Syrian Seseme Muffins

These Syrian-style sesame muffins lean into nutty, toasty flavor in two ways: a generous third-cup of sesame seeds folded right into the dry ingredients, plus a tablespoon of fragrant sesame oil whisked into the wet ingredients. Together they give the muffins a rounded, almost halva-like flavor that sets them apart from any breakfast muffin you have had.

The muffin method matters here as in any quick bread: dry ingredients in one bowl, wets in another, and combine fast with a quick whisk to keep the gluten from developing. Overmixed muffin batter bakes into tunnel-riddled, tough little domes. A few streaks of flour in the finished batter is exactly what you want.

Buttermilk does double duty. The acid reacts with baking soda for a tender, tall rise, and its tang balances the brown-sugar sweetness without making the muffins taste cakey. A scatter of sesame seeds over the tops before baking gives them a crunchy, freckled top crust.

Pro Tips

• Toast the sesame seeds in a dry skillet for two to three minutes before mixing into the batter. Raw seeds taste flat and one-dimensional. Toasted seeds bring out the nutty, almost popcorn-like aroma sesame is famous for.
• Use Asian-style toasted sesame oil, not the pale untoasted kind. The toasted version has the deep, dark flavor that ties the whole muffin together. The untoasted oil disappears.
• Whisk the wet into the dry no more than 15 strokes. Lumps are fine. A smooth batter is overmixed.
• Sprinkle extra sesame seeds on top right after the batter goes into the cups. They bond to the wet surface and stay put through the bake.

Variations

• Add a teaspoon of orange-blossom water or a tablespoon of finely grated orange zest to the wet ingredients for a Middle Eastern floral note.
• Drizzle warm muffins with a thin honey glaze for a baklava-inspired finish.
• Use half black and half white sesame seeds for a striking salt-and-pepper visual on the muffin tops.