Salted Tahini & Chocolate Chunks Cookies

It’s been a while since I posted a recipe here and I have to say it’s good to be back :) I had a baby in the meantime so to sit down for a couple of hours edit photos, write a recipe and publish it has been a challenge. So I want to thank each and every one of you for sticking around <3

These cookies might be the best cookies I ever made, the combination of tahini and chocolate is pure heaven!

Note that the dough is best when it rests in the refrigerator overnight. You could bake them sooner if you just can’t wait but I haven’t tried this method..yet :D

Recipe adapted from David Lebovitz, I just made a couple of changes like reducing the amount of sugar etc. (makes approx 25 small cookies)

INGREDIENTS

115g unsalted butter, at room temperature
120ml tahini
150g granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla paste
150g all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sea salt
200g dark chocolate chunks or chocolate chips
Sea salt flakes, such as Maldon

1. In the bowl beat the butter, tahini, granulated sugar on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until fluffy. (The dough can also be made in a large mixing bowl, stirred with a spatula.)

2. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the egg, the yolk, and vanilla, and continue to mix for another minute, stopping the mixer to scrape down the sides of the bowl during mixing, to make sure the eggs are getting incorporated.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and sea salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients until just combined, then add the chocolate chips. Do not overmix. Cover the dough and refrigerate overnight.

4. Preheat the oven to 160ºC. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

5. Form the cookies into rounds using an ice cream scoop or a small spoon. For small cookies make each 3,5cm, for larger cookies, make them 5cm round. Place them evenly spaced on the baking sheets 8cm apart. I wanted to make them smaller so I used two small spoons to form little balls of cookie dough. Bake one sheet at a time so you can keep an eye on them, in the middle rack of the oven, approx 9 small ones at the time.

6. Bake the cookies, turning the baking sheet in the oven midway during baking, until the cookies are golden brown around the edges but still pale in the centre. For small cookies, about 12 minutes, for larger cookies, about 14 to 15 minutes.

TIP: It’s important to use visual clues rather than rely on precise minutes and numbers to tell when they’re done. Keep an eye on them during the final minutes of baking; the cookies are done when quite pale in the centre and browned around the edges.

Remove from the oven, sprinkle cookies with a bit of flaky sea salt, and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet. Bake the remaining cookies the same way.

7. Eat them warm if you just can’t wait or let them cool down to a room temperature and store them in a box, they’ll be good for the next couple of days. We actually prefer them the next day. Let me know what you think and I hope you’ll find them delicious as we did!