Read more: 16 American Candies You Can Only Get In Certain Regions<\/a><\/p>\n Eating benne, then and now Benne wafers in a tin, beside it some loose wafers and a cup of coffee – Olde Colony Bakery\/Instagram<\/p>\n Crispy Benne wafers have become so ingrained in Carolina’s snack-food culture that it’s easy to forget the benne seeds were once secretly planted for sustenance \u2014 but that was a reality for enslaved Africans on Southern plantations. After carrying the seeds to the Carolinas in the early 1700s, they grew them in their own garden plots on Lowcountry plantations. The benne added protein to meager diets,\u00a0with the seeds and oils flavoring rice dishes, soups, and grains. Ground benne flour\u00a0provided biscuits and breads, and thickened gravies and porridge.<\/p>\n The seeds\u00a0eventually earned merit in wider Carolina communities, giving rise to the beloved Benne wafers.\u00a0Today, those wafers are one of South Carolina’s most recognizable regional sweets, considered a\u00a0signature dessert.\u00a0They’re sold widely in shops like Olde Colony Bakery, which ships thousands of pounds of wafers across the country every week. Along with Amazon<\/a>, bakeries like that are the most likely places for ordering Benne wafers online.<\/p>\n After procuring these crispy delights, many happy recipients enjoy them on their own as a light snack \u2014 but they also work well on cheese and charcuterie boards, where the nutty sweetness pairs well with salty cheeses and cured meats. Consider pairing them with afternoon tea, crumbling over ice cream, or creating a crunchy topping for fresh fruit.\u00a0Dive deeper into Southern culture with seven obscure Southern snacks<\/a>, and check out these 16 creative ways to use sesame seeds<\/a>.<\/p>\n Want more food knowledge? Sign up to our free newsletter<\/a> where we’re helping thousands of foodies, like you, become culinary masters, one email at a time. You can also add us as a preferred search source<\/a> on Google.<\/p>\n![\"Benne](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/9422cc9834b54a3b3cb2b0526ba01b58.jpeg\"\/)
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