Tahini Shortbread with Sonoran Flour
"Is that halva?" one person asked when I offered her a container of these cookies. While the flavor is reminiscent of the sweet, nutty notes of halva, the texture is closer to digestive biscuits—popular in the UK—but softer and more crumbly. Fair warning: if you dunk these into your afternoon tea, you may need to fish the whole thing out with a spoon.
This dough can be a bit tricky. Made with 100% whole wheat Sonoran flour from Capay Mills, it doesn't roll out or hold together as easily as its white flour shortbread counterpart. But trust me, the rich flavor and tender texture are worth the extra effort. If the dough crumbles when slicing, don't worry—just pat it back into shape. In that way, it's quite forgiving.
INGREDIENTS
1 ½ sticks (170g) unsalted butter, softened
¾ c (90g) powdered sugar
⅔ c (150g) tahini
2 c (300g) Sonoran wheat flour
½ tsp kosher salt
Coarse sugar and flaky salt for garnishing (optional)
DIRECTIONS
Heat the oven to 300°F (150°C).
Add butter and sugar to a stand mixer and mix using the paddle attachment for 2-3 minutes until smooth and homogenous.
Add tahini and beat again until smooth.
Add in the flour, salt and mix until just combined.
Form 2 balls. Roll out each of the balls into a log about 8-10” long. Keep in mind that the greater the width of the log, the larger the shortbread will be. Use your judgment and your personal preference here.
Wrap the logs in plastic wrap or parchment paper and transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
Unwrap and slice the logs into rounds that are about ¼“ thick. Transfer to a cookie sheet and garnish with coarse sugar and flaky salt, if using. Bake for 18-22 minutes until the edges are lightly browned and smell fragrant. Allow the shortbreads to cool for 5-7 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
Yield: 24-32 rounds, depending on how they are rolled and cut
