Perfect Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies No Butter

This batch makes 24 cookies, and they freeze well. I’m a big fan of tahini–the creamy, rich vegan paste made by finely grinding roasted sesame seeds until buttery smooth. Aside from making buckets of smooth hummus and lemony tahini sauce (which goes with almost anything), I’ve been known to swirl a good bit of tahini in my brownies and even mix it in banana shake for a little protein. And yes, I’ve already made a form tahini cookies. So yes, I’m on a roll with tahini baking recipes and desserts. And I think these tahini chocolate chip cookies may be top of the list right now!

Chocolate chip cookies with tahini

If you love chocolate chip cookies, then you’ll appreciate that this recipe does not deviate a ton from the classic except in a couple of tasty (and a bit healthier) ways:

Creamy tahini paste replaces the butter. Tahini still has a high fat content (the better-for-you kind), so you won’t miss the butter! Tahini here adds a satisfying richness and a gentle nutty and savory taste that pairs so well with chocolate (not to mention infusing your cookie with a bit of protein and some minerals). Reduced sugar. I’ve found a combination of 2/3 cup dark brown sugar + 1/2 cup of granulated sugar is just the right amount of sweet. The majority of cookie recipes will use a good bit more, but you really don’t need it!

Can I use tahini in place of butter?

Yes! When baking, think of using tahini similar to how you use a nut butter like peanut butter or almond butter (except tahini is milder in flavor, which makes it more versatile). Depending on the recipe, you may add a bit of tahini to support some softened butter, or you may replace the butter all together like in today’s recipe! In this tahini cookies recipe, a 1:1 tahini to butter substitution works out perfectly. Even traditionalist and avid bakers who may have once thought butter is non-negotiable will attest to the taste and rich texture of these tahini chocolate chip cookies!

How long will it take to bake tahini cookies?

At 375 degrees F, tahini chocolate chip cookies will take anywhere from 8 to 11 minutes. Like most cookies, every minute in the oven counts. If you’re like me and enjoy your cookies on the softer and chewy side, pull them out at 8 minutes. They’ll be very tender at that point. Just set them aside and let them cool on the cookie sheet some before transferring them to a wire rack to fully cool. If you like crispier cookies, then let them bake in the oven the full 11 minutes.

How to make tahini chocolate chip cookies?

If you’ve made cookies before, this recipe follows the same usual steps. Here is how it goes:

Mix the wet ingredients + sugarFirst, stir the tahini, sugar and brown sugar togetherAdd in the eggs, cold water (about 3 tablespoons) and the vanilla extract. The mixture should look fudgy at this pointAdd the dry ingredientsStir in the salt, baking soda, and ground cinnamon. Add 2 cups all-purpose flour and mix until combined, then add the chocolate chips and stir wellForm the dough into portions and arrange them on two sheet pans lined with parchment paperScoop heaping 1 tablespoons of the dough and arrange them 2 inches apart on the prepared sheet pans. Wet the back of a spoon and use it to lightly flatten the tops of the cookie dough portions (you’re looking for the dough to be about ½ inch in thickness give or take)Bake at 375 degrees F If you like your cookies on the softer, more chewy side, take them out at the 8 to 9 minute mark. If you like them more crunchy, you can let them bake for up to 11 minutes. Let cool Give the cookies a few minutes to cool on the sheet pans before transferring to wire racks to fully cool.