RECIPE NO. 004
Vegan Dark Chocolate
Tahini & Sesame Cookies
Rich, indulgent vegan cookies made with velvety dark chocolate, creamy tahini and toasted sesame seeds. Perfectly crisp around the edges with a soft, chewy centre, each bite offers a delicious balance of deep chocolate flavour and warm, nutty sesame.
Makes
10-12 large cookies
prep time
20 minutes + 2 hours chilling
bake time
12 minutes
Ingredients
Equipment
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140g vegan butter, softened
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120g tahini
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140g soft light brown sugar
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60g caster sugar
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60ml oat milk
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1 tsp vanilla extract
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280g plain flour
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1 tsp baking powder
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½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
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½ tsp fine sea salt
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180g 70% dark chocolate, roughly chopped
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30g toasted sesame seeds
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Digital kitchen scales
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Dry frying pan
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Mixing bowls
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Electric hand mixer or wooden spoon
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Spatula
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Baking trays
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Baking paper
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Cooling rack
Method
1
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Place the sesame seeds in a dry frying pan over a medium heat. Toast for 2–3 minutes, stirring regularly, until lightly golden and fragrant. Transfer to a plate and leave to cool completely.
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Place the softened vegan butter, tahini, soft light brown sugar and caster sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat together until light and smooth. Add the oat milk and vanilla extract, then mix until fully incorporated.
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In a separate bowl, combine plain flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and sea salt, and add to the wet mixture. Fold together just until combined.
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Fold through the chopped dark chocolate and some of the cooled sesame seeds. Reserve a little of each for decorating the cookies.
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Divide the dough into 10–12 balls weighing approximately 100g each. Place a few pieces of dark chocolate on the top of each. Place them on a lined baking tray and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
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When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 180°C fan and line a large baking tray with baking paper. Bake for around 12 minutes. Immediately sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds and sea salt to the tops of the warm cookies.
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Zoe's Tips
Make sure your tahini is well stirred before measuring it. The natural oils can separate in the jar, and combining them properly will give your cookies the best flavour and texture.
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Chilling the dough is essential. It prevents the cookies from spreading too much and allows the chocolate, tahini and sesame flavours to develop. For the best results, chill the cookie dough overnight.
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How do I keep the centres soft and chewy?
Remove the cookies from the oven when the edges are set but the centres still look slightly underbaked. They will continue to cook and firm up on the hot baking tray as they cool.
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Which tahini and chocolate should I use?
Choose a smooth, pourable tahini with a mild flavour and stir it thoroughly before use. A good-quality 70% dark chocolate provides a rich flavour without making the cookies overly sweet. Check the label to ensure the chocolate is suitable for vegans.
Storage
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
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To freeze the baked cookies, wrap them individually and place them in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature or warm gently in the microwave.
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The unbaked cookie dough balls can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Bake directly from frozen, adding approximately 2–3 minutes to the baking time.
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Happy Baking!
Thank you for supporting Cakes by Zoe. I hope you enjoy making this recipe as much as I enjoyed creating it.
Don't forget to tag me—I absolutely love seeing your creations!
Love,
Zoe x