This post may feature affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
These tahini cookies feature nutty, sweet, and toasty notes you’ll love! Bite your way through a crunchy sesame seed coating into a perfectly tender, chewy center. Whether served with your morning coffee or as an afternoon snack, these grown-up peanut butter cookies offer a satisfying flavor in every bite.
Table of Contents
💛 Why you’ll love this recipe
- Easy to make: You don’t need to be a pastry chef to whip these tahini cookies up!
- Unique flavors: With tahini and sesame seeds, this recipe brings a Middle Eastern touch to your cookie platter.
- Perfect texture: This recipe creates a melt-in-your-mouth inside with a slightly crisp edge every time.
- Vegan-friendly: We’ve left out ingredients like eggs and butter so that everyone is able to join in on the snacking!
If you love tahini cookies, you should really check out our vegan oatmeal cookies, vegan chocolate chip cookies, and 2-ingredient peanut butter cookies.
🍪 What are tahini cookies?
If you’ve never tried tahini cookies before, you’re in for a real treat! This Middle Eastern ingredient may not be the first thing you think about when it comes to cookies, but once you take a bite, we know you’ll be back for more.
Tahini cookies have the perfect balance between bitterness and sweetness thanks to the tahini and natural sweeteners. Each bite has a soft, tender texture, with a little crunch that is seriously addicting.
If you’re new to baking and are intimidated by cookie recipes, you’ll be happy to know this one is extremely forgiving! You can serve these treats as a sweet snack or dessert on their own, or try pairing them with a side of coffee or tea.
🌱 Are tahini cookies vegan?
Tahini cookies come in a variety of forms, but more often than not they are not vegan-friendly. This is because many traditional recipes utilize honey as their sweetener of choice and some add butter.
However, in this recipe, we’ve just used tahini and coconut oil for the fats and maple syrup instead of honey for our sweetener. You won’t miss any animal-based ingredients in this recipe at all!
🛒 Ingredients & substitutions
- All-purpose flour: Forms the base of the cookie, giving it structure. You can substitute regular flour with a gluten-free flour blend if necessary.
- Baking powder: Used as the leavening agent in this recipe, making the cookies rise during baking. Always double-check that your baking powder is fresh.
- Salt: Balances the sweet ingredients, giving the cookies a full-bodied flavor.
- Sweeteners: A blend of cane sugar, maple syrup, and coconut sugar provide sweetness and create a moist, chewy texture. Brown sugar can be an alternative, but make sure it’s vegan-friendly. You can also use agave in place of maple syrup.
- Plant milk: Adds moisture to the cookies. You can use oat, cashew, almond, or soy milk interchangeably.
- Coconut oil: Provides structure and adds richness to the cookies. Use flavorless (refined) coconut oil if possible, or substitute it with vegan butter.
- Tahini: Creates a nutty, bitter, and slightly sweet flavor profile. Good tahini should be creamy and runny. Some quality brands include ARZ Fine Foods, Soom, Tamam, Alkanatar, Baron’s, and Okka. Can’t find any? Try cashew or almond butter.
- Vanilla: Imparts sweet, warming notes that balance the bitterness of the tahini. Use 100% pure vanilla extract for the best results.
- Sesame seeds: To roll the cookies in, creating a crunchy layer on the outside. We use white sesame seeds, but black sesame seeds will also work.
For a complete ingredient list and step-by-step guide, scroll down to our recipe card.
📝 How to make tahini cookies
Step 1: Mix the dry ingredients
To start this recipe off, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and cane sugar in a large mixing bowl. This step ensures even distribution and a smoother dough. Set the bowl aside while you prep the wet ingredients.
Step 2: Mix the wet ingredients
Using an electric mixer or food processor, beat the coconut sugar, maple syrup, softened coconut oil, plant milk, runny tahini, and vanilla until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
Step 3: Combine the dough
Gradually introduce the dry mix to the wet ingredients. Don’t overmix to maintain a tender cookie texture.
Once combined, let the dough chill in the fridge. This makes it easier to shape and results in a better texture post-bake.
Step 4: Bake the cookies
Preheat the oven and combine the cane sugar and sesame seeds for rolling. Once the oven is hot, form 1 ½-inch balls. We have a cookie scoop that works great for this, but you can also use a tablespoon.
Roll the dough balls in the sesame seed mixture, transfer them to a lined baking pan, and flatten them slightly. Bake them until the edges just turn golden brown, then let them cool for a few minutes before serving. Happy eating!
If you have questions about this tahini cookie recipe, check out our FAQs or leave a comment down below!
☕️ What to serve with tahini cookies
Nothing beats cookies and a rich, creamy beverage! Try your freshly baked tahini cookies with options like these:
- Dirty chai latte or almond milk latte
- Champurrado or hot chocolate
- Hokkaido milk tea
- A refreshing glass of plant milk
🌡️ Storage & reheating
Keep any leftover tahini cookies fresh by following these simple storage tips:
- Room temperature: You can keep your tahini cookies in an airtight container on the countertop for up to a week.
- Freezer: For longer storage, freeze your tahini cookies in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 6 months. You can also freeze the unbaked dough for the same amount of time.
