Matcha Monster Cookies w/ Black Sesame Filling

 

I know what you're thinking -- yet another sesame dessert?!? The answer is YESame 😅

I combined some sesame butter with melted dark chocolate for the filling and oddly enough, it reminded me of peanut butter?! Supppper tasty but if you wanna skip the extra steps, you can just bake these sugar cookies without the filling and they are equally delicious! These cookies are everything that a great cookie should be - a crispy, chewy texture with perfectly balanced flavors. I made these for our Halloween party and they didn't last the night! 

Matcha Monster Cookies w/ Black Sesame Filling

makes 24 cookies | Original recipe from Love & Olive Oil

For Black Sesame Filling...

1/4 cup (80g) roasted black sesame paste

2oz (56g) good quality dark chocolate, chopped (can use white or milk chocolate if you prefer)

For Matcha Cookies...

2 1/2 cups (310g) all-purpose flour

2 TBS (12g) matcha green tea powder, sifted

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 cup (56g) cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 cups (300g) granulated sugar, plus more for coating

6 TBS (85g) unsalted butter, melted

1/3 cup (70g) light olive oil or vegetable oil

1 large egg, at room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

Edible eyeballs (optional)

Directions:

1) Combine white chocolate and black sesame paste in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 30 second bursts on 50% power, stirring between each interval, until white chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Let cool for about 30 minutes or chill for 50 to 20 minutes until just thick enough to scoop (it should ideally hold a nice soft mound shape; if it’s firmer than that you can use the heat of your hands to roll scoops into balls).

2) Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Drop sesame mixture by the 1/2 teaspoonful onto parchment paper. Freeze at least 5 hours or overnight until firm.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a bowl, whisk together flour, matcha, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set aside.

In a another bowl, combine softened cream cheese, sugar, and melted butter. Stir with a spatula until it forms a smooth paste.

3) Add egg, oil, and vanilla and stir until smooth and completely incorporated.

Add dry ingredients and fold until just incorporated and no streaks of flour remain. The dough will be soft and slightly oily feeling (it shouldn’t stick to your hands).

4) Use a medium cookie scoop to scoop dough into 1 1/4-inch balls (approximately 34g of dough each). Split dough in half, press each piece into a flat round.

5) Place one frozen black sesame piece in the center of one piece of dough; top with the second piece and press edges together to seal. Roll and squeeze into a puck shape. Coat in granulated sugar and place on prepared cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, leaving about 2 inches of space between cookies on the cookie sheet.

6) Bake for 11-13 minutes or until tops are cracked and no longer shiny and bottoms are just barely starting to brown. Let cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies are best enjoyed within a day or two, but will keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Baker's note: The cookie dough will be on the thicker side and slightly oily - don't panic! This texture will make it easier to form over the filling. Place the dough in the fridge to make it even easier to handle. 

If using eyeballs, place them on the cookies while they're still warm, this will allow them to stick to the cookie.