Yes! A new favorite cookie. I like using savory ingredients in traditionally sweet things – spicy soppressata in buttermilk biscuits, bacon in scones etc., so when I saw this cookie and read the ingredients on the NY Times cooking site, I knew it would be a winner. It comes together well and tastes really good. The only thing I didn’t like was that it had to be refrigerated before baking (you know me – Mr. Patient!).

I’ve used tahini in other typically sweet desserts like palmiers – spicy palmiers with honey glaze – I will blog this another time. The tahini creams beautifully with the butter and sugar. I did a minor change to the recipe and used a vanilla emulsion instead of extract and added Skor bits as well as chocolate chips. I think the vanilla emulsion made a difference. It is extremely fragrant and added a nice taste to the baked product. I picked this up from the housewares (food) section at Winners, but pretty sure any cake shop will sell it – McCall’s, Golda’s etc.

The baking time and oven temperature are spot on – 325f and for 15 minutes in my oven. You know, the most important (and sometimes least reliable) appliance in your kitchen is your oven. Because temperatures vary, baking times are always given in ranges. I consistently check at the minimum or before minimum time. Better to leave in longer and cook to perfection than to overcook/bake.

The cookies are chewy with a bit of crunch. I made mine a bit smaller than a golf ball, flattened the top and baked. They did spread and color beautifully while baking and will firm up as they sit outside. Let them cool for about 10 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack. This will soon become one of your favorite cookies to make (and a great way to use up that jar of tahini sitting in your fridge or cupboard). By the way, allow about 10 minutes to properly stir and mix the tahini in your jar before measuring it out. All the best stuff is at the bottom – so make sure you have a smooth paste when you are ready to bake. I made my cookies small as I like small cookies and got about 40 (3″ diameter). The original recipe suggests using the large ice cream scoop and getting about 12 – 18. Either way, try these. As always – enjoy!

4 oz/113g Churn 84 at room temperature
1/2 cup/120ml Tahini, well stirred
1 cup/200g granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla emulsion
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons/150g all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 3/4 cups/230g chocolate chips or chunks, bittersweet or semisweet
1/4 cup Skor bits
Maldon Sea Salt for sprinkling on top of the cookies

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter, Tahini and sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes
Add egg, egg yolk and vanilla and continue mixing at medium speed for another 5 minutes
Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and kosher salt in a large bowl and whisk to mix
Add flour mixture by spoons to butter mixture at low speed until just combined
Use a rubber spatula to fold in chocolate chips and Skor bits
The dough will be soft so refrigerate for 2 hours – the original recipe said much longer, but this worked for me
Heat oven to 325f and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
Using a tablespoon, scoop up some of the dough, roll it into a ball, then flatten the top
Leave about 2″ between cookies
Bake 13 to 16 minutes until just golden brown around the edges but still pale in the middle to make soft cookies
As cookies come out of the oven, sprinkle sparsely with the flaky Maldon Sea Salt
Let cool at least 10 minutes on a rack before eating

Cookie 1 Tahini Chocolate1 Tahini Chocolate2