Black Sesame Paste

The Best Homemade Black Sesame Paste — Rich, Nutty & Endlessly Versatile

If you’ve ever tasted black sesame paste in a bakery mochi or swirled into ice cream and wondered how to recreate that deep, toasty flavor at home, you’re in the right place. This homemade black sesame paste recipe delivers a rich, glossy, intensely nutty spread with just three simple ingredients: black sesame seeds, butter, and honey. No specialty equipment required beyond a standard food processor — and no fillers, preservatives, or mystery ingredients like in store-bought versions.

Black sesame paste (known as kuro goma paste in Japan) is a beloved staple in East Asian desserts, prized for its bold, slightly bitter, nutty depth and its gorgeous inky color. It’s the secret behind classic black sesame mochi, dango fillings, sesame ice cream, latte swirls, and even savory dressings. Once you make it from scratch, you’ll never go back to the jarred kind.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Just 3 ingredients — black sesame seeds, butter, and honey
• Customizable thickness — use honey for a thick mochi filling, or granulated sugar for a spreadable toast-friendly paste
• No tahini-style bitterness — toasting the seeds the right way brings out warmth, not harshness
• Naturally gluten-free and refined-sugar-optional
• Stores beautifully for weeks in the fridge

The Secret Is in the Toast

The biggest difference between flat, bitter sesame paste and a paste with deep, roasty character is how you toast the seeds. You’ll dry-toast 1 ½ cups of black sesame seeds in a pan for about 6 minutes until the seeds plump up. The telltale sign they’re ready? When you bite into one, it should burst between your teeth — almost like a tiny popcorn pop. That’s how you know the natural oils have been awakened and the seeds are primed for grinding.

Grinding Without Burning Out Your Food Processor

This is where patience pays off. After letting the toasted seeds cool for a few minutes, transfer them to a food processor (1 ½ cups is the minimum batch you should make if using an 8-cup food processor), since the seeds need to sit above the blades for proper grinding. Process on high for 1 minute, then stop, scrape down the sides, and let the machine rest for 1 to 2 minutes so the motor doesn’t overheat.

Repeat this cycle until the seeds transform from a dry meal into a thick, glossy paste. Total active processing time is about 10 minutes, but with the rest breaks built in, plan on around 25 minutes start to finish. The seeds release their oils slowly, and rushing this step will leave you with sandy meal instead of silky paste.

Adding the Honey & Butter

Once your paste has formed, melt butter and pour them into the food processor with some honey. Pulse just enough to incorporate — you don’t want to overwork it at this stage. The butter adds richness and a luxurious mouthfeel, while honey deepens the sweetness and gives the paste its signature thick, scoopable texture.

Honey vs. Sugar — Which Should You Use?

This is where you can customize the recipe to suit your end goal:

• Use honey if you want a thicker, denser paste — the perfect consistency for stuffing mochi, dango, or buns where a firm, scoopable filling is essential.
• Use granulated sugar if you want a looser, more spreadable paste — ideal for swirling into yogurt, drizzling over ice cream, or spreading thickly on warm buttered toast or swirling into brownie or cake batter.

Ways to Use Black Sesame Paste

• Filling for black sesame mochi and daifuku
• Stirred into lattes and warm milk
• Swirled into ice cream or oatmeal
• Spread on toast, pancakes, or waffles
• Folded into cookie or brownie batter
• A dramatic, savory base for noodle dressings

What’s in the black sesame paste

• black sesame seeds
• honey or sugar
• butter

Storage

Store your homemade black sesame paste in an airtight glass jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. The oils may separate slightly — just give it a stir before using. For longer storage, freeze in small portions for up to 3 months.

Black Sesame Paste

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A rich, nutty, 3-ingredient black sesame paste that comes together easily right in your food processor. Toast your seeds to release their aromatic oils, grind them into a luscious paste, and sweeten to your exact needs! Use honey for a wonderfully thick mochi filling, or swap in granulated sugar for a silky-smooth toast spread.

• Author: Ellen
• Cuisine: Chinese, Japanese

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1/2x1x2x3x

• 1 1/2 cups black sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons honey (for a more spreadable consistency use granulated sugar)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted

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Instructions

1. In a large-ish dry pan, toast the sesame seeds if they are not already toasted. Add the seeds to a cool pan and set the heat to medium. Stir constantly and lower the heat to medium-low after 3 minutes. Watch closely as the seeds start to plump after 5 minutes. Taste test a few seeds and if they feel plump between your teeth and have a crunchy burst when you bite down in it, they are done. This should take about 6 minutes.
2. Let the seeds cool for a few minutes before adding them to the food processor. Grind on high speed for 1 minute. Stop and let the food processor rest for 1 to 2 minutes. Repeat this until your total grinding time is 10 minutes. While cooling between seed grinding, remove the lid and scrape down the sides if necessary. This whole process should take about 25 minutes. The mixture will turn into a thick paste.
3. Add honey and melted butter. Pulse on high for 30 seconds until everything is blended smooth. You should be able to form a ball with the mixture.
4. Store in an airtight container.

Equipment

food processor

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