Chocolate Tahini Cookies

Overhead view of a chocolate tahini sesame cookie freshly baked on brown parchment paper.

5 from 7 votes

These Chocolate Tahini Sesame Cookies are chewy and arguably my all time favorite cookie. Think classic chocolate chunk cookie but the chocolate and tahini are swirled into the cookies and then rolled in sesame seeds.

Prep Time30

Cook Time12

Chilling4

Total Time4 42

Course: Afternoon Kaffee, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Chocolate, chocolate chip cookies, cookies, sesame, tahini

Servings:

Calories: 377kcal

Ingredients

Cookie Dough

275 grams unsalted butter soft
400 grams dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs standard large, room temperature
375 grams bread flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
90 grams tahini
175 grams dark chocolate
40 grams sesame seeds

Instructions

Cookie Dough

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add in the butter, brown sugar, vanilla, salt and both eggs.
Use the paddle attachment to cream the mixture on medium speed for about 3 minutes until it becomes a few shades lighter. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
Dump in the bread flour, baking soda, and baking powder.
Use the mixer to mix on low until just combined. It's ok if some flour is still visible.
Melt the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl or on the stove in a double boiler.
Pour the tahini into the cookie dough and use a flat rubber spatula to mostly fold it into the batter, you want some still visible.
Pour the melted chocolate into the cookie dough and fold 5-6 times into the cookie dough. It should be visibly marbled, don't over mix.
I like big cookies so I used a quarter cup ice cream scoop but you could do any size you want, you'll simply need to adjust the baking time accordingly.
Line a small tray or baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and scoop the cookie dough on.
Once all the dough has been scooped, cover the cookies with plastic or a second baking sheet upside down.
Place in the fridge for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight or in the freezer for 2 hours.

Bake the Cookies

Preheat the oven to 350 F and place a rack in the center of the oven.
Roll the bottom and sides of the chilled cookie dough balls in sesame seeds. Place 6 of the cookies onto a lined baking sheet, leaving at least 3" of space between each cookie.
Bake for 8 minutes in the preheated oven, then rotate the pan and bake for another 3-4 minutes until the edges are golden brown.
The centers will look very soft but they are baked.
Take the tray out of the oven and bang the tray on the counter 2-3 times, forcefully to flatten the cookies. Leave them on the sheet for 5 minutes. Bake the next tray while this one cools.
After 5 minutes, use a spatula to transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool fully.

Notes

Tips for making the Tahini Chocolate Cookies

Use high quality chocolate and butter - this will make all the difference in a cookies. I grew up with my mom using chocolate chips and there's definitely something nostalgic about actual chocolate chips but for these you need to use baking chocolate bars because they melt smoothly and can mix into the batter.
The butter should be room temperature, not melted. If the butter is too soft it won't beat properly and the dough will be difficult to scoop.
This is one of those recipes where it really does matter if your ingredients, specifically the butter and eggs are at room temperature. It will help create a smooth and creamy cookie that bakes evenly.
Don't over mix your batter. Once you don't see any flour left, stop mixing otherwise you'll end up with tough cookies.
The tahini should be added in first but it doesn't need to be completely mixed in. Once you add the melted chocolate, only do 5-6 big quick mixes. You want these to appear marbled. If you mix too much you'll just end up with chocolate cookies.
These cookies do need to chill, ideally overnight but if you're in a hurry they can be frozen for a couple hours.
Store freshly baked cookies in an airtight bag or container at room temperature is best.

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