Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 115 g unsalted butter, room temperature
- 120 g tahini, well-stirred
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 100 g light brown sugar, packed
- 1 egg, large
- 5 ml vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 160 g all-purpose flour
- 3 g baking soda
- 2 g baking powder
- 3 g fine sea salt
Inclusions & Finish
- 150 g dark chocolate, chopped chunks
- flaky sea salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 242 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbohydrates
- 26 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 16 g
- Sodium
- 208 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 6 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- 28 mg
- Potassium
- 116 mg
- Calcium
- 91 mg
- Iron
- 1.7 mg
- Magnesium
- 46 mg
- Phosphorus
- 88 mg
- Zinc
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin A
- 54 mcg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.02 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.03 mg
- Niacin
- 0.2 mg
- Folate
- 4 mcg
- Water
- 5 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
- Caffeine
- 8 mg
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Cream the room temperature butter, well-stirred tahini, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed until light, fluffy, and aerated (about 3-4 minutes).
Add the egg and vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Beat for another minute until fully incorporated and the mixture looks creamy.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and fine sea salt. Add this to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed just until streaks of flour disappear.
Fold in the dark chocolate chunks by hand using a spatula to avoid overworking the gluten.
Cover the bowl or portion the dough into balls immediately. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours (overnight is best) to hydrate the flour and develop deep toffee notes.
Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Arrange chilled dough balls 5cm (2 inches) apart.
Bake for 11-13 minutes. The edges should be golden brown and set, but the centers should still look slightly underbaked and soft.
Immediately upon removing from the oven, sprinkle generously with flaky sea salt. Allow to cool on the tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Chef's Notes
- Tahini brands vary significantly in viscosity. Use a runny, high-quality Middle Eastern brand (like Soom or Al Arz) rather than the stiff paste found in health food jars.
- The 24-hour rest is not just for convenience; it allows the enzymes in the flour to break down starches into sugars, resulting in significantly better browning and flavor complexity.
- For perfectly round, Instagram-worthy cookies, sprinkle a few reserved chocolate chunks on top of the dough balls just before baking.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store unbaked dough in the fridge for up to 3 days for best flavor development.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze scooped dough balls; bake from frozen adding 2 minutes to cook time.
Troubleshooting
Cookies spread too much and became flat lace
Cause: The dough was too warm entering the oven or the tahini was too oily
Fix: Chill remaining dough for another hour; if already baked, crumble over ice cream
Prevention: Strictly adhere to the overnight chilling time; ensure oven is fully preheated
Cultural Context
Tahini (sesame paste) is a staple of Israeli and Levantine cuisine, traditionally used in savory hummus and baba ganoush. Its introduction into sweets, particularly halva, dates back centuries, but its use in Western-style cookies creates a modern fusion that highlights the region's love for balancing sweetness with earthy, roasted flavors.
