• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About
  • Contact
Try my baking mixes!

The Toasted Pine Nut

fun. flavorful. feel-good recipes.

  • Shop My New Baking Mixes!
  • Recipes
    • Dessert
      • Cookies
      • Bars & Brownies
      • Breads & Muffins
      • Cakes & Cupcakes
      • Pies & Crumbles
      • Candy
      • No Bake
    • Meal
      • Breakfast
      • Main Dishes
      • Appetizers
      • Sides
      • Snacks
      • Drinks
      • Salads
      • Sauces & Dips
      • Dessert
    • Diet
      • Gluten Free
      • Dairy Free
      • Vegan
      • Vegetarian
      • Egg Free
      • Kid Friendly
      • Low Carb
      • Nut Free
    • Meat
      • Fish & Seafood
      • Chicken & Poultry
      • Beef & Pork
      • Meatless
    • Method
      • Air Fryer
      • Slow Cooker
      • Instant Pot
      • Oven
      • Grill
      • Stovetop
    • Season
      • Spring
      • Summer
      • Fall
      • Winter
    • Recipe Filter
  • Shop
    • My Baking Mixes
    • Kitchen Essentials
    • Pantry Items
    • Kid Favorites
    • Photography
  • Cookbook
  • Videos
Home Recipes Desserts Cookies
★★★★★ 4.7 from 14 Reviews

Tahini Cookies

25 mins
GF Gluten-Free DF Dairy-Free
Avatar by: Lindsay Grimes Freedman
December 4, 2017 (Updated: August 20, 2021)
Jump to Recipe
Leave a Comment

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Tahini Cookies
Tahini Cookies are such a fun cookie recipe! They are soft, chewy and insanely delicious!! They’ll quickly be your new favorite cookie!

A week or two ago someone messaged me on Instagram and asked me if I had any tahini cookies on my site. Interesting, I thought. This item never even crossed my mind let alone my tastebuds.

So, I set out to make tahini cookies. I didn’t really know where I was going with it, I just needed them to be chewy and almost like a sugar cookie but with a sesame/tahini spin to it.

I kid you not, setting traditional chocolate chip cookies aside, these are my favorite cookies ever. Chocolate chip cookies will always be my number one. BUT. Aside from the whole chocolate chip cookie thing, the best cookie ever ever ever? Tahini cookies. Who knew?!

Tahini Cookies

These are soft and chewy and have such a delicious sesame flavor. It might sound weird, or intriguing, or you may know exactly what tahini cookies are (I didn’t). I promise you though, these cookies are a pleasant surprise. A breath of fresh air.

I used to be obsessed with these deep friend sesame balls from Chinese food restaurants. I haven’t had one in 7ish years but that crisp sesame outside is what kept me coming back for more. These are the cookie version of that and I’m utterly obsessed.

AND we had two friends visiting from Philadelphia this weekend and they too were digging them HARD. So let’s make some gluten free tahini cookies!!

Tahini Cookies

How to make tahini cookies

First, add the tahini, agave, vanilla, and egg to a food processor and process until combined. Add the almond flour, baking soda, and sea salt. Process until combined, about 5 – 10 seconds. Take a break to scrape down the sides and process for another 3 – 5 seconds.

Use an ice cream scooper to scoop large balls and roll them in your hands to make them smooth.

Spread the sesame seeds out on a plate in a single layer. Roll the cookie dough ball around the plate until it’s completely covered with sesame seeds. Place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

When you have about 6 on your sheet, use the palm of your hand to flatten them and then bake for 10 – 12 minutes until the edges are golden brown. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for five minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Tahini Cookies

Did you make this? Leave a review below and tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest!

Recipe
GF Gluten-Free DF Dairy-Free

Tahini Cookies

Tahini Cookies are such a fun cookie recipe! They are soft, chewy and insanely delicious!! They’ll quickly be your new favorite cookie!

