These brown butter kinako sesame cookies are all about bold, toasty flavor. Brown butter gives them a rich, caramelized base, while roasted soybean flour adds a deep, nutty kick. They’re finished with a coating of toasted white sesame and turbinado sugar for a crunchy texture and an extra layer of nuttiness.
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What is Kinako?
Kinako, a staple in Japanese cuisine, is a finely ground flour made from roasted soybeans. If you're Korean like me, you might be familiar with "konggaru” (콩가루), which is essentially the same as kinako. Raw soybeans naturally exhibit sweetness and creaminess, yet during the roasting process, their natural sugars caramelize, resulting in a subtle savory flavor that is reminiscent of peanuts. The resulting flour, kinako, is naturally tan in color with a flavor profile that is nutty, slightly sweet and savory.
In baking, it adds depth and a toasty aroma that really sets things apart. It can be used as a flour substitute, blended into cookie doughs, cakes, and bread, or dusted over finished baked goods for a delicate nutty finish. Its versatility makes it a unique ingredient!
What is Brown Butter?
Browning butter is a process in baking where unsalted butter is melted and cooked until its milk solids turn golden brown. This is known as "beurre noisette" in French cuisine, which literally translates to "hazelnut butter" owing to its aromatic nuttiness. Brown butter is achieved by heating the butter over medium heat in a saucepan, allowing the water to evaporate and the milk solids to separate and settle at the bottom of the pan. These particles get toasted, browned and caramelized during the process. The resulting butter gives a rich, nutty aroma without any hint of burning!
I prefer to brown the butter until the milk solids turn a deep brown (not black!). While some may choose to strain out the milk solids for "clarified" brown butter, I believe keeping them in adds a richer, nuttier flavor to baked goods, especially in these brown butter kinako sesame cookies!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
These are by far the best cookies I have probably made to date. I still come back to this recipe to make over and over again. And let me tell you - this is a crowd pleaser for sure.
- Crisp, buttery edges. These brown butter kinako sesame cookies melt in your mouth with every bite.
- Rich, nutty flavor. Brown butter, kinako, and sesame seeds create deep, layered nuttiness throughout the cookie.
- Crunchy sesame and sugar topping. The sesame seeds and turbinado sugar add textural contrast in every bite.
- Quick and make-ahead friendly. This recipe comes together fast and is easy to prep in advance.
Equipment
- Kitchen scale - Used to accurately weigh all ingredients as my recipe is mainly in grams. I also use it to measure the cookie dough evenly so all the cookies are the same size and there’s no dough left over.
- Saucepan - You’ll use this to brown the butter. A light-colored or stainless steel pan works best so you can easily see when the butter’s ready.
- Stand mixer or electric hand mixer - Although a stand mixer is not necessary, an electric hand mixer is highly recommended, especially for making cookies. The creaming process of softened butter and sugar is much easier and more efficient with an electric mixer than with manual mixing. Trust me, it will make a huge difference in the final product!
- Cookie scoop - If you don't have a kitchen scale, grab a 4-tablespoon cookie scoop for easy dough portions. I prefer measuring and rolling the dough by hand for smooth, even cookies. But if you’re in a rush or just prefer the rustic style, use the scoop! Both ways get the job done.
- Baking sheet - You'll of course need a baking sheet to bake the cookies on! I recommend this one so you get perfectly baked and easily removable cookies.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour - This is the type of flour that I use for these brown butter kinako sesame cookies and would not recommend substituting this.
- Kinako - You can use any kind of roasted soybean flour brand. I usually use this one, which works great in baked goods!
- Baking powder
- Kosher salt - I always use Diamond Crystal's kosher salt. But if you're using regular table salt, I recommend halving the amount of salt called for in my recipe.
- Unsalted butter - We will be browning the butter for this recipe. See the section "How to Brown Butter" for step-by-step instructions.
- Light brown sugar - I found that using light brown sugar helps to create a more well-rounded cookie. Using dark brown sugar adds a layer of caramel flavor that overpowers the flavors used in this recipe, so I would stick with light brown sugar.
- Granulated sugar
- Vanilla extract - You can use vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste, whatever you have available.
- Eggs - Make sure they are at room temperature, or you can leave them in a bowl of warm water for 5 to 10 minutes if you forget to do this beforehand.
- White sesame seeds - You can usually find this in your local Asian supermarket. If not, you can find this on Amazon as well.
