Ok, I’m going to let you in on a secret. When I hear that a dessert is vegan and/or gluten-free, I pretty much assume it can’t possibly be delicious. This is entirely unfair. I myself have made several delicious vegan or gluten-free desserts. I know it’s not impossible, yet my skepticism remains. But in an attempt to be more accommodating, and perhaps a bit more healthy, I’m experimenting with more vegan/gf desserts. This recipe initially caught my eye because I love the idea of sesame seeds in desserts. I also know peanut butter cookies can be vegan, so I was hopefully that these would turn out well.
Sister actually made these the first time when she was home over the holidays. When I first had a bite of the fresh from the oven cookies, I was rather disappointed. They were fine, but they tasted healthy and definitely weren’t something I’d make again. Then I tried one again a couple of days later, and it was magic! They’d totally transformed, they were chewy, and nutty; crunchy on the outside, but so tender inside. That convinced me that they’d be great for Carroll Cafe–a cookie I actually needed to make a few days ahead? Perfect!
Sesame Tahini Cookies
Makes 1 dozen large cookies
Adapted from Dishing Up the Dirt
- 3 cups almond flour (mine was from Trader Joe’s, store it in the freezer to make it last longer)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- pinch of ground cloves
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup honey
- 2/3 cup tahini (mix well before measuring)
- 1 cup sesame seeds
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and stack on another thin baking sheet (I’m not sure it’s necessary to double stack the baking sheets, but I did it and they turned out great, so I didn’t mess with success).
In a bowl, whisk together the almond flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. In a measuring cup, whisk together the vanilla, honey, and tahini. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until just combined.
Pour the sesame seeds into a shallow dish. Scoop the batter and form into balls (I used a 4oz scoop, but the original recipe calls for a 1oz scoop). Roll the balls in the sesame seeds, then place on the prepared pan and press into a flattened disk that’s only 1/4″ thick. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Bake for 7-9 minutes, or until just lightly golden and set in the center. Let cookies rest for a couple of minutes on the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store cookies in an air-tight container for up to a week. Best eaten on the second or third day.