AvatarRecipe by:Lindsay Grimes Freedman
★★★★★ 4.7 from 14 reviews
Prep: 15 minsCook: 10 minsTotal: 25 mins
Print recipe Rate recipe Pin Save recipe
Servings: 9 1x

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup tahini
  • 1/3 cup agave nectar
  • splash vanilla extract
  • 1 egg
  • 1 1/2 cup almond flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 cup sesame seeds

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350F.
  2. Add the tahini, agave, vanilla, and egg to a food processor and process until combined.
  3. Add the almond flour, baking soda, and sea salt.
  4. Process until combined, about 5 – 10 seconds.
  5. Take a break to scrape down the sides and process for another 3 – 5 seconds.
  6. Use an ice cream scooper to scoop large balls and roll them in your hands to make them smooth and round.
  7. Spread the sesame seeds out on a plate in a single layer.
  8. Roll the cookie dough ball around the plate until it’s completely covered with sesame seeds.
  9. Place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  10. When you have about 6 on your sheet, use the palm of your hand to flatten them and then bake for 10 – 12 minutes until the edges are golden brown.
  11. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for five minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
© The Toasted Pine Nut

Did you make this?

I love seeing what you made! Tag me on social @thetoastedpinenut

Rate recipe Tag me on Instagram

Enjoy!! xo

440 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Save
  • Email
overhead image of a gluten free sprinkle cookie with a bite taken out on a white counter

Never miss a recipe!

Join our pine nut family and get recipes delivered right to your inbox.

Join now!
15 no bake desserts

You May Also Like...

  • This is a side view of a chocolate chip cookie with a bite taken out of it. The Cookie sits on a white piece of parchment paper with more cookies blurred in the background.
    Chocolate Chip Tahini Cookies
  • overhead image of ginger molasses cookies with a bite taken out
    Gluten Free Ginger Molasses Cookies
  • overhead image of a circle shortbread cookie half dipped in chocolate with a bite taken out
    Gluten Free Shortbread Cookies

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment & Rate this Recipe Cancel reply

If you love this recipe it would mean SO MUCH to me if you give it a star rating and leave a comment about it. Not only do I love basking in the glory of your recipe love, but (perhaps more importantly 😋) it helps other readers find my recipes online. Thanks so much for your feedback!!

Have a question? Submit your question or comment below. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

  1. AvatarMelissa D says

    Posted on 4/2/18 at 7:57 pm

    I had to substitute maple syrup for the agave nectar and applesauce for the egg as we didn’t have those ingredients on hand. My dough tasted a little bitter and turned out stickier than in your Instagram video – I added more maple syrup and had to sloppily place the dough on the pan.
    Despite the differences, they ended up tasting pretty good, though a little doughy inside still.
    Do you have a specific brand or kind of tahini that you use regularly? I think that and the egg vs applesauce may have made the difference. I’ll have to try making these again!

    ★★★★

    Reply
    • AvatarLindsay says

      Posted on 4/2/18 at 8:28 pm

      Hi Melissa! The maple syrup is a good sub for agave but the applesauce probably had an effect, You’ll have to come back and rate it again once you’ve tried it with the egg! I generally like tahini that is fresh and the only ingredient is sesame seeds, so make sure you’re checking out the back ingredient list. I like Woodstock foods or Thrive Market brand! xo

      Reply
  2. AvatarJoyce says

    Posted on 4/15/18 at 5:01 pm

    Great recipe and I love how easy it is! I substituted maple syrup for agave. Next time I’d use less salt though, my husband and I thought they were a little salty. I will make them again for sure.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • AvatarLindsay says

      Posted on 4/20/18 at 11:23 am

      Yay! I’m so happy you liked them!! I think some tahini has added salt, so it could be the added salt plus the salty tahini. I think if you have tahini with salt in it, then leave out or reduce the extra sea salt that’s added in. So glad you’ll make them again!! They’re one of my favorite cookies!! xo

      Reply
      • AvatarMonica Carten says

        Posted on 8/16/18 at 5:31 am

        Hi Lindsay,

        I’m wondering if you or others have tried adding chocolate chips to the recipe? I was hoping to find a recipe for tahini cc cookies to make for my husband (AKA The Chocolate FIEND!). I found some but have to admit that your tahini cookies look so good to me as they don’t need coconut oil and use almond flour. I also wonder if ginger would be good in these? Anyway, I suspect your answer is going to be “go for it!!” so I probably will do just that!

