Black Sesame Cheesecake Cookies
These black sesame cheesecake cookies are made with black tahini & stuffed with white chocolate cheesecake. Super nutty & insanely fudgy!
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I’m really enjoying baking with tahini at the minute, whether it’s in cookies or ice cream! The nuttiness that you get from this sesame seed paste adds another level of flavour that works incredibly well in sweet recipes.
For this cookie recipe, we’re using black tahini, which is made with black sesame seeds. This tastes similar to tahini made from white sesame seeds but will add a deeper colour & roasted flavour to these cookies. You can buy black tahini online & in some supermarkets. I used one from a brand called Belazu.
There’s an ever growing collection of cookie recipes on this blog & we’re always thinking of new flavours to try! If you’ve got a suggestion that you’d like to see a recipe for, let us know in the comments at the bottom of this post!
Why You’ll Love These Cookies
- They’re super chocolatey & contain rich white chocolate cheesecake & molten chunks.
- The black tahini gives these cookies a super nutty flavour & rich colour.
- These will stay fresh & keep soft for several days.
- The sesame seed sugar makes the outsides crispy & adds extra sesame flavour!
What You’ll Need
Black Tahini
Black tahini is made from black sesame seeds & taste similar (if not the same) as tahini made from white sesame seeds. Pairing black tahini with Dutch processed cocoa powder gives these cookies a deep colour & a rich, nutty flavour.
If you’d prefer to use white tahini, feel free but keep in mind that the colour of the cookies won’t be as dark.
Sesame Seeds
Our cookie dough is rolled in a mixture of sesame seeds & granulated sugar before being baked. This makes the outside of each cookie extra crispy & the seeds add another kick of sesame flavour.
Butter
Using butter as the fat in our cookies adds flavour & helps them spread in the oven. Make sure to use unsalted as this allows more control of the salt content.
Cocoa Powder
We’re using Dutch processed cocoa powder for this recipe because it adds more flavour & a deeper colour compared to regular/sweetened cocoa. This can be found in most supermarkets or online. If you’re in the UK, I’d recommend using Green & Black’s.
Cream Cheese
The cheese for our cheesecake filling. Make sure to use full fat cream cheese & that it’s warmed to room temperature before using. This makes mixing the cheesecake a lot easier!
White Chocolate
White chocolate is used in both the cookie dough & the cheesecake filling. A good quality chocolate makes all the difference here & using chopped up bars is what makes the molten pools in the baked cookies.
Sugar
We’re using a combination of dark brown & caster sugar in the cookie dough. I find that this makes cookies with crisp outsides, fudgy centres & they spread out just the right amount in the oven.
For the sesame seed sugar, we’re using granulated sugar for extra crunch & icing sugar in the cheesecake for a smoother texture.
Eggs
This batch of cookie dough contains an egg & two yolks. This gives them a richer flavour & a fudgier texture.
Vanilla
A small amount of good quality vanilla paste in both the cookie dough & cheesecake filling adds another layer of flavour.
Flour
Plain/all purpose flour is used in this recipe. This makes crisp, tender cookies.
Salt
Sprinkling some Maldon sea salt on top of the baked cookies makes all the difference! Salt works great with chocolate & really brings out the flavour.
Baking Powder & Bicarb
The raising agents for our cookies. We’re only using a small amount of each for the correct amount of rise & spread in the oven.
How To Make Black Sesame Cheesecake Cookies
Step 1 – White Chocolate Cheesecake
The first step is to make the cheesecake. To do this, we heat white chocolate in the microwave (or over a bain marie) until it is just melted then we leave it to cool for 10 minutes. Next, in a stand mixer, we mix together room temperature cream cheese, icing sugar, vanilla & a pinch of salt until smooth. Then the cooled chocolate is mixed in.
Next, we scoop 12 portions of cheesecake onto a lined baking tray then freeze for at least an hour. This firms the cheesecake up, which will make stuffing the cookies a lot easier.
Step 2 – Cookie Dough
Onto the cookie dough. In a stand mixer, we beat together softened butter, black tahini, vanilla & both sugars until combined & smooth. Next, we beat in the egg & yolks then mix in the flour, salt, baking powder & bicarb. Finally, we stir through the roughly chopped white chocolate.
Our cookie dough now needs to chill in the fridge for 30 minutes before shaping. This will firm the dough up just enough, to make scooping & shaping easier.
Step 3 – Shaping
To shape the cookies, we first need to scoop them into 12 evenly sized balls, making sure that there’s plenty of chocolate in each.
Next, the balls of dough are flattened into discs & a portion of cheesecake is placed into the centre of each one. The dough is then shaped back into a ball around the cheesecake then rolled in the sesame sugar (sesame seeds & granulated sugar mixed together).
Step 4 – Overnight Chill
The cookie dough now needs to chill in the fridge overnight before being baked. This stops the cookies spreading out too much in the oven.
