Sesame Candy (芝麻糖)

Sesame candy is a quick and easy treat that only requires four ingredients. This version has less sugar and adds nuts for extra flavor and crunch.

Sesame candy (芝麻糖) is one of many variations of Chinese candies. Peanuts, pumpkin seeds, rice crisps, and more are also made into sweets using the same technique. First, the seeds, nuts, or other fillings are mixed together with melted sugar. Sometimes, maltose, oil, or other liquid sweeteners are added to the sugar as well. Then, the candy is shaped and cut into the desired shape. Some people like the candy thick like a bar, while others like it thin like a cracker. In China, you can watch street food vendors shape these candies into large sheets and cut them into bite-sized pieces. 

This sesame candy recipe came from my grandma, and it uses egg whites. Egg whites are not usually used in these types of candy. However, this allows the candy to use less sugar than other recipes that only use melted sugar to bind the candy together. So, this recipe is a lot healthier than other sesame seed candy recipes. Some recipes add water when melting the sugar, which requires more effort to test whether the sugar will harden correctly. So, this recipe also reduces the need to pay attention to the temperature of the melted sugar! 

So, this recipe is much less brittle and sweet than a typically candy. Instead, it is tastes more like a cookie!

How to Make Sesame Candy

Prepare the Seeds/Nuts

This recipe is super flexible. For example, you can use all white or all black sesame seeds, change the type(s) of nuts used, or change the proportion of sesame seeds to nuts.

One trick that I use to make the candy more savory and flavorful is to toast the seeds and nuts first. To toast the sesame seeds, put them into a dry pan over medium heat and cook them for 3-6 minutes, or until nicely golden brown and fragrant. You can toast the black and white sesame seeds together in the same pan. You can toast the nuts in the same dry pan over medium heat for around 5 minutes or until fragrant. Or, you can also toast them in the oven for 6-7 minutes at 350F. Let the seeds and nuts cool slightly before adding them to the egg whites.

Mix the Ingredients Together

In a bowl, mix together the egg whites, sugar, and salt just until combined. Do not whisk the egg whites and sugar together vigorously (like in the second picture). Then, mix in the sesame seeds and nuts. 

Bake the Sesame Candy

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Pour the mixture into the baking sheet and spread it out into a rectangle of your desired thickness. I would not recommend making the candy more than half an inch thick, or the candy will need more time to bake. A 1/2” thickness is about the size of a 9” x 13” baking pan. Press down firmly on the sesame candy to compact the mixture. The more compact the candy is, the crispier it will be after baking. This technique will also make cutting the candy easier and less messy. Bake the candy at 300F for one hour. 

Cut the Candy

Once done baking, remove the candy from the baking sheet and immediately cut it into bite-sized pieces. It is best to cut the candy while it is still warm because it will hold together better. Let the sesame candy cool completely before storing it in an air-tight container. The sesame candy can be stored for up to one month in a cool, dry place.