I first fell in love with a cookie like this at my favorite Japanese cafe, Tadaima, where we stop by every weekend for a cup of tea and cookies. They make a sesame sandwich cookie with a savory filling that is unlike the butter cookies I usually bake at home. The combination stayed in my mind long after I finished it. This recipe is my recreation of that favorite treat, using toasted sesame shortbread and a white chocolate miso filling to capture the same balance of nutty, savory, and gently sweet flavors that make me keep going back for another.
The recipe uses only eight ingredients, but each one pulls extra weight. Toasted sesame seeds add nuttiness and texture, lemon zest brightens the buttery shortbread. And the filling turns white chocolate, cream, and white miso into a silky ganache that tastes much more sophisticated than the ingredient list suggests. The cookies are not overly sweet and are full of umami, making them a fun treat for tea time, gifting, or a weekend baking project. My 2.5-year-old loves this one as well, and I give him one as an afternoon treat sometimes.
Ingredients
I separate the ingredients into two groups:
Ingredients for the cookie dough
The cookie base is a classic shortbread dough made with butter, powdered sugar, and flour. I added toasted white sesame seeds for nuttiness and texture, and they work perfectly with the miso filling. A little lemon zest lifts the richness and keeps the flavor from feeling heavy.
Ingredients for the cookie filling
The filling is even simpler – white chocolate, heavy cream, and white miso come together into a smooth ganache that is creamy, lightly salty, and full of umami. Once chilled, it becomes pipeable and creates a soft center that contrasts beautifully with the crisp cookies.
How to make
I always make the miso filling first, because it takes some time to chill completely in the fridge.
Prepare the miso ganache
Heat the heavy cream until just below boiling and pour it over the white chocolate. Let it sit for 1 minute, then whisk until smooth, and mix in the miso. I recommend using your microwave to heat up the heavy cream, as it is fast and less likely to scorch. Keep a close eye on it because you want the cream to just start to bubble, staying below boiling point.
Chill the mixture in the fridge. It takes about two hours to fully chill the mixture. Every 30 minutes, stir the mixture again so it cools evenly and does not become stiff. Once chilled, the mixture should hold its shape but still be spreadable.
Make the sesame shortbread dough
Toast the sesame seeds until fragrant. This step is crucial to bring out the nutty flavor of the sesame seeds and I always do it, even if I’m starting with toasted sesame seeds.
Cream the butter and powdered sugar until fully combined and slightly lighter in color. Add the sesame seeds, salt, and lemon zest.
Mix in the flour just until a dough forms.
Spread the dough onto a piece of parchment. Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment into a 1/4” (6 mm) thick sheet. Chill in the fridge until firm before cutting.
Bake and assemble
Cut the cookies using a 1.75-2” round cookie cutter. Once I cut all the cookies, I prefer to gather the dough, roll it out again, chill it and then cut more cookies. This way, I can make more cookies from one batch of dough.
Place the cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet. They don’t expand very much, so you can space them quite close. If not baking immediately, store them in the fridge until ready to bake.
Bake the cookies until the edges are light golden.
Once the cookies have cooled, pipe the miso filling onto half the cookies and make sandwiches with the remaining cookies.
The cookies taste good immediately, but the cream filling will be soft and won’t hold its shape. I highly recommend resisting the urge to eat all the cookies and let them chill in the fridge first. The filling will firm up and the texture will become smoother and easier to bite.
The finished cookie is buttery and nutty with a creamy filling that melts in your mouth. It is sweet, but gently so, with enough savory depth to keep you reaching for another.
How to serve
These cookies are great chilled or after sitting at room temperature for a few minutes. The filling will soften if stored for too long at room temperature and won’t be able to hold its shape. I recommend always storing the cookies in the fridge until ready to serve.
They pair especially well with:
- Green tea
- Hojicha
- Coffee
- Light black tea
Because they are less sweet than many sandwich cookies, they also work nicely as an afternoon snack or dessert for people who prefer balanced sweets.
