If you celebrate any of the many holidays observed this month, or observe people who do, you’ve probably noticed how busy many of them appear. The holiday season seems to be a whirl of endless party going, food making and eating, and shopping.

It is a time for doing, and in some respects I’ve been no exception to that rule, dashing about buying presents and writing cards and preparing our flat to be shut up while we travel. And yet, amidst all this activity, I also find myself in a season of waiting. There is a possibility out there, and I am waiting for it to come to fruition, or not. I am waiting for a yes or a no, and I expect it every minute. 

I’m not particularly good at waiting. If ever there was an action-oriented person, it is me; I will push tirelessly and unceasingly, from every conceivable angle, to try to bring about a desired event before I will sit down and wait for the outcome. Given that, it’s almost torturous for me to find myself in a situation that I cannot influence, where there is no action for me to take. There is nothing I can do to bring about the end of my waiting, so I’ve been trying to distract myself, arranging coffee dates with friends and running errands. Still, I’m left with more time than I know what to do with. I need something to occupy my hands, something just technical enough to also occupy my brain, and so I bake. I set the butter out to soften while I go for a run, trying to burn off nervous energy. I put on Christmas carols as I measure and mix the ingredients, humming along as I roll and cut and bake and decorate. For me, the minutes slide by more easily in the kitchen. Baking is a form of meditation, the end product a manifestation of my active waiting.

These cookies are just demanding enough to take your attention off whatever you might be waiting for and demand you stay firmly rooted in the present. The tahini makes them rich, almost shortbready, and leaves just a touch of bitterness that the sweet white chocolate-rose ganache tempers. Bitter and sweet: a perfect representation of waiting during the holiday season.

Tahini Sugar Cookies With White Chocolate-Rose Ganache 

Sources: Tahini sugar cookies inspired by Eat Cho Food; white chocolate-rose ganache from Honey & Co

Makes ~5 dozen cookies of various sizes 

Total time: ~2 hours

Tahini Sugar Cookie Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup tahini

White Chocolate-Rose Ganache Ingredients:

• 9 ounces white chocolate
• 3 1/2 ounces heavy cream
• 2–3 teaspoons rose water extract
• Dried rose petals for decoration (optional)

Directions:

• Make the cookies: Preheat your oven to 350°F. If you’re a think-in-advance type, set the butter out several hours before you plan to bake. If you’re more of an impulse baker, zap the butter in the microwave in 10–15 second bursts at 50% power until just softened. While the butter is softening, mix the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl and then set it aside.
• Put the butter in a large bowl or standmixer and add the sugar. Using an electric hand mixer or standmixer, cream the mixture until it is light and fluffy, about 3–5 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla, beating to incorporate, and then add the tahini. Beat again to combine.
• Add the dry ingredients in three additions, beating well to incorporate and ensuring no streaks or dry pockets remain at the bottom of the bowl.
• Once your dough is ready, use your hands to compress it into three or four large balls. Working with one ball of dough at a time, roll the dough out on a well-floured surface to ~1/4 inch thickness. Use your cookie cutters of choice to cut out a variety of shapes and sizes.
• Note: The amount of tahini in this recipe gives the cookies excellent flavor and texture, but also makes the dough a bit crumbly, so be patient and go slowly as you roll it out. You can reserve scraps to re-roll, but don’t do this too many times, or the additional flour will change the texture of the dough. It’ll still be delicious, but not quite as crumbly delicious.
• Place the cookies on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet and bake the cookies for ~10 minutes, rotating the sheets from side-to-side and top-to-bottom at the halfway point. 
• Take your cookies out of the oven when they’re set and just beginning to bronze. Let them sit for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
• Make the ganache: While the cookies bake and cool, combine the white chocolate and cream in the top of a double boiler, then set on top and bring the water to a simmer. Warm the chocolate/cream mixture until the white chocolate melts, stirring to evenly distribute the heat and ensure the chocolate melts. 
• Once your mixture is melted and homogeneous, remove from heat and stir in the rose water extract. Start with two teaspoons, and taste; feel free to add more as desired (I preferred the higher amount).
• Decorate the cookies: Use a small spoon to dish up some of the ganache and spread it on top of the cookies, then scatter dried rose petals across them to decorate. Let the ganache dry completely, which may take several hours, before stacking, packing, or eating the cookies.