These chocolate chip tahini cookies have crisp edges, soft chewy centers, and a rich sesame flavor that makes them far more interesting than an ordinary chocolate chip cookie. Tahini adds a subtle savory note that balances the sweetness, while the chocolate chips melt into little pockets throughout every cookie.
The dough comes together with everyday baking ingredients, requires no complicated technique, and can be prepared ahead. A short chill helps the cookies hold their shape while still spreading into beautifully crinkled, bakery-style cookies.
Chocolate chip cookies are always a favorite, but I love finding simple ways to make classic recipes a little more interesting. After seeing how much flavor tahini added to my original sesame cookies, I couldn’t resist folding chocolate chips into the dough.
The result was even better than I expected. The tahini adds a rich, toasted sesame flavor that balances the sweetness of the chocolate without overpowering it. They’re soft, chewy, and just different enough to make people ask what the secret ingredient is after the first bite.
Why You’ll Love These Cookies
- Soft and chewy – The tahini and extra egg yolk keep the centers tender while the edges bake lightly crisp.
- Rich sesame flavor – Tahini adds depth without overpowering the chocolate.
- Perfectly balanced – The slightly savory tahini prevents the cookies from becoming excessively sweet.
- Easy to make ahead – The dough can be refrigerated or frozen and baked whenever you need fresh cookies.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Unsalted butter – Use softened butter so it blends smoothly with the sugar. Salted butter also works, but reduce the added salt slightly.
- Tahini – Use smooth, pourable tahini made from hulled sesame seeds. Stir it thoroughly before measuring because the natural sesame oil often separates. Avoid very thick or dry tahini, which can make the cookies crumbly.
- Light brown sugar – Adds moisture, caramel flavor, and chewiness. Dark brown sugar can be used, but it will give the cookies a stronger molasses flavor and a slightly darker color.
- Granulated sugar – Helps the cookies spread and creates lightly crisp edges.
- Egg – The whole egg provides structure, adds richness, and keeps the cookies soft. Bring both to room temperature for easier mixing.
- Vanilla extract – Rounds out the sesame and chocolate flavors. Use pure vanilla extract when possible.
- All-purpose flour – Provides enough structure to control the spread without making the cookies thick or cakey. Weigh the flour for the most consistent results.
- Baking soda – Encourages spreading and browning while contributing to the chewy texture.
- Baking powder – Adds a small amount of lift so the cookies do not bake completely flat.
- Salt – Balances the sweetness and enhances both the tahini and chocolate.
- Ground cardamom – Adds subtle warmth that works beautifully with sesame. It should remain in the background rather than taste strongly spiced.
- Ground nutmeg – A small pinch adds warmth and depth. It can be omitted.
- Chocolate chips – Semisweet or dark chocolate chips balance the tahini best. Chocolate chunks or chopped chocolate can also be used. Reserve a few pieces for pressing onto the cookies before baking.
Step-by-step: How to Make Chocolate Chip Tahini Cookies
Cream the butter and sugars
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar for about 2 minutes until smooth and slightly lighter in color. Add the egg and vanilla extract.
Then, add the tahini paste and mix until fully incorporated, but don’t overmix.
Combine the dry ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cardamom, and nutmeg. Add the dry ingredients to the mixture until just combined, then fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula. Avoid overmixing once the flour has been added.
Chill the dough
Cover the bowl and refrigerate the cookie dough for at least 2 hours. Chilling firms the butter and tahini, improves the flavor, and helps prevent excessive spreading.
Shape the cookies
Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Portion the dough into approximately 25 to 30-gram balls. Place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets and flatten them very slightly. Press a few reserved chocolate chips into the tops.
Bake
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and set, but the centers still look soft.
Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 to 10 minutes. They will continue to firm up as they cool. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Storage & Make Ahead
- Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Freeze baked cookies in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw them at room temperature or briefly microwave them before serving.
- To freeze unbaked cookies, portion the dough into balls and freeze them on a parchment-lined tray until firm. Transfer the frozen dough to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake directly from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes to the baking time.
- Make-Ahead – The dough can be refrigerated for up to 48 hours before baking.
Chocolate Chip Tahini Cookies
These chocolate chip tahini cookies have lightly crisp edges, soft chewy centers, and a rich sesame flavor. Tahini adds moisture and a subtle savory note that balances the sweetness of the melted chocolate chips.
