RECIPE + PHOTOS UPDATED 1/1/2016You know how, when you're vegan, you scarf everything even remotely creamy if it's within 25 feet of you? That's how tahini and I became bffs. We've been on a break for a while -- since I started eat eggies and goat cheese again -- but I recently had a hankering for a just-tahini-and-me hang out once more. I crave bitter, complex flavors in the winter. It's all of the slate gray sky, crunchy frozen earth, and cast-off orange peels I've been surrounded by lately, I'm sure.

These cookies go heavy on the tahini, so the cookies see-saw between bitter and sweet. I dunked em in chocolate to add some interest (and because everything should be dunked in chocolate, naturally). I made a cookie sandwich with some of the vegan coconut dulce de leche I made a while back. Crumbly, slightly floral, chocolatey, bitter. I imagine these would make a pretty awesome Valentines gift for the tahini lover in your life.

This recipe was updated on 1/1/2016. The original recipe include 80 grams of gluten free all purpose flour, but after some tweaking I find they're the same with chickpea flour or spelt (wheat) flour. I think those are preferable (and more affordable) choices for most of us. Coconut oil has also been added to improve the texture. Another fun tweak: these can be made with any creamy, unsalted nut butter! Cashew butter is my current go-to. Enjoy!

Chocolate Dipped Tahini Cookies (Vegan, Gluten Free)

Created by Renee on December 1, 2016

This recipe has been updated to use chickpea flour OR spelt flour — both of which are more wholesome (and affordable) choices. Coconut oil has also been added to improve the texture. Enjoy!

Prep Time: 5 mins - Cook Time: 10 mins - Total Time: 15m - Yield: ~1 dozen cookies

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup (130g) evaporated cane sugar or coconut sugar

• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (~1/2 lemon)

• 1 cup (256g) tahini

• 3 1/2 tablespoons melted virgin coconut oil

• 1/2 cup (40g) coconut flour

• 1/2 cup (80g) chickpea flour OR spelt (wheat) flour

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 3/4 cup (150g) mixed black and white raw sesame seeds

Chocolate Dip Ingredients

• 3 ounces chopped dark chocolate

• 1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a large mixing bowl, rub together the lemon zest and sugar — this releases the oils from the zest into the sugar.

3. Add the lemon juice and tahini to the sugar, stirring to combine. The mixture will form into a thick, malleable nut butter dough.

4. In a separate medium mixing bowl, stir together the coconut flour, chickpea flour OR spelt (wheat) flour, baking powder, and salt.

5. Add the flour mixture to the nut butter mixture and knead everything together with your hands to combine. NOTE: If using spelt flour, your mixture might come out a bit dry or crumbly. If so, add up to 1 more tablespoon coconut oil until the mixture becomes malleable and sticks together.

6. Roll the dough into 1\"-1.5\" balls and coat each one in sesame seeds. Flatten each cookie out to about 1/2” thickness, setting each cookie on the sheet 1 inch apart. Soften any cracked edges with your fingers (they don’t spread in the oven).

7. Bake the cookies on the center rack for 10 minutes, or until they become slightly golden brown on top. They will still feel squishy to touch on top, but they solidify as they cool. Let rest out of the oven for about 10 minutes before dipping in chocolate. Dip each cookie half-way in the chocolate, then set back on the cookie sheet to cool. Eat immediately or set the cookies in the fridge or freezer for 15 minutes to solidify the chocolate.

8. Best enjoyed with a cup of coffee or tea!

Chocolate Dip Method

1. Set a double boiler (or a glass bowl over a pan filled with water) over low eat. Add the coconut oil. Once the coconut oil is melted stir in the chocolate. Cut off the heat and set aside for 5 minutes. Stir the chocolate and coconut oil together until combined. Done!