Step 5 – Baking
The next day, we bake the cookies until the edges are set but the middle is still soft. This will take 11-12 minutes at 180°c/355°f. Once baked, the cookies need to cool completely before being served.
Storing The Cheesecake Cookies
Because of the cheesecake filling, these cookies need to be stored in the fridge. They can then be either eaten cold or warmed back up to room temperature. Kept refrigerated in an airtight container, these cookies will keep for 2-3 days.
Tips & Tricks For Making Cheesecake Cookies
- Use a chopped up chocolate bar, it will melt better than chocolate chips.
- Chill the cookie dough overnight for the right amount of spread in the oven.
- Use a cookie cutter to “scoot” the cookies into a perfect circle once baked.
- Sprinkle Maldon salt on top of the cookies for extra flavour.
- Freeze the cheesecake portions for at least an hour. This will make stuffing the cookies easier.
- Bake the cookies until the edges are set but the centre is still soft.
Cooking In An Aga
With all of my recipes, I include cooking instructions for conventional ovens, fan ovens & also Agas.
To bake these cookies in an Aga, slide your baking tray onto the second from bottom set of runners in the baking oven. Cook as above.
Equipment Used
Please note that these are affiliate links & I may make a small commission if you make a purchase using these links, at no extra cost to you. For more information, click here.
More Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes
- Salted Tahini & Vanilla
- Toasted Milk & Ginger
- Miso Banana Bread
- Brown Butter S’more
- Toasted Milk, Chocolate & Raisin Oatmeal
- Salted Pretzel & Candied Hazelnut
- Brown Butter & Rye
If you have enjoyed this recipe, it would mean a lot if you could leave a review & rating!
Black Sesame Cheesecake Cookies
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
- Small Mixing Bowl
- Small Cookie Scoop
- Sieve
- 3 Baking Trays
- 9cm Cookie Cutter
Ingredients
White Chocolate Cheesecake
- 70 g White Chocolate
- 165 g Full Fat Cream Cheese At Room Temperature
- 30 g Icing Sugar Sifted
- 1 tsp Vanilla Paste
- Pinch Of Table Salt
Black Sesame Cookies
- 150 g Unsalted Butter
- 50 g Black Tahini
- 150 g Dark Brown Sugar
- 125 g Caster Sugar
- 1 Egg
- 2 Egg Yolks
- 1 tsp Vanilla Paste
- 300 g Plain Flour
- 35 g Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder
- ¾ tsp Baking Powder
- ¾ tsp Bicarbonate Of Soda
- ½ tsp Table Salt
- 150 g White Chocolate
Sesame Seed Sugar
- 3 tbsp Granulated Sugar
- 3 tsp Sesame Seeds
Instructions
White Chocolate Cheesecake
- Line a baking tray with baking paper & set aside.
- Place the white chocolate into a heatproof bowl & heat in a microwave (or bain marie) until just melted. Leave to cool for 10 minutes.
- Add the cream cheese, icing sugar, vanilla & salt into the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat with the paddle attachment until smooth & combined, 1-2 minutes.
- Next, pour in the cooled chocolate & mix to combine.
- Using a small cookie scoop (or spoon), scoop the cheesecake into 12 portions & place onto the lined baking tray.
- Place the cheesecake into a freezer & leave to set until firm. This will take around 1 hour.
Black Sesame Cookies
- First, cut the butter into small pieces & leave to soften at room temperature for 30 minutes – 1 hour.
- Next, place the butter, tahini, both the sugars & the vanilla into the bowl of a stand mixer. With the paddle attachment, mix on a medium speed until fully combined, no more than 2 minutes. It’s important not to incorporate too much air at this stage as it will affect the texture of the baked cookie.
- With the mixer still running, add in the egg & yolks & mix to combine.
- Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda & salt, add into the cookie dough and mix on a low speed until just combined.
- Roughly chop up the white chocolate then stir through the cookie dough. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, to firm up.
- In the meantime, place the granulated sugar & sesame seeds into a bowl & stir to combine.
- Once the cookie dough has firmed up slightly, use a cookie scoop to portion into 12 portions, each will weigh around 85 grams.
- Flatten a ball of cookie dough in your hands, place a scoop of cheesecake in the middle then wrap the cookie dough around & shape into a ball. Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Next, roll each ball of cookie dough in the sesame seed sugar, making sure that they are completely coated then place into a container & refrigerate overnight
- The next day, preheat an oven to 180°c/160°c fan (355°f/320°f).
- Place 3-4 balls of cookie dough onto a lined baking tray, making sure that there’s plenty of room between them.
- Bake for 12-13 minutes, until the edges have set but the centres are still soft.
- Using a large, round cookie cutter, scoot each cookie into a perfect round shape (this step is optional but makes the cookies more uniform).
- Sprinkle each cookie lightly with Maldon salt then leave to cool completely on the tray.
- Repeat the cooking process with the remaining cookies, baking 3-4 cookies at a time.
