Why You’ll Love This Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies

• A flavor adventure. The tahini adds a sophisticated, savory-nutty note that makes the chocolate taste even richer and more complex. It’s a beautiful, unexpected twist on a classic.
• An incredible texture. These cookies strike the perfect balance—they’re chewy and soft in the middle with just the right amount of crispness around the edges. They have a melt-in-your-mouth quality that’s honestly hard to resist.
• Surprisingly simple to make. You don’t need any fancy equipment or hard-to-find ingredients. It’s a straightforward, one-bowl kind of situation that comes together in no time.
• They feel a bit more grown-up. While they’re still an utterly delicious cookie, the tahini gives them a nuanced flavor profile that feels a little more elegant and special than your standard chocolate chip cookie.

Ingredients & Tools

• 115 g unsalted butter, softened
• 150 g light brown sugar
• 100 g granulated sugar
• 120 g well-stirred runny tahini
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 180 g all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 170 g dark chocolate chips or chunks
• Flaky sea salt for sprinkling (optional, but highly recommended)

Tools: A large mixing bowl, a whisk or hand mixer, a spatula, a baking sheet, and parchment paper.

The quality of your tahini really matters here—you want a runny, smooth one that’s well-stirred, not the thick, pasty kind you might find at the bottom of the jar. And don’t skip the flaky salt at the end; it creates little bursts of flavor that cut through the sweetness perfectly.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 220 kcal
• Protein: 3 g
• Fat: 12 g
• Carbohydrates: 26 g
• Fiber: 1 g

Serves: 18 | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 10-12 minutes | Total Time: 27 minutes

Before You Start: Tips & Ingredient Notes

• Your tahini is key. Give the jar a really good stir before you measure it out. You want a pourable, drippy consistency. If it’s separated and thick at the bottom, it can make your dough greasy and throw off the texture.
• Room temperature ingredients are non-negotiable. Using a cold egg or hard butter will prevent your ingredients from emulsifying properly, which can lead to a cookie that spreads too much or bakes up unevenly. Plan ahead just a little!
• Don’t overmix the flour. Once you add the dry ingredients, mix just until the flour disappears. Overmixing develops gluten, which can make your cookies tough instead of tender and chewy.
• Chilling the dough makes a difference. I know, the wait is hard! But a quick 30-minute chill helps the flavors meld and prevents the cookies from spreading into thin, flat puddles in the oven. It’s worth it, I promise.

How to Make Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies

Serving Suggestions

Complementary Dishes

• A bowl of vanilla bean ice cream — Sandwich a scoop between two warm cookies for the ultimate ice cream sandwich. The cold, creamy ice cream against the warm, nutty cookie is a textural dream.
• A simple fruit platter with oranges and figs — The bright, acidic fruit provides a lovely, refreshing contrast to the rich, sweet cookies, making the whole spread feel balanced and elegant.

Drinks

• A glass of cold whole milk — It’s a classic for a reason. The creamy milk is the perfect partner to wash down each delicious, chocolatey bite.
• A cup of strong black coffee — The bitterness of the coffee complements the deep, nutty notes of the tahini and the intensity of the dark chocolate beautifully.

Something Sweet

• Dried apricots and almonds — A little plate of these on the side offers a different kind of chew and nuttiness that somehow makes the cookie experience even more satisfying.

Top Mistakes to Avoid

• Mistake: Using cold ingredients. This is probably the number one reason cookies don’t turn out right. Cold butter and eggs won’t emulsify properly with the sugar, leading to a greasy, flat cookie that spreads too much.
• Mistake: Overmixing the dough after adding the flour. I’ve messed this up before too… it’s tempting to keep going until it’s perfectly smooth. But this develops gluten and will give you a tough, cake-like cookie instead of a soft, chewy one.
• Mistake: Skipping the chill time. I know, the wait is agony when you want cookies now. But if you bake the dough right away, the butter melts too quickly, causing the cookies to spread into thin, crispy discs instead of lovely, thick puddles.
• Mistake: Overbaking. The cookies will not look fully done when you take them out of the oven. They continue to cook on the hot tray. If you wait until they look done in the center, you’ll end up with a dry, crunchy cookie.

Expert Tips

• Tip: Weigh your flour. If you scoop flour directly from the bag with your measuring cup, you can easily pack in too much, leading to dry, dense cookies. For the most accurate results, use a kitchen scale. If you don’t have one, fluff your flour with a spoon before gently spooning it into the cup and leveling it off.
• Tip: Make the dough ahead. You can portion the dough balls and freeze them on a baking sheet before transferring to a zip-top bag. Then, you can bake frozen cookies anytime, just adding 1-2 minutes to the baking time. Fresh, warm cookies on demand!
• Tip: Use a cookie scoop. Not only does it make the process faster and less messy, but it ensures all your cookies are the same size, which means they will bake evenly and all be ready at the same time.
• Tip: Underbake slightly for ultimate chewiness. For that perfect soft and chewy center, take the cookies out when the edges are set and golden but the centers still look a bit puffy and matte. They will set up perfectly as they cool.

FAQs

Can I use a different nut or seed butter instead of tahini?
You can, but the flavor and texture will be different. Almond butter or peanut butter would work, but they have a stronger, more distinct nutty flavor that will dominate. Tahini has a more subtle, toasty sesame flavor that complements the chocolate without overpowering it. The consistency might also vary, so your cookies could spread more or less.

My dough is really soft and sticky. Is that normal?
Yes, it can be quite a soft dough, especially if your kitchen is warm. This is exactly why the chilling step is so helpful—it firms up the butter and makes the dough much easier to handle. If it’s too sticky to portion, just pop the whole bowl in the fridge for 15-20 minutes before scooping.

Why did my cookies come out cakey and puffy?
This usually happens if you used too much flour or overmixed the dough after adding the flour. Remember to measure your flour correctly (using a scale is best!) and mix just until the flour streaks disappear. Overmixing develops gluten, which gives baked goods a more bread-like, cakey structure.

Can I make these cookies without an electric mixer?
Absolutely! A sturdy whisk and some good old-fashioned elbow grease will work just fine. It might take a bit more effort and time to get the butter and sugars light and fluffy, but it’s completely doable. Just make sure your butter is properly softened to make the job easier.

How should I store these cookies, and how long do they keep?
Once completely cool, store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll be at their best for about 3-4 days. The tahini helps keep them moist, so they stay chewy for a good while. You can also freeze the baked cookies for up to 3 months, just thaw at room temperature when you’re ready for one.