Benne Wafers

I’m back!  The other day as I was searching for my favorite sugar cookie recipe, I realized my blog was missing some of my new favorite baking recipes.  While life has been busy with work, friends, family and travel, baking remains my main pastime.  So in hopes to create a more complete cookie recipe box, I return to blogging. 

Toasted Benne Seeds

 A few weeks ago mom and dad came for their annual Charleston visit.  While they were here we went on the wonderful Gullah Tour, which highlighted the rich Gullah Geechee culture around Charleston.  The Gullah people are ancestors of slaves who lived in the Lowcountry region.  We had a wonderful day learning about their language, culture, customs and food.

Benne Wafer cookies are one of the known delicacies of Charleston.  When slaves first came to South Carolina they brought with them the benne seed (sesame seed) which they believed held the secret of health and good luck.  Planted near the slave quarters of the early plantations, benne seeds became a traditional part of the old south.  Today tables in the downtown market are dedicated to selling these special wafers.

I decided in honor of my new home I would try my hand at baking the traditional benne wafer cookie.  These cookies are known for their caramel-y taste paired with the toasted benne seed making a crunchy bite sized treat for all to enjoy.  And let me tell you… you will not be able to eat just one!

Benne Wafers

(makes 8 dozen bite sized cookies)

½ cup Benne Seeds, toasted

¾ cup softened butter

1 cup light brown sugar

1 large egg (beaten slightly)

1 tsp vanilla

1 ½ cup flour

½ tsp baking powder

To start toast the benne seeds on an ungreased cookie sheet in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes.  Stir once or twice so the seeds become a golden brown.  To be noted, if you are using a toaster oven then you only need to toast them for 5 minutes.  If you do it any longer they will burn.

  

Drop the oven temperature to 325 degrees. Cream the butter and sugar.  Add the egg and vanilla and then the dry ingredients.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silpat and drop ½ tsp balls of dough onto the cookie sheet.  Make sure to allow space for the dough to spread.  I fit 3 rows of 5 on each sheet.  Bake 10 minutes until the edges are just turning golden brown.  Cool on a cooling rack and ENJOY!