The classic recipe gets an update with nutty sesame seed butter! Salted Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies are packed with dark chocolate chunks and topped with flaky sea salt. They'll be your new favorite vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe!
What is tahini and how is it used in a chocolate chip cookie?
Tahini is a butter-style spread made from hulled and ground sesame seeds. It has a very earthy flavor and pairs beautifully with dark chocolate. It can be found in the nut butter aisle of many grocery stores. Look for a brand that is very runny; quality matters and can vary greatly type by type. In cookie baking, tahini lends a tender texture and keeps baked goods from tasting too sweet.
Ingredients needed for Salted Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Refined coconut oil
- Tahini
- Brown sugar
- Almond milk
- Vanilla
- Flour
- Cornstarch
- Salt
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Dark chocolate
What kind of tahini is best for making cookies?
The best kind of tahini for baking is very runny and thin, without dried clumps of sesame butter. Tahini brands vary widely in terms of taste and texture. Too often, tahini can be very bitter and dry (especially when old). This tahini avocado toast recipe details how to purchase tahini that tastes high-quality.
If you're looking for a good deal on tahini, I recommend sourcing it online in bulk. Pepperwood Organics is my favorite brand! Be sure to purchase it "hulled," which means the outer coating of the sesame seed itself has been removed.
How do you keep chocolate chip cookies from going flat?
As you can see in the photos, this recipe rises nicely and stays pillowy after baking. I recommend these tips:
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- Use a combination of baking soda and baking powder. This helps with a sustained rise while baking.
- Pair the leavening agents with brown sugar, which is naturally acidic and helps this reaction.
- Add cornstarch to further bind the ingredients.
- Chill the dough prior to baking. While this is sometimes a nuisance, it helps hydrate your flour. To really maintain the same cookie shape, form them before chilling and chill the entire baking sheet while your oven preheats.
I do know that some people prefer flatter cookies (especially when crispy). If you like crispy chocolate treats, try this recipe for imitation Tate's cookies.
What is the secret to making soft cookies?
The secret to soft cookies is not much of a secret: just under bake them. In this recipe for salted tahini chocolate chip cookies, we are only baking the cookies for 11 minutes. While they may look underdone when coming out of the oven, they will continue firming up as they cool on the sheet.
What else can I use tahini for (besides hummus)?
While I do love homemade hummus, tahini is incredibly versatile. Here are some other tahini ideas for you:
- Tahini Coffee Shake
- Vegan Caesar Salad Dressing
- Mint Tahini Yogurt Sauce for Pistachio Falafel
- Tahini Avocado Toast
I hope you enjoy this recipe for salted tahini chocolate chip cookies! Please leave a rating + review if you make them, or let me know on Instagram.
Salted Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 TBS ground flax + 3 TBS water flax egg, or one regular egg
- ½ cup refined coconut oil soft
- ½ cup tahini runny
- 1 cup brown sugar unpacked
- ¼ cup almond milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 and ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 1 and ½ TBS cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more for topping
- ½ teaspoon each baking soda and baking powder
- 1 large chocolate bar cut into chunks (or ½ -1 cup chocolate chips, depending on preference)
Instructions
- In a small cup, mix ground flax and water and set aside to gel. In a large bowl, cream together coconut oil, tahini, and sugar until thoroughly combined. Add flax egg, almond milk, and vanilla and stir once more until incorporated.
- In a smaller bowl, combine flour of choice, cornstarch, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Slowly add wet to dry, taking care not to over-mix. Fold in chocolate chunks. Your dough should appear thick but should stick together when pressed.
- Place dough in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes and up to one day. During this time you can preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Form 15 medium-sized cookies. Place dough balls on two oiled baking sheets, leaving space in between each cookie for spreading.
- Bake cookies for 11-12 minutes, remove from oven, sprinkle with a little salt, and let cool on tray for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with more salt. The cookies will cook a little more as they rest.
- Enjoy!
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Emma Cox says
Loved the recipe! Cookies turned out gorgeous and tasty. I added crushed walnuts for a delicious crunch.
Sue 0523 says
I was worried these might be greasy, based on the amount of coconut oil in the dough, but they are not at all! Fluffy and light (I made mine with 100% whole wheat flour), they’re delicious! Great consistency. Will definitely make again.
Emily says
I'm glad they worked, thank you for commenting!
Dan says
Delicious!
Emily says
Thank you!! <3
Sarah says
Those look delicious and would be perfect with my daily 2pm cup of coffee! I'll have to make some this week. Thank you for posting!
Emily says
I hope you enjoy them! Thanks for reading!