Emily Meggett's Benne Cookies - The Local Palate

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon margarine or butter, or more as needed (butter can be used to toast the benne seeds, but it burns more easily than margarine)
• 1 cup benne seeds or sesame seeds
• 1 cup sifted flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract