Just because it is January, doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy some treats. I know that some of us think that January is supposed to be about cleaning the slate and eating as healthy as possible, but I’m here to tell you that it is important to have a balance in everything we do. So with that said, I’d like to present to you these damn good vegan sesame tahini cookies! The tahini-laced cookies have a delicious nutty and caramel-y flavour which pairs perfectly with sesame seeds. Each bite of cookie is like a morsel from heaven. Because when you take a bite, you don’t think about the fact that they’re healthy or vegan. Instead, you think about their amazing texture, delicious flavour, and the fact that you want to hide them all far far away so they remain yours and yours alone. So here we have it folks. The cookies of your dreams. The cookies that have been missing from your lives. Cookies that will make you go a little crazy. Cookies with a secret ingredient that you already know about because it’s in the title of this post.
Hands up who doesn’t like homemade cookies? Exactly, just as I thought…! Today’s recipe transforms 8 humble ingredients into a delicious vegan tahini cookie that will make you look forward to your tea or coffee break that little bit more. Not too sweet, with a hint of saltiness these sesame tahini cookies are perfect for afternoon snacking. They are gluten free, vegan, grain free and absolutely delicious. What more could you want? They are also healthy and easy to make – but more importantly, with their crispy caramelised edges, sweet chewy centre and an amazing tahini flavour… they’re absolutely to die for. Tahini is not only wonderful in savoury sauces and dips but absolutely divine in baking. There is something truly more-ish about a sweet, baked, sesame treat. It is chewy (due to the fluid stretchy nature of tahini) and crumbly all at once. Apart from tasting great, these cookies are practically health food. They do not have any refined sugar or any other fat other than the mighty tahini itself. Tahini is a great ingredient as not only does it taste great but it’s also super rich in some key nutrients that you body actually needs (phosphorus, lecithin, magnesium, potassium, iron, calcium, vitamins E, B1, B2, B3, B5 and B15).
Did you know that tahini (sesame paste) is super dense in essential vitamins and minerals? With a good dose of magnesium, potassium, iron, protein and healthy fats, it assists in providing you with a boost of energy, healthy skin and muscle tone. It also assists in liver detoxification (so don’t go and have this cookie with your coffee or you will negate its goodness) and helps with weight loss. Trust me, there’s so much more to tahini than just being one of the main ingredients of hummus. It’s absolutely incredible in sweet treats, and these vegan tahini cookies are a wonderful introduction into the world of sweet tahini treats. They take, start to finish, less than 30 minutes… And about 5 minutes to gobble up while standing over the counter “waiting for them to cool”. Oops? There’s something terribly tempting about them. It could be the crunchy caramelised edges. Or the sweet chewy centre. Whatever it is, these vegan tahini cookies are equal parts pretty and delicious. Of course, you could omit rolling the cookies in sesame seeds before baking… but why on earth would you want to??? Just look how ridiculously pretty that coating of white and black sesame seeds makes them!
For the past few weeks, I have been baking versions of these cookies every week. The biggest challenge was getting the flavours right and making it vegan. Tahini can have an overpowering taste if you don’t compliment it well with other ingredients. For my cookies, I have kept it simple. With almond as the base and tahini as the emulsifier, all I have added to it is maple syrup, vanilla and salt (which of course balances the bitterness of tahini and sweetness of maple to perfection!). Because it has no dairy or eggs, it keeps well for up to a week at room temperature (I actually made a separate batch to test this out as all the batches I was making were gone in 3 days!).
IF YOU EVER GIVE THIS RECIPE A TRY, DO LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW AND/OR TAG @FRUITYEMZ AND HASHTAG #FRUITYEMZ ON YOUR INSTAGRAM POST! 🙂
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