Chewy Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have been baking cookies (like my matcha cookies) nonstop all summer mostly because it’s been a tough summer and cookies seem to always make things better. Last week, I was looking for a way to use up some leftover tahini, so I decided to throw them in cookies and see how it goes. I didn’t expect to like them as much as I did. The combination of tahini and brown butter take these cookies to the next level. I wasn’t originally going to share this recipe, but it was honestly too good not to. I hope you enjoy this recipe for tahini chocolate chip cookies.

Ingredients, Substitutions & Adjustments

• Flour – This is the main dry ingredient. The balance between this ingredient and butter are what helps create the perfect cookie texture.
• Baking soda – Baking soda helps the cookie spread. Make sure to use baking soda, not baking powder.
• Salt – Brings out the flavor of the other ingredients.
• Butter – I used browned butter for this recipe because it gives the cookie so much more flavor. Brown butter is when you heat butter on the stove until it turns a golden yellow color and brown specs begin to form at the bottom of the pan.
• White sugar – White sugar encourages browning and spread in the cookie.
• Brown sugar– Brown sugar adds moisture and makes the cookie more chewy. I used light brown sugar, but you can use dark brown sugar too. The main difference between the two is the amount of molasses. Dark brown sugar has more molasses which will make the cookie chewier and sweeter.
• Vanilla extract – Adds flavor to the cookie. You can substitute vanilla extract with vanilla paste or 1 vanilla bean.
• Egg – I used room temperature eggs in this cookie recipe because they are easier to incorporate.
• Tahini – Tahini is a nutty spread from the Middle East. It adds moisture and a nutty flavor to the cookie.
• Semisweet chocolate chips – You can use any kind of chocolate chips for this recipe. I used semisweet so my cookies aren’t too sweet.

Making my tahini chocolate chip cookies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. First melt butter over high heat. After the butter has melted, lower the heat to low and heat the butter until it becomes a golden yellow color. Remove from the heat and pour into a heat proof bowl. The butter will continue to brown as it sits. Next combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside. Add the white and brown sugars to your butter. Mix until just combined. Then add the vanilla extract, egg, and tahini. Whisk until you get a light and creamy texture. This is the key to getting a crispy and creamy cookie. Combine your wet ingredients with your dry ingredients. Lastly, mix in your chocolate chips. Cover and set aside to rest for 30 minutes.

Cover 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Use a 1 tablespoon (0.5 oz) ice cream scoop to scoop cookie dough onto the baking sheets. Make sure they are 2-3 inches apart. Bake cookies for 6 minutes until the edges start to brown. Take them out of the oven and let them cool for 10 minutes. Then transfer them to a cooling rack and cool for another 10 minutes before serving.

Tips on how to make the perfect tahini chocolate chip cookies

1. Make sure the brown butter is not too hot – Cool down the butter before combining with the rest of your wet ingredients, so the heat from the butter doesn’t cook the eggs.
2. Why use brown butter – Brown butter creates a cookie with a crispy outside and a chewy center. It also adds an extra nutty flavor to the cookie.
3. Which pan should you use to brown butter? – Make sure to brown your butter in a light coloured pan so you can see the color of the butter as it browns. This helps to prevent you from burning the butter.
4. How to get the perfect texture – Whisk your wet ingredients until you get a light and creamy mixture. This is the key to getting a crispy and chewy cookie. If you want a chunkier cookie, mix the dough less; mix only until just combined.
5. Rest the dough at room temperature for 30 minutes – Resting the dough allows the liquid in the dough to distribute throughout and ensures the cookie bakes more evenly. You can also rest in the fridge for the same amount of time.
6. Use an ice cream scoop to scoop the dough – The key to getting consistent round cookies is an ice cream scoop. It is the cleanest, most efficient way to form the cookies. For this recipe, I used a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop.
7. Use an oven thermometer – One of the keys to getting perfect cookies is the correct temperature. My cookies used to burn because my internal oven temperature is 50 degrees higher than what it says on the oven dial. That’s why getting an oven thermometer was a life changer. It’s a $7 well worth it.
8. Storing cookie dough –  Freeze cookie dough for safe storage and pull out in case of cookie emergencies. You don’t need to thaw them out before baking. Simply put them on a baking sheet and throw them in the oven.

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