Crunchy and sweet, these homemade Tahini Cookies are so easy to make. Filled with tahini, honey and rolled in sesame seeds, they boast a crispy, crunchy texture and a unique flavour. They’re also egg-free!
Calling all tahini lovers! 💕
Are you looking for a buttery cookie that boasts crispy edges and a chewy centre, bursting with sweet honey and tahini flavour? I’ve got you!
These quick and easy Tahini Cookies are sure to be on regular rotation in your home.
When I was thinking about this recipe, I knew what kind of cookie I wanted to create. These aren’t soft and chewy like a Classic Chocolate Chip Cookie, nor are they chunky and thick, like a Chocolate Fudge Cookie.
They’re more thin and crunchy, like what we call a biscuit in Australia. The perfect accompaniment to a cup of tea or coffee. They firm up as they cool, so if you underbake them slightly, you’ll still get a softer centre, but the edges boast crunch.
My Tahini Cookies are rolled in a mix of brown sugar and sesame seeds for a little extra sweetness. Honestly, they’re my new favourite thing.
What is tahini?
When I shared the making of these cookies on Instagram, I had some people asking, what is tahini?
Tahini is a condiment made entirely from toasted sesame seeds. It’s often used in Middle Eastern cooking but it can add a depth of flavour to a wide range of cooking and baking recipes.
It gives these cookies a wonderful flavour and texture. Paired with honey, it’s a little sweet, a little nutty and oh-so-delish.
How to make Tahini Cookies
- These egg-free Tahini Cookies are quick and easy to make. You don’t need to chill the dough so they are ready to eat in under an hour. You will need an electric mixer for this recipe.
- Start with room temperature butter. Make sure your butter is soft to the touch (not fridge cold) but also not melty.
- We use a mix of both brown sugar and caster sugar in this recipe. The brown sugar adds colour and flavour, while caster sugar adds sweetness and texture. If you don’t have caster sugar, you can use granulated sugar instead.
- Using an electric mixer or hand beater, combine your butter and sugars until pale and creamy – it should take just 1-2 minutes.
- Then add your tahini and honey. This will bump up the flavour of your cookies 1000%. Mix together
- Finally, add your plain flour and baking powder. A nice, soft cookie dough should form.
- On a small plate, add your extra brown sugar and sesame seeds and give it a little mix.
- Scoop out your cookie dough (I use roughly 1.5 tablespoons of cookie dough per cookie), and roll them smooth using your hands. Then roll the cookie dough in your sugar and sesame seed mix to coat them.
- Use your hands to flatten the balls of cookie dough until they are 1/2 inch or so thick as they won’t spread much naturally in the oven.
- Place cookies on a baking tray that’s lined with baking or parchment paper. Bake cookies for around 12 minutes or until golden. Then leave to cool completely before devouring.
- For a crispier cookie, cook for an extra minute or two, or for a softer cookie, you can undertake them ever so slightly. But keep in mind, these aren’t soft and cakey cookies. Embrace the crunch!
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Let’s Bake
Tahini Cookies
Thick and chewy Tahini Cookies made from scratch.
Ingredients
- 115 grams (1/2 cup or 1 stick) butter, room temperature
- 90 grams (1/2 cup) brown sugar
- 100 grams (1/2 cup) caster sugar or granulated sugar
- 80 grams (1/3 cup) tahini*
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 210 grams (1 and 1/2 cups) plain flour or all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 35 grams (1/4 cup) sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F) standard / 160 C (320 F) fan-forced. Line two oven trays or cookie sheets with baking or parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, add butter and sugars. Beat together using an electric mixer until combined and creamy – roughly 1-2 minutes.
- Add tahini and honey and mix briefly just to combine. Finally, add flour and baking powder. Mix briefly until a soft cookie dough forms.
- Use a cookie scoop or a spoon to scoop out balls of cookie dough (roughly 1.5 tablespoons of dough each) and roll them smooth using the palms of your hands.
- On a small plate, combine the sesame seeds and brown sugar. Roll each ball of cookie dough in the sesame seed sugar until generously coated. Then flatten each cookie (they should be roughly 1/2 inch thick) as these cookies won’t spread much in the oven.
- Place cookies on prepared oven trays. Bake cookies for approximately 12-14 minutes or until they have turned slightly golden and puffed up slightly.
- Take them out of the oven and leave them on the oven trays to cool completely. They will deflate slightly as they cool and firm up.
Notes
*Tahini: I tested this recipe using Achva Tahini (100% sesame seeds).
J.R. says
I made these with sunflower seed butter when I was out of tahini and they came out great too!
Jessica Holmes says
Oh that’s great to hear! I’ll have to try that too.
Christina says
Thank you for this recipe, I made this with the tahini I already had at home which was chocolate flavoured and they came out perfect !!! Again thank you . I’m definitely going to make the cookies again with another flavour tahini
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
Oh wow, that sounds amazing Christina!
Iphigenia says
Made this today with unhulled tahini and some orange zest (I looove the taste of tahini with orange) and they turned out super good! Thanks for this awesome recipe!!
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
Yay! Love hearing that. And the addition of orange sounds amazing!
Brittany T. says
I always keep a fresh batch of tahini and use it in savory dishes. I searched everywhere for the perfect sweet recipe and was sooo happy to find this one. I followed this almost to the T–except I used just a little less of the white sugar. These are very good and just what I needed. I also melted some chocolate to dip a few of them in. Very impressed with the taste. Not too sweet and just the right amount of flavor. THANK YOU for sharing this!
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
Love hearing that! So glad you enjoyed them Brittany!
Lyn says
I had been meaning to make these since you posted the recipe and had even bought the jar of Tahini. Finally today I found the time to make them & yes they are every bit as good as your description. I must admit I wasn’t sure if I would like them as the tahini so reminded me of peanut butter which I can’t abide, but they certainly did not disappoint and I have already eaten one warm off the tray and trying to allow the others the honour of at least cooling down.
Thank you Jessica for a beautiful recipe.
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
So so happy to hear that Lyn! Thank you for your lovely feedback.
Neha Anand says
Oh god.. this cookie is so growing on me..jus loving it more after every bite..
★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
So glad you like them Neha!
Josh says
These were delicious!
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
So glad you enjoyed them Josh’
Jan says
What can I use instead of honey, looking forward to making these.
Jan
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Jan, I haven’t tested this recipe without honey. A thick syrup like agave or treacle might work but the honey does pair beautifully with the tahini.