Black Sesame Cookies with Dates and Tahini (oil-free!)
Oil-free Black sesame cookies are chewy, nutty and delicious. They need 1 Bowl, some almond flour, creamy tahini and sticky-sweet dates for amazing flavors and textures. No oil, no butter, no whipping butter and sugar! The black sesame is a beautiful addition to cookies, adding a great nutty flavor and crunch.
- 2 to 3 tablespoons black sesame seeds (crushed)
- 1 cup blanched almond flour
- 2 tablespoons tapioca starch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla powder (or add vanilla extract with the wet ingredients)
- 1/3 cup chopped dates (or more, to taste)
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 1 tablespoon non-dairy milk
- more black sesame seeds
- brown sugar
- Crush the sesame seeds. I use a mortar and pestle and add the sesame seeds to the mortar and pestle and crush them until they are coarsely crushed. You can also use a spice grinder to just pulse a few times so that they are somewhat crushed and then set them aside. (Seeds can be added whole as well)Chop the dates, if you haven't already. You can keep them slightly larger or chop them smaller based on your preference and set that aside.
- In a bowl, add the almond flour, tapioca starch, salt, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, brown sugar, and the vanilla powder (if using), and then press and mix to break down any almond flour or brown sugar lumps. Mix really well. Add in the sesame seeds and chopped dates and mix again.
- Make a well in the center of this dry mixture. Add the tahini, maple syrup and non-dairy milk and mix it in that well, so that the tahini and maple can combine a bit, and then mix that into the dry mixture. Depending on your measuring and the ingredients and all of that, it'll be just a little sticky or maybe a bit more sticky. That's alright. It'll work out just fine, because we're going to chill the dough.
- Chill the dough in the freezer for 15 minutes or in the fridge for half an hour or so. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 335° F (168° C), and line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Remove the chilled dough from the fridge. Use a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop the dough onto the parchment-lined baking sheet. Then, use a spatula to press the cookies, so that they flatten a little bit. Top these cookies with more black sesame seeds and a pinch of brown sugar. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes.
- Once the cookies have spread evenly and are starting to get golden on the edges, you can take them out of the oven. If they aren't getting golden enough, you can increase the heat after the 14 to 15 minute mark to 345° F (174° C) and bake them for another minute or two. Then, remove them from the oven. (Slam the cookie sheet on the counter if the cookies have puffed, this will help settle the cookies into a chewy texture.) Let them cool on the baking sheet for a minute or so, then remove the parchment from the baking sheet and let them cool for another 10 minutes, and then enjoy.
- Store on the counter for upto 3 days. Refrigerate for longer storage(upto 2-3 weeks)
Black sesame is trending, so I decided to use it in these fabulous cookies. I use my almond flour cookie dough that you all know I love, because you don’t need any extra bowls, any whipping up of butter and sugar and all of that. No extra equipment, and they come together in about 15 minutes.
One of the common requests I got for that almond flour cookie dough was to make it without any oil or coconut oil, so today we are using tahini instead. You can use regular tahini or black sesame tahini. If you don’t have tahini, you can also use some smooth, creamy almond butter instead.
We make this very simple dough, add in some crushed black sesame seeds along with dates, cinnamon, vanilla, and tahini. Then, you bake it up into these chewy and delicious cookies. They’re crisp on the edges, chewy in the middle, and because of the tahini, they’re also incredibly moist.
Black sesame is nutty and looks pretty and tastes delicious. It is also a powerhouse of nutrients, like calcium, magnesium, iron, antioxidants, and protein. They are a great addition to these cookies. There’s just a fabulous combination of flavors and textures in these black sesame cookies!
Why You’ll Love Black Sesame Cookies
crisp, chewy cookies with a nutty flavor and beautiful black sesame seeds
sweet, chewy dates contrast the nutty flavor of the cookies
simple to make in 1 bowl
naturally gluten-free and soy-free
mortar and pestle or spice grinder, optional
