Champurradas: Traditional Guatemalan Sesame Cookies

Champurradas and coffee. That is the Guatemalan breakfast ritual, afternoon snack ritual, and after-dinner ritual all in one. A hard, crunchy cookie topped with toasted sesame seeds, dunked into a cup of strong Guatemalan coffee until it softens just enough to eat without losing its structure. Simple. Perfect. Repeated daily across the country.

Every panaderia in Guatemala sells champurradas. They are stacked in neat rows in glass cases, sometimes still warm from the oven. You buy them by the piece or by the bag, and they cost Q1-2 each – less than 25 cents. For that price, you get a cookie that pairs with coffee the way biscotti pairs with espresso, except champurradas came first and no one will convince a Guatemalan otherwise.

The sesame seeds (ajonjoli) on top are essential. They toast during baking, turning golden and fragrant, adding a nutty depth that plain sugar cookies simply do not have. Colonial-era Spanish traders brought sesame to Guatemala, and it found a permanent home in the cuisine – appearing in everything from pepian to these humble, beloved cookies.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter or shortening, softened
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons sesame seeds (ajonjoli)
• 1 egg yolk + 1 tablespoon water (for egg wash)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Make the dough. Cream the softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg, milk, and vanilla. Mix until well combined.

Step 2: Add dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, stirring until a soft, smooth dough forms. Do not overmix.

Step 3: Roll and cut. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut into rounds (about 3 inches) using a cookie cutter or glass. Or cut into rectangles for a more traditional panaderia shape. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing about 1 inch apart.

Step 4: Top with sesame. Beat the egg yolk with a tablespoon of water. Brush the top of each cookie with this egg wash – it helps the sesame seeds stick and gives a golden shine. Sprinkle generously with sesame seeds, pressing them lightly into the surface.

Step 5: Bake. Bake at 350F (175C) for 12-15 minutes until the edges are lightly golden and the sesame seeds are toasted. The cookies should be firm to the touch – they crisp up more as they cool.

Step 6: Cool and serve. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely. The cookies will become very crunchy as they reach room temperature. Serve with a hot cup of Guatemalan coffee for proper dunking.

Como Lo Hacemos en Guatemala (Local Tips)

They are supposed to be hard. Champurradas are not soft cookies. They are designed to be dunked in hot coffee, where they soften just enough to eat. If your champurradas are soft, bake them a few minutes longer.

Buy them by the bag. In Guatemala, nobody buys one champurrada. You buy a bag of a dozen from the panaderia and keep them in the kitchen for whenever coffee is being served. They last for weeks.

The sesame must be visible. A good champurrada has a generous coating of sesame seeds on top. Do not be stingy. The seeds are as much about flavor as they are about visual identity.

Pair with Guatemalan coffee. Champurradas were designed for Guatemalan coffee – strong, full-bodied, slightly sweet. The combination is greater than the sum of its parts. Any good coffee works, but Huehuetenango or Antigua beans are ideal.

Find Ingredients in the US

Approximate Nutrition (per cookie)

More Guatemalan recipes: Polvorosas (Shortbread Cookies) | Canillitas de Leche (Milk Candy) | Rellenitos

Related: Guatemala Food Guide | Coffee Tours in Guatemala | Food Prices