Chewy Vegan Gluten-Free Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies

Why You’ll Fall in Love with These Vegan Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies

• A Delicious Way to Use Up Tahini: Beyond its traditional uses in savory dishes, tahini shines brightly in these cookies, offering a rich, nutty flavor that’s both unique and incredibly satisfying. It’s the perfect excuse to explore new culinary horizons and make sure no tahini goes to waste.
• Effortlessly Easy Recipe: You won’t need any fancy gadgets for this one! This is a simple, one-bowl recipe that comes together with just a medium-sized bowl and a sturdy spoon. Say goodbye to cumbersome hand mixers or heavy stand mixers – simplicity is key here, making it ideal for bakers of all skill levels.
• Simple, Wholesome Ingredients: We prioritize natural sweetness and avoid refined sugars. A touch of pure maple syrup is all that’s needed to sweeten these cookies to perfection. This makes them a more mindful choice for those looking to reduce sugar intake without sacrificing flavor.
• Perfect for Dietary Needs: These are truly exceptional **gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan chocolate chip cookies**. With no eggs, no grains (thanks to almond flour), and no dairy, they cater to a wide range of dietary preferences and allergies, ensuring everyone can enjoy a truly great-tasting chocolate chip cookie without compromise.
• Unforgettable Flavor & Texture: The combination of tahini and maple syrup creates a deeply satisfying flavor profile that’s a step above typical chocolate chip cookies. The result is a cookie with the ideal balance of crispiness and chewiness, making it hard to stop at just one!

Essential Ingredients & Thoughtful Substitutions

• Tahini: The cornerstone of these cookies, tahini provides the essential fat content needed for both those coveted crisp edges and delightfully chewy centers. In vegan baking, finding the right fat substitute is crucial to prevent dry, crumbly results. Tahini, a whole-foods fat derived from ground sesame seeds, imparts a texture remarkably similar to baking with butter, while also adding its signature nutty notes. Crucially, a good quality tahini contains only ground sesame seeds, eliminating the need for olive oil, coconut oil, or vegan butter. When choosing, look for a runny, smooth consistency; a thick, pasty tahini can lead to a drier cookie. If you must substitute, creamy, drippy almond butter can work, though the cookies will take on a slight peanut butter-like flavor, still delicious in their own right.
• Almond Flour: This recipe was meticulously developed and tested using blanched almond flour. Its fine texture and higher fat content are integral to the cookies’ structure and moisture, especially in gluten-free baking. It’s important to note that neither coconut flour nor all-purpose wheat flour will yield the same results in this specific recipe. Coconut flour is highly absorbent and would likely soak up too much moisture, leading to extremely dry and crumbly cookies. All-purpose flour contains gluten, which behaves entirely differently and would fundamentally alter the cookie’s texture and density. For a suitable alternative, finely ground walnuts could be used, offering a slightly richer, more robust flavor.
• Ground Flax Seeds: Acting as an effortless binder, ground flax seeds replace eggs in this vegan recipe. Unlike many vegan baking recipes that require mixing flax with water to create a “flax egg,” here you simply mix the ground flax directly with the other dry ingredients. This simplifies the process, making it even quicker and more convenient without sacrificing its binding properties.
• Maple Syrup: This natural liquid sweetener provides a lovely caramel-like depth to the cookies. It’s important to remember that liquid sweeteners behave differently than dry granulated sugars in baking, affecting moisture content and spread. For the best results in terms of flavor and texture, stick to maple syrup. However, if absolutely necessary, an equal amount of honey (if not strictly vegan) or date syrup can be used, though they will slightly alter the flavor profile.
• Dark Chocolate Chunks: I personally favor dark chocolate chunks for their ability to create pockets of irresistibly gooey, melty chocolate throughout the cookies. The larger surface area allows for a more decadent chocolate experience. However, any good quality vegan chocolate chips will work beautifully. Ensure your chosen chocolate is certified vegan to maintain the integrity of the recipe.
• Baking Powder & Baking Soda: These leavening agents work in conjunction to provide the perfect lift and texture, ensuring your cookies are soft and slightly airy in the center, rather than dense.
• Sea Salt: A touch of sea salt in the dough is essential to balance the sweetness and enhance all the other flavors. The flakey sea salt sprinkled on top provides a delightful textural contrast and a burst of savory goodness that truly elevates the cookie experience.

Start by combining the wet ingredients. Place the runny tahini, pure maple syrup, and aromatic vanilla extract into your large mixing bowl. Ensure your tahini is well-stirred from the jar before measuring for best consistency.

Using your wooden spoon or spatula, mix these wet ingredients thoroughly until they form a beautifully smooth, creamy, and uniform paste. This initial step ensures all the flavors are well integrated.

Now, it’s time for the dry ingredients. Even though these are vegan cookies and contain no eggs, there’s no need for the extra step of preparing a “flax egg.” Simply add the ground flax seeds along with the blanched almond flour, baking soda, and baking powder directly into the bowl with your wet mixture. These dry components will give the cookies their structure and rise.

Mix everything until the dry ingredients are fully combined into the wet mixture, forming a cohesive cookie dough. Be sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, ensuring no dry pockets remain and all ingredients are thoroughly incorporated into the batter.

Debra’s Pro Tips for Cookie Perfection

• Know Your Oven: Every oven has its quirks! In my oven, 12 minutes is the magic number for perfectly crisp edges and soft, chewy centers. However, your oven might run hotter or cooler. Keep a close eye on your cookies during their first bake to discover what “perfection” looks like in your specific appliance. Look for lightly golden edges and a slightly set, but still soft, center.
• The Ultimate Gooey Chocolate Secret: For those who crave intensely gooey, melted chocolate in every bite, here’s a game-changing tip: refrigerate your cookie dough BEFORE mixing in the chocolate chunks. Then, just before you’re ready to bake, fold the chocolate chunks into the chilled batter. This prevents the chocolate from melting too much during the initial chilling phase and ensures beautifully molten pockets after baking.
• Troubleshooting Flat Cookies: If your cookies spread out too much and turned out flatter than desired, there are a couple of common culprits. Either your oven temperature was too high, causing the butter alternative (tahini) to melt too quickly, or your cookie dough was not adequately chilled before baking. Ensure you refrigerate the dough for at least the recommended 30 minutes; a longer chill can often yield even better results.
• Bake-Ahead & Freezer Stash: These cookies are perfect for meal prepping your desserts! Roll your chilled dough into individual cookie balls, then place them on a flat tray and freeze until solid. Once frozen, transfer the dough balls into a zip-top freezer bag. They will keep beautifully in the freezer for up to 3 months. When a cookie craving strikes, simply transfer as many (or as few) cookie dough balls as you like straight from the freezer to a baking sheet. Allow them to thaw for about 30 minutes at room temperature before baking as directed for the freshest, most delicious homemade cookies anytime.
• Perfect for Sharing (or Gifting!): Once completely cooled, stack these delightful cookies and place them in clear plastic bags tied with a ribbon for the ultimate cookie swap contribution or a thoughtful homemade gift. They’re always a hit!
• The Unskippable Flakey Sea Salt: While technically optional, the sprinkle of flakey sea salt on top is, in my honest opinion, the best part of these cookies. The sharp contrast of savory salt against the sweet, rich chocolate and nutty tahini is simply divine. Seriously, who eats dark chocolate without a touch of salt? If you do, you’re truly missing out on a flavor explosion!

Storage Solutions for Lasting Freshness

• To maintain their perfect texture and freshness, always ensure your vegan tahini chocolate chip cookies are completely cooled before transferring them to an airtight container. Storing them while warm can create condensation, making them soggy.
• At room temperature, in an airtight container, these cookies will remain delicious for up to 4 days.
• If you need them to last a bit longer, store them in the refrigerator for up to a week. The cooler temperature helps preserve their freshness.
• For long-term storage, they freeze beautifully! Place them in a freezer-safe airtight container or bag, and they will keep well for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or gently warm them for a fresh-baked feel.

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