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Whenever I’m craving something slightly different than traditional chocolate chip, I’ll bake up a batch of these tahini chocolate chunk cookies.
Comprised of dark brown sugar, chopped dark chocolate, and tahini (ground sesame seed paste), this recipe offers a unique alternative to traditional nut butter cookies.
What is Tahini?
Tahini is a Middle Eastern condiment made from ground toasted sesame seeds. It represents a staple ingredient in dishes such as hummus and baba ghanoush, and is also used as a spread, dip, or salad dressing.
In baking and dessert recipes like this one, the tahini lends a nutty note (similar to peanut or almond butter) which pairs perfectly with chocolate, and complements the sweetness of sugar or honey.
If you haven’t purchased tahini before, you’ll find it in the Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, or international foods aisle at the grocery store. (It usually comes in a glass jar, or sometimes a plastic tub.) You can also buy tahini on Amazon.
An Easy Tahini Chocolate Chunk Cookies Recipe
If you’ve only eaten tahini in savory dishes, you’re in for a real treat. These soft, bakery style tahini chocolate chip cookies offer the perfect introduction to dessert recipes with tahini.
While not overly common in western desserts, tahini has long been used to make halva. Halva is a fudgy, Middle Eastern confection comprised of sesame paste, sweetener, and various flavorings or add-ins like chocolate or nuts, so a cookie recipe with tahini isn’t much of a stretch.
These chocolate chunk tahini cookies are not difficult to make. Plus you’ll find that you already have most of the ingredients (sugar, flour, baking soda, salt) in your kitchen cabinet. It takes about 15 minutes to prepare the dough, and you’ll need about 12 minutes per tray to bake. In fact, the most time-consuming part of this recipe is waiting for the dough to chill. For best results, I suggest chilling for at least eight hours, or overnight.
Why Make Tahini Chocolate Chunk Cookies?
The tahini in this recipe lends a nutty note (similar to peanut or almond butter), plus the tiniest hint of “tang” or spice, which actually reminds me a tiny bit of a tangy snickerdoodle cookie. These are like peanut butter chocolate chip cookies, but with a little extra something.
Tahini cookies can sometimes offer a good alternative for those who cannot enjoy traditional peanut butter. However, sesame itself is an allergen (see my notes below) so do your due diligence if baking for friends.
As written, this recipe calls for 130 grams (1/2 cup) of tahini, so you’ll still have some left in the jar. I like to use the extra tahini in a hummus recipe. Or, I’ll drizzle it on a falafel-stuffed pita or falafel salad bowl. (On the flip side, sometimes I’ll also make these chocolate chunk cookies to use the tahini left over after making a savory recipe!)
Chocolate Chips Vs. Chunks
I’ve called these chocolate chunk tahini cookies, but you can make tahini chocolate chip cookies as well. I prefer to use bars of chopped dark chocolate (in my opinion, these are the best choice, especially if you want big, gooey pools of chocolate on top) but semi sweet or dark chocolate chips will work, too.
In addition, feel free to vary the type of chocolate depending on how sweet (or not) you prefer your desserts. The dough itself isn’t overly sweet, and I went with a 56% Belgian dark chocolate, but you can use darker chocolate (I think something like Lindt’s 70% cocoa dark chocolate could work nicely), or even opt for milk chocolate.
Notes on Sesame
When we learned about the top 14 allergens in pastry school, I was surprised to discover how many people deal with sesame allergies. In fact, according to Allergy UK, sesame now represents one of the ten most common causes of food-related allergic reactions.
You’ll often find sesame seeds in products like bagels, rice cakes, crackers, breadsticks, dinner rolls, and other baked goods. Sesame seeds and sesame oil are also commonly-used ingredients in Japanese dishes such as sushi and ramen. In Middle Eastern cuisine, tahini, hummus, and halva all contain sesame. And of course, I’ve used it in these tahini cookies.
If baking this tahini cookies recipe for friends, check to make sure that none of them has a sesame allergy. And be sure to disclose that these are tahini chocolate chip cookies, rather than classic chocolate chip.
Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions
These easy chocolate chunk tahini cookies are best enjoyed on the day they are made—they’re at peak softness, with the perfect chewy texture. (I love these just out of the oven, when the chocolate is still melted and gooey!) However, they’ll keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for two or three days. And they actually remain edible for about a week, but in testing I found the texture less appealing after a few days (just a bit too dry and stiff for my taste) so I wouldn’t suggest baking these too far in advance.
If storing at room temperature, I suggest layering your tahini cookies between sheets of parchment to prevent sticking, especially if you live in a warmer climate. These cookies also freeze especially well. In fact, I have a batch in the freezer right now!
The dough requires chilling for best results, ideally for eight hours or overnight. (I’ll usually make my dough one day, and bake the cookies the next.) After chilling, it just takes 5-10 minutes to scoop the dough, and about 12 minutes per tray to bake
Chocolate Chunk Tahini Cookie Tips and Tricks
You can make these chocolate tahini cookies with either chocolate chips, or chunks of chopped dark chocolate. I like to press extra chunks of dark chocolate into the tops of the unbaked cookies. This isn’t mandatory, but if you like the look of cookies with large pools of chocolate on top, you definitely don’t want to skip this step!
As a general rule, I prefer to use vanilla bean paste in my cookie recipes for a deeper, more pronounced flavor. (I also like the little vanilla bean specks, which add visual appeal.) If you don’t have vanilla bean paste, feel free to substitute vanilla extract instead.
You won’t need many special tools to make this recipe, but you’ll find it helpful to use a cookie scoop (I prefer the kind with a release, like a mini ice cream scoop) for portioning the dough. Periodically dip the scoop in a mug of water to prevent the dough from sticking.
If baking your chocolate tahini cookies on a half-sheet rimmed baking tray, this recipe will yield approximately 22 cookies 3-inch, or about two trays’ worth. I suggest baking each tray individually rather than putting both in the oven at once.
For perfectly round, Instagram-worthy cookies, use a round biscuit cutter and a gentle “swirling” motion to reshape the warm cookies. Be sure to do this immediately after removing the cookies from the oven—if they’re too cool, they will break or crack.
For a sweet and salty combo, feel free to finish your chocolate tahini cookies with a sprinkling of coarse sea salt, if desired!
More cookie recipes you might enjoy:
Lavender Latte Cookies
Mint M&M Cookies
Quadruple Peanut Butter Cookies
And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!
Print
Tahini Chocolate Chunk Cookies
- Total Time: 8 hours 42 minutes
- Yield: Approx. 22 3-inch round cookies
Description
Ingredients
113 grams unsalted butter, softened (1/2 cup / 1 stick)
155 grams dark brown sugar (3/4 cup, packed)
50 grams granulated sugar (1/4 cup)
130 grams tahini (1/2 cup)
1 egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
145 grams all-purpose flour (1 1/8 cups)
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
160 grams chopped dark chocolate (5.65 ounces, or about 1 1/4 cups), plus more to decorate
Instructions
In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the butter on high speed until light and fluffy.
Add the dark brown sugar, granulated sugar, and tahini, and mix until well combined.
Mix in the egg and vanilla bean paste.
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and kosher salt
Add to the large bowl and mix on medium speed until just barely combined.
With a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula, fold in the chopped dark chocolate.
Cover bowl with clingfilm/plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator to chill, at least 8 hours, or overnight.
Preheat oven to 176° C / 350° F. Line a half-sheet rimmed tray with parchment.
With a 1 1/2-inch cookie scoop, scoop the dough into portions. Press reserved chocolate chunks on tops of each portion to decorate.
Place on prepared tray, allowing room for the cookies to spread as they bake.
Press a few additional chunks of chocolate into the tops of each cookie.
Bake in preheated oven for 12-13 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. For perfectly round cookies, immediately reshape with a round metal cutter.
Cool on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining cookie dough.
Layer tahini cookies between sheets of parchment and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. Tahini chocolate chunk cookies can also be frozen.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Chilling Time: 8 hours
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Biscuits and Cookies
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Dessert