Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies (Vegan, GF)
Have you baked with tahini? It's a dream ingredient for me. In these cookies, the tahini lends a subtly sophisticated rich and nutty flavor and its bitterness nicely counters the sweet. The end result is an elevated cookie with crisp edges and a chewy center.
Bonus: You've hit the jackpot with these cookies if you're vegan, dairy-free or gluten-free, OR you're none of those but you've run out of eggs, butter or flour. And if you're skeptical that a baked good with a base of almond flour, coconut oil, and tahini can be rich and satisfying, your world will be turned upside down when you bite into these.
Please note that the recipe calls for arrowroot starch in addition to almond flour. The three tablespoons of arrowroot are important as they contribute to the cookie's chewiness. If you use only almond flour they'll produce a softer cookie with a cake-like texture. Not bad, but not chewy.
Arrowroot starch is a staple in my pantry. If you're concerned about buying it for this recipe only, here are a few other ways I use it.
Anytime I need to thicken a sauce, in place of cornstarch. (Unlike cornstarch, arrowroot will thicken a warm sauce immediately. In fact, it loses its thickening power the longer it's cooked.)
Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies (Vegan, GF)
Makes 24-26
2 cups (200 gr) almond flour
3 Tbsp. (24 gr) arrowroot starch
1½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp. sea salt
½ cup melted coconut oil
⅓ cup runny tahini
6 Tbsp. water
Scant 3/4 cup (145) light or dark brown sugar (or coconut sugar)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup (135 gr) chocolate chunks or chips
Preheat oven to 350 F / 176 C. Line two baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together almond flour, arrowroot starch, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a separate medium bowl (or 2+ cup Pyrex measuring cup), whisk together melted coconut oil, tahini, water, coconut sugar and vanilla.
Pour wet mixture into dry and use a silicone spatula to mix until combined. Fold in chocolate.
Use a small cookie scoop (1 Tbsp capacity) and place heaping scoops on baking sheets. Bake one sheet at a time, 12-14 minutes until lightly golden around edges. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to finish cooling on a wire rack.
Adapted from Weeknight Baking by Michelle Lopez
