📖 Instructions

1. First things first, let's prep. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Get out a large baking sheet and line it with parchment paper. Parchment paper is your friend; it prevents sticking and makes cleanup a breeze! You can also use a silicone baking mat if you prefer.
2. In a large bowl, cream together ½ cup (1 stick) of softened unsalted butter and ¾ cup of granulated sugar until light and fluffy. You want it to be nice and airy, so don't rush this step. A stand mixer makes it easier, but a good old-fashioned hand mixer works just fine.
3. Beat in one large egg and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Make sure the egg is fully incorporated before moving on. And, hey if you are feeling fancy, use vanilla bean paste instead of the extract. It makes a difference but dont tell anyone I told you.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 ¾ cups of all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon of baking soda, ¼ teaspoon of salt, and 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds. Give it a good whisk to make sure everything's evenly distributed. Sometimes I skip the whisk and just use a fork, but thats just me.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; overmixing leads to tough cookies, and nobody wants that!
6. Gently fold in ½ cup of diced fresh or frozen rhubarb. If using frozen, no need to thaw; just toss it in. Don't overmix at this point; just make sure the rhubarb is evenly distributed.
7. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between cookies. You'll want to use a cookie scoop for this, or you can just eyeball it. Perfection is overrated!
8. Sprinkle the tops of the cookies with decorative sprinkles. Get creative with your sprinkles! Rainbow sprinkles, chocolate sprinkles, even edible glitter—go wild!
9. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown. Keep a close eye on them; oven temperatures vary, so they might need a little less or a little more time. The bottoms will look done and the tops will still be slightly soft but not gooey.
10. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This helps them firm up a bit before you move them.