How to Brown Butter
1. Place butter in saucepan - Place the unsalted butter in a saucepan or skillet over medium heat.
2. Melt the butter - Melt the butter slowly, stirring occasionally with a spatula to ensure even heating and to prevent burning.
3. Bubbling stage - Once the butter melts, it will begin to bubble and "sing" (they sound like popping and crackling) as the water content evaporates. Continue cooking it over medium heat and stir. The butter will still look yellow at this stage.
4. Foaming stage - As the butter cooks for a few minutes, it will begin to foam with tiny bubbles and the color will change from yellow to golden.
5. Browning stage - As the foam and "singing" subsides, the browning will begin. Stir and watch the butter turn from a light brown to a rich, nutty brown color. Be sure to keep a close eye on it, as it can go from browned to burnt very quickly! Once the butter reaches a deep golden brown color and has a nutty aroma, remove it from the heat immediately to prevent it from burning.
6. Pour - Measure out a total of 140 grams (for every 1x batch) of your brown butter mixture and pour into a heatproof bowl or container. If you don’t have a full 140 g of brown butter due to evaporation loss, simply add enough whole milk to make up the difference. Let the mixture cool in the freezer (about 30-45 minutes) until firm before using it in the recipe. Make sure it does not turn completely solid and frozen! We want it to be back at room temperature.
Tips and Tricks
- Never leave the butter unattended when browning and always stir. Make sure to continuously stir to prevent sticking and to prevent overbrowning. We don't want to end up with burnt bits in our browned butter! Remember: whether you are stirring with a spatula or swirling the saucepan, frequent motion is key!
- During the foamy stage, wait until those tiny bubbles fully settle down. You can also go by sound. At first, the butter will crackle and pop, but that noise will start to fade as it begins to brown. It's a helpful little audio cue to know when you're getting close!
- Do not overmix your cookie dough. Doing this can lead to tough and dense cookies. When adding in your flour, it's important to mix the ingredients just until they come together to avoid developing too much gluten. Use a spatula to avoid overmixing your dough!
- Do not skip the chilling step. Especially because the recipe calls for browned butter, chilling the cookie dough before baking is important. Not only does chilling hydrate the flour to help the cookies stay soft with a chewy center, but it also helps to deepen the flavors.
- Use a scale. When it's time to roll the cookie dough into balls, I highly recommend weighing them out for consistency. Everyone's final dough weight can vary a bit, so it's a good idea to weigh the whole batch first, then divide it into 10 to 11 portions (around 70-75g each). This helps avoid cookies that are too small or too oversized, so they bake evenly every time!
- Do not overbake these cookies. These cookies should have soft, under-done centers. Monitor the baking time closely and take them out when the edges are lightly golden. They will continue to firm up as they cool on the baking sheet. Since everyone’s oven temperature may be different, I recommend first baking 1-2 cookies to gauge the best bake time for your batch.
Storage Instructions
- Storing - You can store these cookies for up to 5 days in an airtight container in room temperature. Storing them in the refrigerator will dry them out!
- Freezing cookie dough - Make sure your cookie dough balls are uncoated in order to freeze them. In this state, they will freeze for up to 3 months. Before baking, let the frozen dough balls thaw at room temperature for at least 15-20 minutes before coating them in the sugar and sesame mixture. Proceed with the baking instructions, making adjustments to the bake time by adding a few minutes if necessary.
- Freezing baked cookies - Baked cookies can be frozen in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag. Make sure the cookies are completely cooled before freezing, and label with a freezing date. These cookies will last for up to 3 months in the freezer, but we guarantee you’ll eat them all before then!
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you account for moisture loss from browning the butter?
Yes, I absolutely do. Different types of butter contain different levels of moisture, impacting the final yield of browned butter. American-style butter, with its higher water content, will yield less browned butter once the water evaporates during cooking. In contrast, European-style butter has a higher fat content, which will yield more browned butter once the water evaporates during cooking.
In my recipe, I've factored in the moisture loss during the browning process, which is why I recommend starting with a higher initial amount of butter for cooking. Depending on the type of butter you use, measure out a total of 155 grams of browned butter (for every 1x batch) for the actual cookie recipe! But, if you don’t have a full 140 g of brown butter due to evaporation loss, simply add enough whole milk to make up for the difference.
Why do you need to cool down the melted brown butter before using it in the recipe?
If you add sugar to butter that's too hot, the sugar can start to dissolve right away. This prevents it from creating air pockets during mixing, which are important for giving cookies a light, slightly chewy texture. Without those air pockets, the cookies can end up dense or overly flat. Also, if the butter is still hot when you mix eggs into it, it can partially cook them, which affects the texture of the dough. Letting the butter cool helps the ingredients blend properly and gives you better cookies overall!
