Yes, You Can And Should Bake Cookies With Tahini. Here's Why

Tahini is a paste made from ground sesame seeds and is used as a base ingredient for things like hummus (store-bought or not). It's decidedly nutty and rich with a thinner body than peanut butter, but you can use it creatively in salad dressings, lattes (if you can believe it), or as a swap for mayo in potato salad. But it's also a marvelous ingredient for something sweeter — namely, cookies. We spoke to Kelsey Elisabeth, owner of the boutique bakery Kelsey Elizabeth Cakes, for some advice about how and why you should incorporate tahini into your cookie recipes.

"Tahini works beautifully in cookies," Elisabeth told The Takeout. "It adds nuttiness, richness, and a subtle bitterness that helps balance sweet doughs." Using it is as simple as treating the sesame paste like a nut butter. That's why she folds it in with the butter and sugar during the creaming stage of the cookie dough-making process. 

But she adds, "If your tahini is very runny or oily, you may want to slightly reduce the butter to keep the dough from spreading too much. I also recommend using a well-stirred tahini so you're incorporating a consistent texture." You won't need to change your bake time with the cookies, but it may help to chill your dough before you bake it as the additional fat from the tahini can make the cookie spread faster during its time in the oven.

As for flavor pairings, Elisabeth suggests warm notes are best. She says, "Think brown butter, sesame, honey, molasses, cinnamon, or even dried fruits. It's especially good in cookies that lean sweet because the slight bitterness of the sesame cuts that sweetness in a sophisticated way."

She's also a fan of chocolate chip cookies that are fortified with tahini because the nuttiness of the sesame paste runs parallel to flavors like brown butter (if you're including it) along with the caramelized notes of the dough after it's been baked. That additional fat also softens the cookie's texture, which gives it that coveted, fudge-like center that's so good in a warm chocolate chip cookie. So, although tahini is something we often consider a better fit for savory dishes through something like homemade tahini sauce, it's an all-around team player that fits just as well into your cookie game. Most supermarkets carry some, so pick up a jar to experiment with. You may have found your next favorite baking ingredient.