These easy Sesame Chocolate Chip Cookies are delicious combination of a rich tahini and dark chocolate with a crisp edge coated in sesame seeds. A step above a regular cookie that is soft, buttery, but not overly-sweet – these feel very grown up.
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From My Cooking Diary
I love a good late-night cooking baking session but wanted to experiment with a grown-up twist on a familiar cookie. These are nut-free, egg-free, and dairy-free, yet still rich and buttery thanks to tahini. I’d experimented with tahini baking with my Dark Chocolate Tahini Brownies and love the richness it brings. These cookies taste like halva crossed with a chocolate chip cookie, where the sesame deepens the chocolate flavour without pushing the sweetness. The outside is crisp and sesame-coated, with a soft, fluffy, chewy centre – and they come together in one bowl in about half an hour.
Key Ingredients
- Tahini: Choose an unsalted, smooth, pourable tahini. Stir tahini well before measuring so the oil and solids are fully combined; tahini adds flavour, fat, and structure, which helps create crisp edges.
- Toasted sesame oil: Use toasted sesame oil, not plain. A small amount adds roasted depth and aroma that carries through baking. Read more on the difference between the two sesame oil varieties on Bon Appetit.
- Sesame seeds: Use hulled white sesame seeds. Toasted seeds give better flavour and an even, crisp coating without overpowering the cookie.
- Chocolate: Dark chocolate chips or chunks balance the sesame with bitterness, keeping the cookies from tasting overly sweet.
Instructions
Making these cookies is very simple – all comes together in one bowl. Jump ahead to the recipe card for detailed instructions.
Step One: Mix the oil, sugar, oat milk, and tahini in a large bowl until well combined.
Step Two: Add the toasted sesame oil and cardamom, stirring to incorporate.
Step Three: Stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt until a crumbly dough forms that holds together when pressed.
Step Four: Fold in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
Step Five: Scoop dough into balls, roll in sesame seeds if using, and place on a lined baking sheet.
Step Six: Bake until the edges are lightly golden. Let cool on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack.
Storage
Room temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Freezer: These taste best fresh but you can freeze them. Freeze baked cookies for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature before eating.
Expert Tips
Let the cookies cool on the tray for at least 10 minutes before moving them. This gives the sesame crust time to set and helps the centres finish firming up without losing their chewy texture.
FAQ
Yes, you can make it up to 48 hours before baking, either as balls or a whole bowl of dough. Keep in fridge.
Tahini is key for that nutty depth, but in a pinch, sunflower seed butter works well and keeps the recipe nut-free. You can also swap in almond or peanut butter if nuts are not an issue. The flavor will be slightly different, but you’ll still get that rich, moist texture.
No, they are optional but look great and add a light crunch.
More Recipes
If you love a quick but delicious cookie, then you have to try my easy One-Bowl Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies – it’s a classic: chewy in the middle, and crisp on the edges. My Vegan Snickerdoodles are a similar texture to these ones – soft, pillowy, and rolled in cinnamon-sugar. And if you’re after something extra decadent, my Double Chocolate Chip Cookies are a must-try.
I hope you love these Sesame Choc Chip Cookies! You can leave a review below or tag me on Instagram so I can see how they turned out! My handle is @glowdiaries___ – happy baking 🙂
Sesame Chocolate Chip Cookies
Equipment
- Hand mixer
Ingredients
- ½ cup neutral oil such as canola sunflower, or vegetable oil; approx. 120 ml
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar approx. 250 g
- ⅓ cup tahini paste unsalted; stir well before use; approx. 78 ml
- 4 tbsp oat milk approx. 60 ml
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil approx. 15 ml
- ½ tsp ground cardamom approx. 1 g
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour approx. 300 g
- ½ tsp salt approx. 3 g
- 1 tsp baking soda approx. 5 g
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips vegan; or chunks; approx. 170 g
- 3 tbsp sesame seeds use toasted for more flavor; optional; approx. 27 g
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two parchment-lined baking sheets.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the neutral oil, sugar, tahini, and oat milk. Using a hand mixer on low speed, beat for about 2 minutes until smooth and well blended.
- Mix in the toasted sesame oil and ground cardamom.
- Add the flour, salt, and baking soda to the bowl. Stir until fully combined. The dough will be crumbly but should hold together when pressed.
- Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Scoop 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie, roll into balls, and (if using) roll each ball in sesame seeds.
- Place dough balls 2–3 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10–12 minutes, until edges are just starting to turn golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and tap the baking sheet gently on the counter to help the cookies settle.
- Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Cookies will puff in the oven and collapse slightly as they cool.
Ron says
Made a batch of these over the weekend and they did not disappoint! Love that they’re completely nut-free. They are so delicious and perfectly chewy 🙌