Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies
I know summer is the season of fruit, but every so often I need chocolate. I don’t care how hot it is. There are just times when nothing but a piece of dark chocolate or a bowl of chocolate ice cream will satisfy me. And when that craving hits, I open my cupboard, grab a bag of chocolate chips and make something delicious.
I usually go back and forth between brownies or cookies. You know, something that’s rich and chewy. Something that’s great with a large cup of milk, or a bowl of vanilla ice cream. Something you can pick up with your hands and munch as you’re running out the door. While plain chocolate chip cookies or brownies are great, I prefer to fill mine with walnuts. Having that extra crunch gives them a better texture and of course a more interesting flavor. There’s just one problem: Hubs is allergic to nuts. So, unless I’m going to prohibit him from eating my cookies, I must forgo the nuts. No nuts can make for some pretty boring cookies. Sure, there’s still chocolate, but that’s it! Don’t get me wrong, I’ll take a plain chocolate chip cookie or brownie over no cookie any time! It’s just if I could make them the way I love them, there would be nuts and I would be so much happier.
That allergy is why you rarely see nut anything on this blog. As a matter of fact the only time my recipes have nuts is when I know Hubs won’t be eating them; so when they’re for parties, potlucks or the PTA. But thanks to Half Baked Harvest, I discovered a great alternative that I already had in my fridge: tahini. Tahini is a paste made from sesame seeds. Since Hubs isn’t allergic to sesame, I use sesame seeds and tahini all the time!
Now you’re probably wondering why in the world I have tahini in my fridge. Because I also make hummus all the time and it’s a necessary ingredient if you a want nice, smooth hummus. But it’s not just textural. It’s also about flavor. See, tahini has a nutty flavor thanks to the sesame seeds. It’s wonderful and can be used in so many things. I’ve used it in salad dressings, sauces, and I even used it to make some pad thai recently. The flavor is subtle but adds the perfect nutty hint. It should absolutely be a staple in your pantry. While the tahini is great in sauces, it’s also really good in desserts, especially when nuts aren’t an option. It’s true, I didn’t get the crunch you get with actual nuts, but I still got that nutty flavor throughout the whole cookie. It was a wonderful addition to what would be an otherwise boring sweet treat. But the best news is that Hubs could enjoy the cookies, too. And now that I’m armed with this discovery, I think tahini will be added to many other desserts in the future. I bet brownies would be great, or instead of peanut butter cookies, maybe I’ll just make tahini cookies. Ooh, now there’s an idea!
Notes
Adapted from Half Baked Harvest
Ingredients
- 1-1/3 cups flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup tahini
- 1 egg
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat and set aside.
- Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt and set aside.
- Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add the tahini and then the egg and beat until combined.
- Gradually add the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Scoop the cookie dough into balls, and place them on the prepared sheet. Bake for 11 minutes, or until the edges are golden. Let cool for 15 minutes. Serve.
