Chocolate Chip Tahini Swirl Cookies

Do we need another chocolate chip cookie recipe? Yes, of course we do. Because this one includes some nutty sesame paste both in the batter and swirled on top of the cookies while they bake.

Tahini is a paste made of ground sesame seeds and is as versatile as peanut butter. It's definitely my favorite savory dressing but I also love the nutty taste in baked goods. I've mixed it into cookie batter plenty of times but, in this recipe, I divided the sweet tahini batter in two. Half went into the dough itself and half got swirled on top of the cookies before they baked.

The result is a pop of flavor when you bite into these big cookies. They're thick and chewy, packed with chocolate chips and topped with sea salt for a complete flavor explosion. I used a 1 1/2 oz. cookie scoop to get large cookies but you can make them smaller if you like. Note that they'll spread so keep them far apart on the cookie sheet and use a 3" cutter to scootch them into a round shape after they bake if you want them perfect looking. And, if you've never tried tahini, you can usually find it near the nut butters or in the international foods section of a grocery store. Once you buy your first jar, you'll be hooked. Enjoy!

Yield: 12

Author: Anita Schecter

Chocolate Chip Tahini Swirl Cookies

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 15 MinInactive time: 1 HourTotal time: 1 H & 30 M

Recipe for thick, chocolate chip cookies with a sweet tahini swirl.

Ingredients

For the Sweet Tahini:

• 1/2 Cup sesame paste
• 1/4 Cup powdered sugar
• Pinch of salt

For the Cookies:

• 1 Stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 Cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 Cup brown sugar
• 1 Egg
• 1/4 Cup sweet tahini
• 1 Teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 Cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Teaspoon baking soda
• 1 Teaspoon salt
• 2 Cups chocolate chips (milk or semi-sweet)
• Sea salt for topping

Instructions

1. To make the sweet tahini, mix together the sesame paste, powdered sugar and salt in a small bowl. Divide the mixture in two and set aside.
2. Add the softened butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer and cream together for a few minutes until smooth. Beat in the egg and then half of the sweet tahini mixture.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda and salt. Beat the dry ingredients into the wet batter and stir in the chocolate chips.
4. Using a 1 1/2 oz. cookie scoop, scoop the batter onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, keeping them about 3" apart. You may need to use two baking sheets. Flatten each scoop slightly and pour a spoonful of the remaining sweet tahini mixture on top. Sprinkle with sea salt and refrigerate for at least an hour.
5. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the cookies for 15 minutes. Note that they will be very soft when they come out of the oven but will firm up as they cool. If you want them to have a more perfect round shape, use a large cookie cutter to "scootch" them into a round shape while they're still hot.