Korean Sesame Tea Cookies

Directions

1. If your sesame seeds are not roasted or if you want to bring out more flavor, roast your sesame seeds in pan for 3-5 minutes on medium heat. Stirring often so they don’t burn.
2. Make honey syrup by first melting sugar and water in a pot on medium heat. Once sugar is melted, add honey and rice syrup. Raise heat to medium high while stirring often. Bring to boil.
3. Once it boils, turn off heat and let it cool. Do not boil too long, it will become too thick. Syrup should be similar to pancake syrup consistency (not the 100% maple one but the other kind).
4. Finely grind sesame seeds in a blender or chopper. Start at low speed and let it run for 1 min or so as long as the seeds are moving. The longer you blend, the finer it will be. Grind it until it starts to lump up because of the oil being released.
5. In a bowl, add the sesame seed powder and sprinkle sea salt on top.
6. Add 1 Tbs + 1 tsp of the honey syrup to 1/2 cup sesame seed powder and mix well. It should come together and form a ball. It should also hold shape nicely when you form it in your hand. Similar to play-doh consistency.
7. roll them into little balls by hand and coat them with sesame seeds – I really like the extra crunch the whole sesame seeds bring spread them out with your hands or roll them out and use any small cookie cutter or pie crust cutters.