Why do you use both brown sugar and granulated sugar for these brown butter kinako sesame cookies?
I like to use a combination of both brown sugar and white sugar for these cookies. Granulated sugar contributes to crispiness and spread, while brown sugar adds chewiness and moisture. Balancing these sugars creates the perfect texture that is both chewy and crispy!
Can I omit the kinako? Not a fan of the nuttiness!
No worries! Just a heads-up: you'll need to tweak the recipe a bit. Since kinako serves as a flour substitute, replace the entire amount of kinako with all-purpose flour. But I have to warn you, you might regret swapping out this amazing ingredient in these cookies (they just won't be the same without it)!
Recipe
Brown Butter Kinako Sesame Cookies
Ingredients
- 175 grams unsalted butter, browned and cooled
- 200 grams all-purpose flour
- 50 grams kinako
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 175 grams light brown sugar
- 80 grams granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup turbinado sugar
- ½ cup white sesame seeds
Instructions
BROWN BUTTER
- Place butter in saucepan - Place the unsalted butter in a saucepan or skillet over medium heat. I prefer a light-colored saucepan as this will allow you to see the color change more easily.
- Melt the butter - Melt the butter slowly, stirring occasionally with a spatula to ensure even heating and to prevent burning.
- Bubbling stage - Once the butter melts, it will begin to bubble and "sing" (they sound like crackling) as the water content evaporates. Continue cooking it over medium heat and stir. The butter will still look yellow at this stage.
- Foaming stage - As the butter cooks for a few minutes, it will begin to foam with tiny bubbles and the color will change from yellow to golden.
- Browning stage - As the foam subsides, the browning will begin. Stir and watch the butter turn from a light brown to a rich, nutty brown color. Once the butter reaches a deep golden brown color and has a nutty aroma, remove it from the heat immediately to prevent it from burning.
- Pour - Measure out a total of 140 grams (for every 1x batch) of your brown butter mixture and pour into a heatproof bowl or container (see note 1). Let the mixture cool in the freezer (about 30-45 minutes) until firm (but not frozen) before using it in the recipe.
KINAKO COOKIES
- Mix the dry ingredients - In a medium bowl, combine the flour, kinako, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugars - In a large bowl, cream together the cooled browned butter and both sugars. Beat until pale and fluffy (about 5 minutes on medium speed).
- Add the wet ingredients - Add in the eggs one at a time, and vanilla extract. Beat until well combined.
- Combine the batter and chill - Fold in the dry mixture. Mix the batter just until combined. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Preheat - When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Make the sugar + sesame mixture - Add the turbinado sugar and toasted white sesame seeds in a small bowl. Set it aside.
- Shape the balls - Each batch of cookie dough should make about 10-11 equal balls weighing about 70-75 grams (or about 2.5-3 tablespoons each).
- Coat the balls - Coat each ball in the sugar and sesame mixture. Make sure they are fully covered. Arrange them approximately 2 inches apart on a lined baking sheet. If your baking sheet can't accommodate all the cookie dough balls, keep the remaining uncoated ones in the fridge until you're ready to bake.
- Bake and cool - Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the bottom edges begin to brown. After letting them cool on the pan for 2 minutes, transfer the cookies to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely.
Marissa says
I tried this and it turned out amazing as always!!! Thank you for a great recipe.
CC says
Can I substitute the kinako with black sesame powder?
Anna Nguyen says
I've never tried, but I believe you can! Black sesame powder may absorb slightly more moisture, so keep an eye on dough texture. If it feels too dry, add a teaspoon of milk or water to adjust. Let me know how it goes! I hope to make a black sesame cookie recipe in the future :)
Jean says
My son brought cookies for Thanksgiving that were unbelievably good. The recipe was the most comprehensive he found online and exactly what we been searching for. They’re chewy, flavorful, and in my opinion, every bit as good as the big-name cookies.
Lena says
I just made these and they turned out great! Thanks for the recipe!
meli says
hello :) i love this recipe! i was hoping to make this cookie but a bit more of a thick levain style. i was considering cubing and creaming the 175g of cold butter with the sugars instead of browning it to achieve that result but not sure if it is recommended. i was also considering adding earl grey into the dough! i would love to know your thoughts and any other recommendations on these modifications please and thank you so much!
Lori says
Wow. The depth of flavor is fabulous. And a wonderful texture. Highly recommend.