Vegan Tahini Cookies with Chocolate Chunks

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Vegan Tahini Cookies with Chocolate Chunks have a warm, nutty flavor and pools of melted chocolate. These cookies are mildly sweet and perfect for someone who loves cookies, as long as they are not too sugary.

Quick Answers About Baking with Tahini

What does tahini do in baking?

Tahini adds fat and moisture, along with a mild nutty flavor. In vegan baking, tahini helps to add a subtle richness, while not being as strong as peanut butter. That is what I love about this recipe, these vegan tahini cookies, have a subtle nutty flavor.

Can I use tahini straight from the jar?

Absolutely, as long as it’s pourable! To find out, give the tahini a good stir to reincorporate the oil into the tahini; this is the same thing you do with natural peanut butter. If the tahini pours, you’re good, but if you are scraping up the dry bits at the bottom, you will need to open a fresh jar of tahini.

What kind of tahini is best for cookies?

You will want to look for hulled and roasted tahini. The good news is that almost all tahini sold in large grocery stores is hulled and roasted. 

Key Ingredients

Vegan Butter

You need to use stick vegan butter instead of whipped butter. When baking, melt the butter, but don’t cook it. I just put it in the microwave for about 30 seconds.

Chocolate

You can use chips or chopped-up chocolate bars. I liked the bars for their various sizes and high quality of chocolate. I recommend looking for dark chocolate around 60–70% cacao for balance.

Ground Flax Seed

Ground flaxseed is the egg substitute that binds the cookies together. You need to make sure you have ground flaxseed; the regular seeds can work and are not the same. You can also use ground chia seeds. They are drier than flax seeds, so to make this recipe work, you will need to add an additional tablespoon of water. 

Tahini

When it comes to tahini, not all brands are equal in quality. My advice is to stick with a higher quality for a better flavor! Next, when stored, tahini separates. You will need to give it a solid stir to incorporate the oils into the solids. Next, you only want to use the smooth pourable tahini and never the crumbly bits at the bottom.

Salts

I recommend using two salts. In the dough, you want to use a standard, finely ground sea salt. This will blend into the batter evenly. But on top, you want to finish it with flaky sea salt like Maldon. The flaky sea salt will create pops of flavor that enhance the chocolate and smooth out the tahini.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Credit: This recipe has been modified from Rainbow Plant Life’s Ultimate Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe. I built on Nisha Vora’s extensive testing to create the perfect vegan tahini cookie with chocolate chunks.

Step One: Make the Flax Egg

• Start by whisking together the ground flaxseed and warm water in a small bowl. Let the egg rest, and during this time, it will thicken. This takes about 15 minutes

Step Two: Prepare Dry Ingredients

• Next, whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda in a medium-sized bowl

Step Three: Prepare Wet Ingredients

• In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and tahini until smooth and fully emulsified.
• Then add the flax egg, brown sugar, cane sugar, and vanilla.
• Mix with an electric mixer on medium (or whisk vigorously) for about 30–45 seconds, until glossy and slightly ribboned.

Step Four: Make the Dough

• Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and fold with a silicone spatula until just combined.
• Then add the remaining dry ingredients and the chopped chocolate. Continue to fold gently until no dry spots remain. This dough is very dry, and you will need to use your hands.

If you love cookies, try these next:

• Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Marshmallow Chocolate Chip Cookies (older recipe with dairy)

Tips for the Perfect Tahini Cookie

• Let the dough rest – If you can, you want to let your dough rest for 24 hours. I learned this from Christina Tosii, and I have practiced it many times. It really helps with the spread and the texture. But, I do get that sometimes you want your cookies! In those instances, I recommend letting them rest as long as you can before putting them in the oven. 
• Save large chunks of chocolate to press into the top of the cookie before baking. This gives the cookies a stronger visual appeal. 
• Top with Maldon flaky sea salt. Combined with the chocolate, the flaky salt gives pops of flavor that make this cookie stand out!

How to Store This Recipe

• Room temperature: Once baked and fully cooled, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Keep them out of direct sunlight or heat so the chocolate doesn’t melt.

• Freezer: Roll the cookies into balls and store them in a freezer-safe container or bag. Then, when you’re ready to bake them, bake them frozen and add 1-2 minutes to the time.

Drink Pairings

• Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso
• Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato (Starbucks Copycat Recipe)
• Homemade Rose Lemonade