Tahini Cookies
on Nov 02, 2017, Updated Jun 16, 2021
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If you’re looking for a grown-up twist on peanut butter cookies, try these tahini cookies. They have a similar crumbly bite to shortbreads.
In the world of ingredients, when I think of tahini, hummus is the first thing that registers in my brain.
Confession—I usually get premade hummus at the grocery and don’t even bother making it from scratch.
When inspiration strikes, and I do feel like making my own, I end up buying what seems like a giant jar of tahini since I don’t use it that much other than a drizzle here and there. And in salad dressing!
That was until I baked these tahini cookies for the first time.
I think it’s safe to say that baking with tahini has become a thing. A trend, maybe? But I am fully embracing this one.
These cookies have the wonderfully crumbly bite of shortbread cookie.
I think of them as a more grown-up, sophisticated version of a peanut butter cookie minus the classic crosshatch pattern on top.
Before they make it on the sheet pans, I rolled each ball of dough in a mix of black and white sesame seeds.
I love the contrast and speckled pattern in my favorite color combination.
How To Make Tahini Cookies
First, I preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line two sheet pans with parchment paper.
Then I combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
Next I cream the room temperature butter, sugar and honey in a large bowl. You want to give them enough time to turn pale and fluffy. So often people don’t give this important step enough time.
After that, I beat in the tahini and mix in the dry ingredients in 2 additions.
I shape the dough into balls and roll them in the black and white sesame seeds. They should be spaced on the sheet pans about 2 inches apart and pressed down slightly. The cookies do spread a little as they bake.
They bake for 13-15 minutes. I like to rotate the sheet pans halfway through their bake time.
When the cookies are hot out of the oven, they will be very delicate. As they cool they will firm up and turn out to have a crumbly consistency.
You will really be able to taste the honey in these cookies.
Tahini Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 3/4 cup tahini
- 1/4 cup white sesame seeds
- 1/4 cup black sesame seeds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the butter, sugar and honey until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in the tahini until fully combined. Beat in the dry ingredients in 2 additions. The dough will be a bit sticky.
- In a small bowl, combine the white and black sesame seeds. Scoop the dough by heaping tablespoon-full (about 1 ounce) and roll in the sesame seeds. Place on the prepared sheet pans about 2 inches apart. Press down the balls slightly with the palm of your hand.
- Bake the cookies until light golden brown, about 13-15 minutes, rotating sheet pans about halfway through cooking. Let the cookies cool on the pans. They will firm up as they cool.
- Store in an airtight container.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