        Reply
        • AvatarLindsay says

          Posted on 8/19/18 at 9:00 pm

          I’ve never tried adding chocolate chips but I love the idea!! You’ll have to let me know how they turn out!! xo

          Reply
  3. AvatarJane says

    Posted on 10/19/19 at 6:27 pm

    Any chance this would work with flaxegg instead of egg?

    Reply
    • AvatarLindsay says

      Posted on 10/19/19 at 6:39 pm

      I think it should work, thought I’ve never tried it. Let me know how you make out!! xo

      Reply
  4. Avatargabriele says

    Posted on 2/9/20 at 11:55 am

    Can’t believe I’ve screwed up so much just by adding half peanutbutter to tahini and using carob syrup for sweetener… Dough was stiff and cookies too salty and very fatty, nearly inedible :/
    But I’ve used expensive products so can’t just thow them away :'(( I and love tahini…

    ★★★

    Reply
  5. AvatarSM says

    Posted on 3/12/20 at 5:16 pm

    This was amazing!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • AvatarLindsay Grimes Freedman says

      Posted on 8/7/20 at 8:56 pm

      Yay!! I’m so happy you loved them! xo

      Reply
Older Comments
Newer Comments

Primary Sidebar

Lindsay

Hi Friend!

I'm Lindsay I love sharing simple, better-for-you recipes. When I'm not in the kitchen, you can find me at the beach watching my kids boogie board and soaking in that warm Cali sun (with sunscreen, of course).

Read more...

Recipe Key

GF Gluten-Free DF Dairy-Free V Vegan VG Vegetarian EF Egg-Free NF Nut-Free P Paleo Browse All
good and gooey

Try My New Baking Mixes!

Use the code pine nut
For 10% off

Check em’ out!

Most Popular

Chocolate Quinoa Crisps

overhead image of a muffin tin filled with 12 raw eggs sprinkled with pepper

Oven-Baked Eggs in a Muffin Tin

This is a side view of a chocolate almond butter bar with a bite taken out of it. The bar sits on a white piece of parchment paper and is sprinkled with salt. More bars are blurred in the background.

No Bake Almond Butter Bars

Lemon + Avocado Kale Salad

Freebie alert!

Get My Free No Bake Desserts eBook!

Explore

More Cookies

This is an overhead image of a green matcha cookie with white chocolate chunks. A bite is taken out of the cookie and is sitting on a white piece of parchment paper. Another cookie is in the bottom right corner of the image.

White Chocolate Matcha Cookies

This is an overhead image of a peanut butter cookie with a bite taken out of it. The cookie is topped with colorful marshmallows and leaning against another cookie. The cookies sit on a white piece of parchment paper.

Peanut Butter Lucky Charms Cookies

This is an overhead view of biscotti dipped in chocolate and sprinkled with chopped hazelnuts. The biscotti lays on a white piece of parchment paper on a cooling rack. The cooling rack sits on a white surface. One biscotti is to the right side of a cooling rack on the white surface. Some chopped hazelnuts are on the surface next to the biscotti.

Chocolate Hazelnut Gluten Free Biscotti

This is an overhead image of a cooling rack coming from the lefthand side of the image. The cooling rack sits on a light grey surface with a white piece of parchment paper on top. On the parchment paper is six lofthouse cookies with pink and light green icing and rainbow sprinkles. The cookie to the top left has a bite taken out of it.
★★★★★

Soft-Baked Lofthouse Sugar Cookies

Browse All
15 No bake desserts

Download my FREE No Bake Dessert Ebook!

As seen on:

Food Network
Shape
Men's Health
NBC
Kitchn
Glamour
  • Browse by Diet
    • Gluten Free
    • Dairy Free
    • Vegan
    • Egg Free
    • Low Carb
    • Recipe Filter
  • Explore Resources
    • FAQ
    • My Baking Mixes
    • Cookbook
    • Shop Favorites
    • Web Stories
    • Meet Lindsay
Follow

@thetoastedpinenut

Accessibility

Privacy Policy

Disclaimer

Contact

© 2022 The Toasted Pine Nut
|
Site Credits Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled Support by Foodie Digital
Back to Top
440 shares