- Reheating: Warm the cookies in a preheated oven at 300F for a few minutes.
- Prep ahead: You can make the dough ahead of time, refrigerate it, and bake the cookies fresh when you’re craving a treat.
♻️ Variations
- Chocolate chip: Add vegan dark chocolate chips for bursts of sweetness.
- Nuts: Mix in some chopped almonds, pecans, or walnuts to the batter.
- Spiced: Incorporate cinnamon, allspice, or nutmeg for a warm, spiced flavor.
- Fruit: Add dried cranberries or raisins for a sweet and chewy addition.
- Espresso: Mix in a teaspoon of instant espresso powder for a subtle coffee flavor.
- Coconut: Add shredded coconut to the batter for a tropical note.
- Matcha: Blend in a teaspoon or two of matcha powder to give your cookies a unique green tea flavor.
- Salted caramel: Drizzle the baked cookies with vegan caramel sauce and sprinkle a touch of sea salt on top.
🧑🍳 Top tips
- Consistent size: Make sure each dough ball is the same size for evenly baked cookies. We suggest purchasing a cookie scoop for this.
- Don’t overbake them: Cookies continue to harden as they cool, so remove them when the edges have just turned golden brown.
- Use runny tahini: Ensure your tahini is creamy, runny, and slightly sweet. It will have a bitter undertone, but that flavor should not be overpowering.
- Chill the dough: This helps in shaping the cookies and achieving a perfect texture.
- Don’t overmix the dough: For a soft and tender texture, mix the dough just until the ingredients are combined. Overmixing can lead to tough cookies.
- Room temperature ingredients: Ensure that all ingredients, especially the tahini, are at room temperature. This helps the dough come together more evenly.
- Check the dough: Depending on the tahini brand, you may need to use more or less. If the dough feels too dry, add a touch more tahini. If it’s too wet, a little more flour can help.
💬 FAQ
If your dough is crumbly, it’s likely because you over-measured the flour or your tahini is dry. To fix this, add more tahini or plant milk until the dough sticks together.
To ensure your cookies are soft on the inside, bake them for the recommended time or until the edges just turn golden brown.
Yes, tahini is a gluten-free product. If you have questions or need more information, you may find this guide to tahini helpful.
🍴 More cookie recipes
If you enjoyed these tahini cookies, take a peek at some more sweet and tender cookie recipes like these:
- Cookie Monster Cookies: A fun and flavorful cookie recipe for kids and adults!
- Banana Oatmeal Cookies: Soft and tender cookies that are naturally sweetened.
- Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies: 20-minute cookies that will melt in your mouth.
- Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Cookies: Soft, chewy, and perfectly moist cookies.
- Vegan Ginger Molasses Cookies: Chewy and tender cookies packed with holiday flavors.
- Healthy Anzac Biscuits: Made with wholesome ingredients and no dairy.
Soft & Chewy Tahini Cookies
Equipment
- Electric mixer
- Baking sheet
Ingredients
Dry
- 1 ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons cane sugar
Wet
- 3 tablespoons coconut sugar
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons plant milk
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons runny tahini
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For rolling
- ¼ cup sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon cane sugar
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and cane sugar together in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
- Using an electric mixer or food processor, beat the coconut sugar, maple syrup, softened coconut oil, plant milk, tahini, and vanilla until smooth.
- Slowly add in the dry ingredients while still mixing, being careful not to overmix the dough.
- Transfer the cookie dough to a container or bowl, cover it, and let it rest in your fridge for 30-60 minutes.
- Once the dough is chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Mix the extra cane sugar and sesame seeds in a shallow bowl. Once the oven is hot, form the dough into 1 ½-inch balls, roll them in the sesame seed mixture, and place them 2 inches apart from one other on the baking sheet.
- Flatten them slightly with your fingers or a glass with a flat bottom, then bake them for 10-13 minutes, or until the edges just turn golden brown.
- Let the tahini cookies cool for 5-10 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling. Happy eating!
Notes
- Consistent size: Make sure each dough ball is the same size for evenly baked cookies. We suggest purchasing a cookie scoop for this.
- Don’t overbake them: Cookies continue to harden as they cool, so remove them when the edges have just turned golden brown.
- Use runny tahini: Ensure your tahini is creamy, runny, and slightly sweet. It will have a bitter undertone, but that flavor should not be overpowering.
- Chill the dough: This helps in shaping the cookies and achieving a perfect texture.
- Don’t overmix the dough: For a soft and tender texture, mix the dough just until the ingredients are combined. Overmixing can lead to tough cookies.
- Room temperature ingredients: Ensure that all ingredients, especially the tahini, are at room temperature. This helps the dough come together more evenly.
- Check the dough: Depending on the tahini brand, you may need to use more or less. If the dough feels too dry, add a touch more tahini. If it’s too wet, a little more flour can help.
- Nutritional information is a rough estimate and should not be taken as health advice.
Nutrition
Note: We’ve updated this post to include new information and helpful tips about the recipe.
As a Middle Eastern person, it’s really disappointing to see this cookie labeled as American/Western cuisine.
You are so right! Thanks for pointing that out, and it has been updated 🙂