Tahini Thumbprint Cookies

Ingredients

• 255 g all-purpose flour (9 ounces; 2 cups)
• 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume
• 1 teaspoons (4 g) baking powder
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (4 ounces; 113 g), at room temperature
• 106 g light brown sugar (3 3/4 ounces; 1/2 cup)
• 66 g granulated sugar (2 1/3 ounces; 1/3 cup)
• 2 large egg whites, at room temperature, divided
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
• 120 g tahini (4 1/4 ounces; 1/2 cup), at room temperature and stirred well (see notes)
• 6 tablespoons lightly toasted white sesame seeds (1 3/4 ounces; 50 g)
• 120 g seedless raspberry jam (4 1/4 ounces; 6 tablespoons)

Instructions

1. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, salt, and baking powder until combined.
2. In a large bowl with a hand mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Add 1 egg white, whole egg, and vanilla, and beat on medium speed until combined. Add tahini and beat until smooth and creamy, about 30 seconds.
4. Add flour mixture in 2 additions, beating on low speed just until no dry streaks remain.
5. Place sesame seeds in a small bowl. Using a small ice cream scoop or a 1-tablespoon measuring spoon, portion cookie dough into 24 equal portions (about 31 g; 2 tablespoons each). Roll each portion between hands into a small ball. On a clean work surface, lightly press each ball with the bottom of a 1-cup measuring cup or coffee mug to flatten it to about 1/2 inch thick and roughly 2 inches in diameter. Working with one or two cookies at a time, lightly brush tops and sides of cookies with remaining egg white and place, brushed-side-down, in bowl with sesame seeds, pressing into seeds lightly to coat. Arrange 12 cookies on each prepared baking sheet, sesame-side up, spacing cookies 2 inches apart. Repeat with remaining cookies. Freeze cookies on sheet trays until firm, about 20 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Remove 1 baking sheet from freezer and bake until edges are slightly set, about 6 minutes. (Leave the other cookie sheet in the freezer while the first one bakes.) Remove from oven and carefully press a shallow indentation in the middle of each cookie using the back of a 1/2-teaspoon measuring spoon or the rounded end of a wooden spoon handle. Fill each indentation with about 1/2 teaspoon raspberry jam.
7. Return to oven, and bake until edges are lightly golden and centers are set, 9 to 10 minutes.
8. Cool cookies on baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 15 minutes. Repeat with remaining sheet of cookies. Serve.