Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies
One of my favorite things to play with when recipe testing is creating savory-sweet desserts, and as a peanut butter lover, this twist on a classic peanut butter chocolate chip cookie satisfies all of my cravings. Tahini is ground toasted sesame seeds, and it packs a delicious umami flavor similar to peanut butter — that’s why I call these my spin on peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. Where tahini is unique, though, is its deliciously nutty, toasty flavor that’s very savory and pairs beautifully with the unctuously sweet ingredients in chocolate chip cookies.
Why do chocolate chip cookie recipes use both cane sugar and brown sugar? This recipe uses all brown sugar for the cookie dough, whereas some recipes call for a mixture of cane sugar and brown sugar. Brown sugar gives you a chewy texture as opposed to a crispy texture, while also hydrating the dough a bit more from the molasses in brown sugar.
What is tahini? Tahini is ground toasted sesame seeds, a delicious paste that packs a savory flavor, similar to peanut butter or any other kind of nut butter. Tahini is a great addition to baked goods to provide a balance of savory and sweet flavors while also bringing moisture to desserts.
Can you freeze tahini chocolate chip cookies? Yes, you can freeze this cookie dough, and it will turn out beautifully when it’s time to bake! For best results, form the dough into balls and store them in a freezer-safe zipper bag so you can pull out as many cookies as you want at a time. When you go to bake the cookies, you can put them in the oven directly from the freezer and add 2 minutes of cook time to allow for the dough to defrost.
How to store tahini chocolate chip cookies? I recommend storing these tahini chocolate chip cookies at room temperature in an air-tight container for up to 5 days, ensuring they stay as fresh as possible and don’t go stale.
How do you know when chocolate chip cookies are done? The best way to tell that chocolate chip cookies are done baking is by seeing a golden brown color around the edges. You should remove the cookies from the oven when you see this color develop, because the cookies will continue to cook slightly once they’re taken out of the oven (from residual heat), and this ensures you have a cookie with a crispy edge with a soft, chewy center.
Why do chocolate chip cookies spread too much? Cookies will spread too much in the oven when the fat in the dough (typically butter) melts too fast. This often happens when the butter gets too warm when the dough is being made, and this is why many recipes (including this one) call for the butter to just be softened instead of melted.
Why do chocolate chip cookies come out flat? This is because the rising agent in the cookie dough (typically baking soda) didn’t activate in the baking process. Baking soda will “go bad,” or essentially become stale and inactive, if stored in the pantry for too long. I recommend changing out your baking soda every 6 months to ensure you have a fresh, effective product. If you’re not sure if your baking soda is working, you can put a small amount of baking soda in a bowl or cup and drizzle it with vinegar. The vinegar will activate fresh baking soda and cause it to bubble up. If your baking soda does not bubble up, it’s expired, and time to get a fresh one.
What makes chocolate chip cookies soft vs. chewy? The texture of a chocolate chip cookie is determined by the ratio (and type) of flour to sugar. A cookie with more flour in the dough will come out softer than a cookie with a higher concentration of sugar. Further, if the cookie dough has more brown sugar in the recipe, it will come out chewier than if the recipe calls for granulated or cane sugar, which will give you a crunchier texture. Thankfully, all versions are 100% delicious!
How to make tahini chocolate chip cookies:
Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies
This tahini chocolate chip cookies recipe is a delicious, savory twist on the classic. These cookies are rich, chewy, and have a tasty toasty flavor that makes it impossible to eat just one.
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter, unsalted (1 stick), softened
- 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup chocolate chips (semi-sweet)
- 1/2 cup tahini
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg, vanilla, and tahini.
- In a separate, small bowl, add flour, baking soda, and salt and stir just until combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix in between each addition until a thick dough forms.
- Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Scoop dough into 12 equal balls and space them out on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are golden and the centers are just set.
- Let cool slightly and enjoy!
Notes
I recommend using a stand mixer for this recipe if you have it.
