benne

noun

ben·​ne ˈbe-nē 

variants or less commonly bene

: sesame sense 1

Examples of benne in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Their benne seed cookie kept me while waiting in the long weekend lines. —Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 25 Jan. 2025

Our not-too-sweet shortbread spiral cookie is made from two doughs, one flavored with chocolate and one flavored with the nutty, buttery benne seeds. —Omar Tate, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 June 2024

Monsour leans in with the playful touches: a smashburger slicked with Duke’s mayo sweetened with maple syrup and cinnamon, avocado toast dressed with cucumber-mint salsa and whizzed with drizzles of benne tahini. —Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2024

Proceed with recipe as directed in Steps 2 and 3, rolling dough logs in 1/3 cup benne seeds before wrapping and chilling. —Paige Grandjean, Southern Living, 24 Dec. 2023

This cookie showcases the flavor of benne seeds, or their alternative, sesame seeds. —Joy Howard, Southern Living, 27 Nov. 2023

Garnish with benne seeds. —Whitney Otawka, Country Living, 17 Mar. 2021

Stews and soups may be thickened with benne seeds, an heirloom version of sesame seeds brought over on slave ships. —Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 29 Jan. 2023

Be sure to use unsweetened cocoa powder; swapping out the benne seeds with sesame seeds and maple sugar with light brown sugar is fine. —Nicole Taylor, San Francisco Chronicle, 14 Oct. 2021

Word History

Etymology

of African origin; akin to Malinke bĕne sesame

First Known Use

1769, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for benne

• ben
• bren
• chen
• den
• en
• gen
• glen
• hen
• jen
• ken
• men
• pen

Medical Definition

benne

noun

ben·​ne

variants or bene

ˈben-ē 

: sesame