Nutty Tahini Cookies
These Nutty Tahini Cookies are a must-try! Made with simple ingredients like butter, sugar, and tahini paste, they deliver a rich, nutty flavor with a perfectly soft center and crispy edges. Quick to make and full of unique taste, they’re perfect for any occasion. Pin this easy recipe and bake a batch today!
Tahini is a creamy, rich paste made from ground sesame seeds, commonly used in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine. Its smooth texture and earthy, nutty flavor make it a versatile ingredient, perfect for both savory dishes and sweet treats. Tahini is packed with nutrients, including healthy fats, protein, and a range of vitamins and minerals, making it a wholesome addition to any recipe. I love making tahini sauce for my salad and of course, we have hummus every week.
Tahini brings a unique depth of flavor to cookies that’s unlike any other ingredient. Its nutty richness complements the sweetness of the cookie dough, creating a balanced, sophisticated taste. The natural oils in tahini also contribute to a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Using tahini in cookies adds a delightful twist to the traditional cookie, offering a blend of savory and sweet that’s simply irresistible. Whether you’re looking to explore new flavors or add a nutritious element to your baking, tahini is the perfect choice. Similar to my halva cookies or halva cake, these are so delicious.
Why make these cookies
- Balanced Flavor Profile: The combination of tahini paste and vanilla extract creates a unique, nutty, and warm flavor that’s both rich and satisfying. The butter adds a touch of creaminess, making these cookies irresistible.
- Perfect Texture: This recipe ensures that the cookies are soft in the center with slightly crispy edges, giving you a delightful contrast in every bite.
- Simple Ingredients: The recipe uses common pantry staples like flour, sugar, and baking powder, making it easy to whip up a batch without needing any special ingredients. Tahini is the star, but everything else is straightforward.
- Quick and Easy: With minimal preparation and a short baking time, these cookies come together quickly, making them perfect for when you need a sweet treat in a hurry. Plus, the dough doesn’t require chilling, so you can bake them right away!
Ingredients and substitutes
- Unsalted Butter: Provides richness and a tender texture to the cookies. You can use an equal amount of margarine or plant-based butter for a dairy-free version.
- Granulated Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps with the cookie’s texture. You can use coconut sugar or light brown sugar for a slightly different flavor profile.
- All-Purpose Flour: Forms the base of the cookie dough and provides structure. For a gluten-free option, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
- Baking Powder: Helps the cookies rise slightly and become light and tender. If you don’t have baking powder, you can use a combination of 1/4 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar.
- Salt: Enhances the flavors and balances the sweetness. You can use sea salt or kosher salt in the same amount.
- Tahini Paste: Adds a nutty, sesame flavor that’s unique to these cookies. Sunflower seed butter or almond butter can be used for a different but still delicious flavor.
- Vanilla Extract: Provides warmth and enhances the overall flavor of the cookies. You can use vanilla extract, bean paste, and vanilla sugar. Almond extract or maple extract can be used for a different twist in flavor.
Step by step: Tahini Cookies Recipe
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Cream the Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. This should take about 2-3 minutes with an electric mixer. Add the tahini paste and vanilla extract to the creamed butter mixture. Mix until well combined and smooth.
- Combine Dry Ingredients:In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until a dough forms.
- Shape the Cookies: Scoop out about 1 tablespoon of dough and roll it into a ball. Place the dough balls onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Gently flatten each ball with the palm of your hand or the back of a spoon or pattern it with a fork.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are lightly golden. The centers will still be soft but will firm up as they cool.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
Tips for Success
- Use Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensure the butter and tahini paste are at room temperature before starting. This allows them to cream together smoothly, leading to a better texture in the final cookies.
- Measure Flour Correctly: Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife. Too much flour can make the cookies dense and dry, while too little can make them spread too much.
- Do Not Overmix: Once you add the dry ingredients, mix just until combined. Overmixing can develop the gluten in the flour, leading to tougher cookies.
- Customize the Sweetness: Taste your tahini before using it. Some tahini brands are more bitter than others. If your tahini is particularly bitter, consider increasing the sugar slightly to balance the flavor.
- Chill the Dough (Optional): If your dough is too soft to handle, or if you want thicker cookies, you can chill the dough for 15-20 minutes before baking. This helps the cookies hold their shape better in the oven.
- Watch the Baking Time: Keep an eye on the cookies in the last few minutes of baking. They should be lightly golden around the edges but still soft in the center when you take them out of the oven. They’ll firm up as they cool.
- Experiment with Add-Ins: For an extra touch, consider adding chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or a sprinkle of sesame seeds on top of the cookies before baking. This adds both flavor and texture.
