Recipe: Black Sesame Rainbow Crinkle Cookies

🍪 AAPI flavors meets Mental Health Awareness

At the intersection of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month and Mental Health Awareness Month, it felt like the right time to share my recipe for Black Sesame Rainbow Crinkle Cookies.

Featuring black sesame, a popular ingredient and flavor in Asian desserts, and made in the style of Depressed Cake Shop which brings awareness to mental health. These cookies are a reminder that no matter how sad, depressed, or lonely you feel, dark days don’t last forever and there’s always a rainbow inside you.

I originally made these cookies to grieve a dear friend who suffered from depression. I still think of him often and these cookies are my way to honor his memory. If you’re struggling, as many of us are lately, please don’t feel too proud or ashamed to seek help. A list of resources for mental health support are below, with a focus on baking and AAPI identifying communities.

Asian-Americans are 3 times less likely to seek mental health services than white Caucasians. Why is that? Here’s a great article on NAMI.org that explains the stigmas and reasons “Why Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders Don’t Go To Therapy.”

photo courtesy of BWC