There’s a cookie recipe for everyone, and for every moment. My all-time favorite, though, is a chocolate chunk cookie: there’s something classic and comforting about it. Had a bad day and need a pick-me-up? Quicky whip up a batch and even just the smell, the anticipation of it, will brighten your day. Cookies are also portable and easy to share. Bring a dozen anywhere and they’ll get snatched up in the blink of an eye. I guess that’s why cookie recipes remain some of the most popular recipes out there, despite their relative lack of novelty.
These are your basic chocolate chunk cookies. They’ve got all the elements that you love, especially if you’re in love with the crackly, chewy versions of this classic.
But, they’re also not your classic cookie. The butter is replaced with tahini, for one. Why? Tahini is full of those ‘healthy’ fats (though, let’s all problematize why some fats are considered healthy and others are not….) and it’s plant based rather than animal based.
Tahini is paste made from ground up sesame seeds, and it has a slightly nutty flavor. But, not full on nut flavor. Mild, a little sweet and creamy, almost a hint of vanilla even. A little like halva (also made from sesame) if you’ve had that before.
These cookies also swap all-purpose flour for spelt. Why? Spelt is a whole grain with a high nutritional value, and it adds great flavor. It’s also kind of nutty and sweet and a perfect match alongside the tahini.
I also prefer chocolate chunks over chips, as it allows the chocolate to pool into gooey puddles, perfect in their irregularity. I also like to add a couple different types of chocolate to maximize the flavors in this cookie.
So, this version is packed with flavor!
These cookies puff up in the oven, and then settle into chewy, flat, crackly perfection. They’re not the big, caky ones – and, this makes them perfect for things like ice cream sandwiches! But, here they rarely last until then. They’re scooped up by kids as they roll in after school, they get tucked into lunches, and they get stacked in a container to deliver to friends’ porches. They’re addictive and will be gone before you know it.
Tahini Spelt Chocolate Chunk Cookies
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
Loading...A few twists on the classic chocolate chip cookie delivers a version loaded with flavors, while still keeping the process simple. Tahini replaces the butter, and using spelt flour adds to the nutty flavors (without there being any nuts!). Chocolate chunks allow for gooey pools of chocolate that make for a textural treat. These are the perfect, chewy cookies for ice cream sandwiches or for anytime you need a pick-me-up!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup spelt flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 150g chocolate chunks, broken or chopped (I used a mix of dark chocolate and milk chocolate)
- flaky sea salt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F.
In a large bowl, mix together tahini and sugar. Add in eggs and vanilla and make sure it is well mixed and smooth.
In a separate bowl, combine spelt flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix.
Add dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until it is JUST (or, even not quite entirely) combined. Especially with spelt, you don't want to overmix.
Fold in the chocolate.
Put parchment paper or silicone mats on a full baking sheet (or two half sheets).
Using a tablespoon, scoop dough onto the baking sheets, 6 to a half sheet or 12 to a full sheet (most people typically have half sheets in their kitchen). Top with flaky sea salt (or not, but why?)
Bake 12 minutes, until browning around the edges and the middle look solid.
Let sit on the tray for 10 minutes. They should be puffy when they come out, and as they sit they'll settle into their true, crackly selves.
Eat warm or let cool before storing.
Notes
Don't have spelt? The closest substitute is probably regular old all-purpose, so go for it. Just have chips rather than chunks? That's fine (I guess...), and you'll probably need around a cup or so.
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