in the flour and mix until remains dough; don’t overmix.
- If the dough feels too sticky, dust with a little of flour. If it feels to crumbly / dry (that happens as density of ingredients could wary), you can fix it by stirring in a little more of melted butter or a splash of milk.
- You do not need to refrigerate the dough, but if you have time, giving it 5-10 minutes of resting will enhance the texture even more.
- Roll the dough out with a rolling-pin (dusting with a bit of flour, if the dough feels too moist.) – or simply flatten it with your hands. Cut cookies using cookie cutters. If desired, sprinkle or roll with more sesame seeds, slightly pressing them into the dough. To do so, slightly brush the surface with an egg wash (by mixing a whole egg with a spoon of water) – egg wash will help the seeds sticking to the cookies.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (~175 degrees C). Place the cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheets.
- Bake for about 12-16 minutes (depending on size, the thickness of the dough, and your oven) or until edges are slightly golden. ~ â…“-inch (0.8 cm.) should take about 13-14 minutes, but it is always better to slightly underbake than overbake them so please adjust this accordingly. Allow cookies to cool and serve.

Hi – I’m Ben, a blogger, recipe developer, and food photographer. I’m glad you’re here! I hope you will enjoy hundreds of delicious recipes and a pinch of havoc in the kitchen.
These Black Sesame Shortbread Cookies sound so intriguing and perfect for Halloween! I love how the greyish colour adds to their spooky vibe, yet they’re actually deliciously buttery and nutty. It’s great that they’re easy to make, with no mixer or chilling needed. Definitely going to give these a try for a fun twist on traditional Halloween treats!
Raymund recently posted…Oxtail Ramen
Thank you Raymund!
Ben | Havocinthekitchen recently posted…Apple Cranberry Walnut Salad
Spooky cookies. But pretty easy to make too. And I bet these taste amazing. Hope you had a good Halloween there Ben!
Neil recently posted…Easy Slow Cooker Moroccan Lamb
Thank you Neil!
Ben | Havocinthekitchen recently posted…Apple Cranberry Walnut Salad
What a spooky idea…I love it! These would be perfect for a Halloween party. I like the black on black appearance here!
David @ Spiced recently posted…Chocolate Caramel Peanut Bars
Thank you David!
Ben | Havocinthekitchen recently posted…Apple Cranberry Walnut Salad
Love these spooky cookies, Ben! Sesame seeds are so versatile and I love to see them in sweets like these!
Thank you Marissa!
Ben | Havocinthekitchen recently posted…Apple Cranberry Walnut Salad
These cookies look perfectly spooky!
Jeff the Chef @ Make It Like a Man! recently posted…Dill and Fennel Meatloaf
Thank you Jeff!
Ben | Havocinthekitchen recently posted…Apple Cranberry Walnut Salad
Love your black sesame series! These shortbread cookies are the perfect marriage of nutty and crisp!
Thank you Michelle!
Ben | Havocinthekitchen recently posted…Apple Cranberry Walnut Salad
Very cool! I love how you styled the photos.
Thank you Mimi!
Ben | Havocinthekitchen recently posted…Apple Cranberry Walnut Salad
I grew up eating quite a bit of black sesame. These are definitely something I would totally enjoy too.
angiesrecipes recently posted…Carrot Salad with Truffle Balsamic Glaze Dressing and Smoked Almonds
Thank you Angie!
Ben | Havocinthekitchen recently posted…Apple Cranberry Walnut Salad
I am sure these taste amazing!
Tandy | Lavender and Lime recently posted…Crispy Quinoa Salad
Thank you Tandy!
Ben | Havocinthekitchen recently posted…Apple Cranberry Walnut Salad