Charleston Benne Wafers

"Growing up in Charleston, SC, I remember seeing Benne Wafers everywhere. Many gift shops and stalls in the Historic City Market sold little bags of these wafers. Benne wafers are small – each one is about the size of a quarter – and the bags would hold 1-2 dozen wafers. It wasn’t until we moved away from Charleston that I realized these cookies are unique to the Lowcountry region of South Carolina. So what exactly are benne wafers? Benne (pronounced “ben-ee”) is the Gullah word for sesame. Benne seeds are slightly different than modern sesame seeds. Benne seeds are much more flavorful. Modern sesame seeds are a bit, well, bland. To make these Charleston Benne Wafers, you can order benne seeds from South Carolina. Another option is to toast sesame seeds in a skillet into they turn light golden brown. Toasting the sesame seeds adds a lot of flavor – just watch ’em closely so they don’t burn! These sesame seed cookies are only slightly sweet, so they are great alongside a morning cup of tea. Happy baking!"