Ingredients
- 170 g (¾ cup) Unsalted butter softened
- 150 g (¾ cup) Light brown sugar packed
- 70 g (⅓ cup) Granulated sugar
- 170 g (⅔ cup) Smooth tahini well stirred
- 1 large Egg room temperature
- 2 tsp Vanilla extract
- 300 g (2½ cups) All-purpose flour
- 1 tsp Baking soda
- ½ tsp Baking powder
- ½ tsp Fine salt
- ¼ tsp Ground cardamom
- Pinch Ground nutmeg
- ½ cup Semisweet chocolate chips plus a few for the tops
Method
- Wet ingredients – In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar for about 2 minutes until smooth and slightly lighter in color. Add the egg and vanilla extract. Followed by the tahini paste. Mix until smooth, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.170 g Unsalted butter, 150 g Light brown sugar, 70 g Granulated sugar, 170 g Smooth tahini, 1 large Egg, 2 tsp Vanilla extract
- Dry ingredients – In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cardamom, and nutmeg. Add the dry ingredients and combine well. Lastly, add the chocolate chips.300 g All-purpose flour, 1 tsp Baking soda, ½ tsp Baking powder, ½ tsp Fine salt, ¼ tsp Ground cardamom, Pinch Ground nutmeg, ½ cup Semisweet chocolate chips
- Chill – Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours or up to 48 hours.
- Oven and Pan – Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Shape – Portion the dough into 25 to 30-gram balls and arrange them approximately 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Flatten each dough ball very slightly and press a few reserved chocolate chips onto the top.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and set while the centers still look soft.
- Cool – Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 to 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Use smooth, pourable tahini and stir it well before measuring.
- Do not use melted butter. The butter should feel soft but still hold its shape.
- Chilling the dough is important because both butter and tahini contribute fat and can cause excessive spreading.
- Weigh the flour rather than measuring it by volume for the most reliable texture.
- Do not overbake. The cookies should look slightly soft in the center when removed from the oven.
- For a stronger chocolate flavor, increase the chocolate chips to 75 or 100 g. The cookies will contain more chocolate but the base dough does not need to change.
- A sprinkle of flaky sea salt can be added immediately after baking.
Equipment you will need
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?
Mention @veenaazmanov_kitchen or tag #veenaazmanovkitchen!Tips for Success
- Stir the tahini thoroughly before measuring so the sesame oil is evenly distributed.
- Use softened butter, not melted or greasy butter.
- Cream the butter and sugar only until smooth; excessive whipping can affect the texture.
- Weigh the flour because even a small excess can make these cookies dry and bulky.
- Chill the dough for at least 2 hours so the cookies spread evenly rather than becoming thin.
- Remove the cookies while the centers still appear slightly underbaked. They will finish setting on the hot baking tray.
- Reserve a few chocolate chips for the tops so the chocolate remains visible after baking.
more chocolate chip cookies
- Chocolate Chip Pistachio Cookies
- No Chill Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Soft Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Thick Bakery Levain Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Thin Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Frequently Asked Questions
Tahini adds moisture, richness, and a deep toasted sesame flavor. Its slight bitterness also balances the sugar and chocolate, giving the cookies a more complex flavor than traditional chocolate chip cookies.
They have a noticeable sesame flavor, but it does not overpower the chocolate. The cookies taste rich and slightly nutty, with a subtle savory note from the tahini.
Use smooth, creamy tahini made from hulled sesame seeds. It should be pourable rather than thick and pasty. Always stir the jar thoroughly before measuring.
Yes. Semisweet or dark chocolate chunks work very well and create larger pockets of melted chocolate. Chopped chocolate can also produce attractive chocolate streaks throughout the cookies.
The butter may have been too warm, the tahini may have contained too much separated oil, or the dough may not have chilled long enough. Weighing the flour and baking the dough while cold will help control the spread.
Yes. Refrigerate the covered dough for up to 48 hours. You can also portion the dough first and refrigerate the individual cookie balls so they are ready to bake.
Yes. Freeze the shaped dough balls on a tray, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Bake them directly from frozen, adding approximately 1 to 2 minutes to the baking time.
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
Yes. Sprinkle a few sesame seeds over the dough before baking for additional crunch. For a classic sesame-covered version without chocolate, try my Tahini Cookies recipe.
more recipes with tahini
- Easy Tahini Cookie
- Healthy Hummus without Tahini
- Homemade Tahini Sauce
- Kofta Wraps with Yogurt Tahini Sauce
- Roasted Eggplant with Beef Kababs and Tahini Yogurt Sauce
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Hi, I’m Veena
I’m the recipe developer, baker, and food photographer behind Veena Azmanov Kitchen.
I’ve spent years developing and testing recipes, from everyday meals and homemade breads to cakes and desserts.
I share the practical tips and little details I’ve learned along the way so you can get great results in your own kitchen.
I was skeptical about tahini in cookies but I’ve made several of your recipes before so I figured I’d trust you on this one. Glad I did. You can taste that little nutty/sesame flavor but it doesn’t overpower the chocolate at all. Really good.
Thank you for trusting me on this one! Tahini and chocolate are such a good combination, but you’re right — the tahini shouldn’t take over. It just gives the cookies that extra depth of flavor. So glad you tried them!