Storage
Store the assembled cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They keep well for up to a week, though I do notice that the sesame starts to lose its aroma over time.
Serve straight out of the fridge for a firmer filling, or let them sit at room temperature for 10 minutes if you prefer a softer center.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make the filling in advance?
Yes. The white chocolate miso filling can be prepared a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Let it soften slightly before piping if it becomes too firm.
Can I make the cookie dough ahead?
Yes. You can make the cookie dough ahead of time and either store in the refrigerator for a few days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Note, the aroma of sesame seeds slowly fades over time, so I prefer to use the cookie dough as soon as possible.
Can I use black sesame seeds?
Yes. Black sesame seeds will create a stronger roasted flavor and darker appearance. The cookies will look more dramatic, though slightly less delicate in taste.
Why do the cookies need chilling after assembly?
The filling will be soft right after piping. Chilling helps it set so it will stay neatly inside the cookie sandwich when you bite into it.
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Sesame Miso Shortbread Sandwich
Ingredients
Filling
- 8 oz white chocolate chips (or finely chopped bars)
- 3 oz heavy cream
- 1/4 cup white miso
Shortbread
- 1/3 cup toasted white sesame seeds
- 2 sticks butter , softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (or 1 teaspoon kosher salt)
- Zest of 1/2 lemon
Equipment
- 1.75-2” round cookie cutter
- Piping bag
- 1/4” round piping tip
- Rolling pin
Instructions
Prepare the filling
- Place the white chocolate in a medium-sized heat-proof bowl. Heat the heavy cream in the microwave until just below a boil (*Footnote 1). Pour it over the finely chopped white chocolate. Let stand for 1 minute, then whisk until smooth.
- Whisk in miso until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or so, stirring occasionally, until the texture firms up and can hold its shape, but still spreadable.
Prepare the shortbread dough
- Add the white sesame seeds into a small pan and cook over medium heat. Stir frequently and turn to medium low heat when the pan is hot. Cook until the sesame seeds smell very fragrant and the color slightly darkens. Immediately transfer to a bowl to cool.
- In a stand mixer mixing bowl, add the butter and powdered sugar. Mix with paddle attachment at medium speed until thoroughly combined and slightly lightened in color, 2 minutes or so. Add the completely cooled white sesame seeds and salt and mix again to combine.
- Add the all-purpose flour on low speed in 2 additions, and mix again until just combined.
- Place a sheet of parchment paper (half the size of a sheet pan) on a clean working surface. Place the dough in the center, and spread it out evenly with your hands. Place another piece of parchment on top. Roll with a rolling pin into a rectangular sheet that is about 1/4” (6 mm) thick. Transfer the dough (with parchment paper) onto a baking sheet and chill in the fridge until firm, about 1 hour.
Bake and assemble
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (176ºC).
- When the cookie dough is firm, peel off the top parchment paper and then place it back onto the cookie dough. Flip the cookie dough and place it onto a working surface. Peel off the other piece of parchment. Using a cookie cutter, cut out rounds and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Once you cut all the dough, you can gather the remaining dough, roll it out, chill it, and cut out more cookies.
- Bake at 350ºF (176ºC) for 12 to 15 minutes until the edges turn light golden.
- Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- To assemble the cookies, transfer the miso cream into a piping bag with 1/4” round tip. Pipe in about 2 teaspoons of filling onto the center of the bottom of a cookie. Place another cookie onto it, bottom side onto the filling. Press gently until the filling spreads out to the edges.
- Once all the cookies are assembled, store them in the fridge until completely cooled before serving, about 2 hours, up to overnight. (*Footnote 2)
Notes
- Depending on the microwave, it takes 30 seconds to 1 minute to heat up the heavy cream. Keep a close eye on it. It should just start to bubble and should not come to a boil. You can also do this on the stovestop.
- The filling will be quite soft once filled, and it won’t stay in place if you bite into a cookie that’s just been assembled. The texture will improve a lot once the cookies are chilled.
Nutrition
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