Sesame Candy

By Sue Li

Updated April 14, 2025

Sesame Candy
Dane Tashima for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Erika Joyce.
Total Time
30 minutes
Rating
4(54)
Comments
Read comments

This sesame candy is a traditional Chinese candy that is available year-round but also eaten during the Lunar New Year celebrations. This recipe produces a slightly chewy candy, with some crunch on the sides. It’s a relatively easy candy to make, but you’ll want to follow the directions closely when preparing the syrup. The addition of water helps to evenly dissolve the sugar as the syrup cooks. Do not stir the sugar as it cooks or it will crystallize, forming small clumps instead of a smooth syrup. It can be hard to see a visual cue when toasting black sesame seeds. A subtle indication that they are toasted is that they feel a bit hollow compared to before they are toasted — or you can simply trust their scent: They’ll smell fragrant and toasted.

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Ingredients

Yield:About 36 pieces
  • 1½cups/215 grams black sesame seeds
  • 1teaspoon kosher salt
  • Cooking spray, as needed
  • ¾cup/150 grams granulated sugar
  • 2tablespoons light corn syrup
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (36 servings)

55 calories; 3 grams fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 1 gram monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 7 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 1 gram protein; 27 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread sesame seeds onto a large baking tray and toast in oven until the seeds are fragrant, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on the tray. Mix in the salt.

  2. Step 2

    Spray two sheets of parchment paper with cooking spray and prepare a clean work space.

  3. Step 3

    Bring sugar, corn syrup and ¼ cup water to a boil in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer. Once the mixture comes to a boil and the sugar has dissolved, lower the heat to medium and continue cooking, without stirring, until the mixture reaches 250 degrees on the candy thermometer, 3 to 4 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    Turn off the heat and stir in the sesame seeds and fold until they’re coated with syrup. Turn the sesame mixture onto one sheet of oiled parchment and place the other sheet of parchment on top, oiled side down. With a rolling pin, quickly roll the sesame mixture until about ¼-inch thick.

  5. Step 5

    Transfer the rolled sesame onto a cutting board and peel off the two sheets of parchment. While the mixture is still warm, using a kitchen knife, quickly cut it into 1-inch wide strips. Turn the strips and cut into roughly 1½-inch-long pieces. (Do not worry if the pieces are not even, they will be just as good.) Let cool and serve. Store the candy in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
54 user ratings
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Comments

Jack

Try using a pizza cutter instead of a knife. Slow and steady to make clean corners.

Jo

I have had white sesame candy growing up so it’s not really that they are not auspicious enough for lunar new year in Chinese culture. A lot of people (myself included) do prefer the taste of black sesame. The elders will tell you that black sesame seeds are good for keeping your hair healthy. Plus I’d imagine the recipe would be slightly different for white sesames :))

Deb Z

Can you use regular brown sesame seeds?

Mimi

Love this quick and delicious recipe, Sue Li! It’s rare to find a “Total Time” that overestimates—this truly takes just 20 minutes (minus the dishes). Made it twice in two weeks! A couple of tips for an even smoother process: (1) Toast black sesame seeds in a large, flat-bottomed pan on medium heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring with a spatula. (2) No cooking spray? A little avocado oil on a paper towel works great for greasing parchment and utensils to prevent sticking.

Mimi

If you're looking for a video of the black sesame candy recipe, you're in luck! It's featured in the second part of Genevieve Ko's Black Sesame Shortbread video. 🔗 Watch it here: https://daily4you.info/recipes/1023820-black-sesame-shortbread%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E%3Cdiv class="noteactions_noteActions__VlyP0">

Teresa

Why does some of the candy turn grey and crumbly?

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