Benne wafers

Made with benne (or sesame seeds), these crisp benne wafers have the rich caramel-y notes of lace cookies and deep toasty flavor thanks to the seeds. They're also incredibly easy to prep: Simply melt some butter, then add all the ingredients into a single bowl and blend.

Benne wafers are traditional cookies from Charleston, SC made with benne (sesame) seeds. Bite-sized and crunchy, they make excellent tea cookies and are ideal for wedding or shower favors or Christmas gifts! This easy, old fashioned Southern recipe will give you that unique, traditional South Carolina Lowcountry flavor you’re looking for!

Filled with toasted sesame seeds, Charleston Benne Wafers are an iconic sweet treat from the Lowcountry region of South Carolina.

Simply the best Lowcountry Benne Wafers you'll find! Better than what you find in the shops in Charleston!

Simply the best Lowcountry Benne Wafers you'll find! Better than what you find in the shops in Charleston!

Benne seed cookies are a popular treat in South Carolina's low country. These nutty, crunchy, sweet wafers use sesame seeds, all-purpose flour, eggs and brown sugar. These benne cookies perfectly compliment a bowl of ice cream or cobbler.

Unique to the Lowcountry since Colonial times, Benne (the Bantu-word for sesame) was brought from East Africa (Madagascar), through West Africa, and brought over to the southern United States by the African slaves. It was planted extensively throughout the South. Other foods brought from Africa in the 17th and 18th century include peanuts, sweet potatoes, […]

These ethereally light, snapping-brown sesame cookies, both sweet and nutty, have a unique texture: solid and crisp on the bottom, crunchy-light on top. With their centuries-old history (see "tips," below, for their story), they're a longstanding tradition in the American South.

Benne seeds (sesame seeds) come from African tradition and these crisp lil' cookies are one of the older American cookie recipes and maybe my favorite cookie. Go make some, it's eassssy.

A recipe for Benne Wafers, old-fashioned cookies made with sesame seeds.