- Pistachio Cookies or Chocolate Pistachio Cookies
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- Condensed Milk Cookies or Sweetened Condensed Milk Cookies
- See all cookie recipes
Frequently asked questions
Store your tahini cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months.
Tahini is a thick paste made of sesame seeds. Sesame seeds are soaked in water overnight, then crushed, so the bran and kernel are separated. The paste made from the kernels is then sold in supermarkets for us to use. You can use it to make tahini sauce as well as to make halva. You will often find it served alongside hummus, falafel, and kebabs.
Yes, you can use homemade tahini. Just ensure it’s smooth and well-blended for the best results in your cookies.
Absolutely! You can substitute the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. The cookies should turn out just as delicious.
Yes! Adding chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or even sesame seeds can enhance the flavor and texture of the cookies. Feel free to get creative with your mix-ins.
Yes, you can make the dough ahead and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. When ready to bake, allow the dough to come to room temperature for a few minutes before shaping and baking.
If your cookies are spreading too much, it could be due to the butter or tahini being too warm. Try chilling the dough for 15-20 minutes before baking to help the cookies hold their shape.
Tahini is made from sesame seeds, not nuts, so it is typically safe for people with nut allergies. However, always check with the individual, as sesame allergies can also occur.
Tahini Cookies
These tahini cookies are buttery, sweet, and loaded with the taste of sesame seeds. A simple and easy cookie recipe that takes just 10 minutes to prep and 10 minutes to bake with no chilling required.
Video
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113 g) Unsalted butter room temperature
- ½ cup (100 g) Sugar
- ⅓ cup (80 g) Tahini paste raw
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1¼ cup (160 g) All-purpose flour
- ½ tsp Baking powder
- ¼ tsp Cinnamon powder
- ¼ tsp Salt
Method
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Cream the Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. This should take about 2-3 minutes with an electric mixer. Add the tahini paste and vanilla extract to the creamed butter mixture. Mix until well combined and smooth.½ cup Unsalted butter , ½ cup Sugar, ⅓ cup Tahini paste, 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- Combine Dry Ingredients:In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon,and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until a dough forms.1¼ cup All-purpose flour, ½ tsp Baking powder, ¼ tsp Cinnamon powder, ¼ tsp Salt
- Shape the Cookies: Scoop out about 1 tablespoon of dough and roll it into a ball. Place the dough balls onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Gently flatten each ball with the palm of your hand or the back of a spoon or pattern it with a fork.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are lightly golden. The centers will still be soft but will firm up as they cool.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensure the butter and tahini paste are at room temperature before starting. This allows them to cream together smoothly, leading to a better texture in the final cookies.
- Measure Flour Correctly: Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife. Too much flour can make the cookies dense and dry, while too little can make them spread too much.
- Do Not Overmix: Once you add the dry ingredients, mix just until combined. Overmixing can develop the gluten in the flour, leading to tougher cookies.
- Customize the Sweetness: Taste your tahini before using it. Some tahini brands are more bitter than others. If your tahini is particularly bitter, consider increasing the sugar slightly to balance the flavor.
- Chill the Dough (Optional): If your dough is too soft to handle, or if you want thicker cookies, you can chill the dough for 15-20 minutes before baking. This helps the cookies hold their shape better in the oven.
- Watch the Baking Time: Keep an eye on the cookies in the last few minutes of baking. They should be lightly golden around the edges but still soft in the center when you take them out of the oven. They’ll firm up as they cool.
- Experiment with Add-Ins: For an extra touch, consider adding chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or a sprinkle of sesame seeds on top of the cookies before baking. This adds both flavor and texture.
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?
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Made this. It was really delicious. Thank u!
Happy you enjoyed these Anitha. Thank you for the lovely feedback.
Thank you for this beautiful recipe, can’t wait to try it! It reminds me of the Mediterranean, which is always welcome 🙂
Whipped up a batch of these for an afternoon treat, and they were delicious! Exactly what I needed to cure my sweet tooth; easily, a new favorite treat!
Happy you enjoyed these cookies, Sara. Thank you for the lovely feedback.
Big fan of tahini but never had it sweet like this. I can’t wait to try these.
I love tahini but don’t think I’ve ever had it in sweet desserts! Cannot wait to try this flavor combination. Thanks for the great tips!
I had not thought of using tahini in cookies before, but they were delicious. Really enjoyed them. Thanks for the recipe!
Can I use Chocolate Sweet Tahini? I have a jar in the pantry.
Yes, I think that should work too!