Tahini Three Ways: Cookies, Sauce, & Salad

Forget peanut butter – tahini’s nuanced, nutty flavor elevates everything it touches. This recipe showcases tahini’s versatility, swapping it seamlessly into classic cookies, forming the base of a vibrant sauce, and becoming a surprisingly bright salad dressing. **Why This Works:** Tahini’s higher oil content and more complex flavor profile (due to sesame seeds vs. peanuts) create a more tender, flavorful baked good and a richer, more stable emulsion for sauces and dressings. Its slight bitterness balances sweetness and acidity beautifully.

60 minutes | 480 | Approximately 24 cookies, 1.5 cups sauce, and dres

Nutty, Savory, Sweet, Spicy • Easy • Weird Score: 5/10

Ingredients

Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 c Tahini
1/2 c Granulated Sugar
1/4 c Packed Brown Sugar
1 Large Egg
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 1/4 c All-Purpose Flour
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Salt
1 c Chocolate Chips
Spicy Tahini Sauce
1/2 c Tahini
1/4 c Warm Water
2 tbsp Lemon Juice
1 tbsp Soy Sauce (or Tamari for gluten-free)
1 tsp Maple Syrup
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper (or to taste)
Lemon-Tahini Salad Dressing
2 tbsp Tahini
3 tbsp Lemon Juice
1 tbsp Water
1/4 tsp Salt
pn Black Pepper

Equipment

Mixing Bowls
Whisk
Baking Sheets
Measuring Cups & Spoons

Instructions

**Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies:** Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). In a large bowl, cream together tahini, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla extract.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
Drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 9-11 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
**Spicy Tahini Sauce:** In a medium bowl, whisk together tahini, warm water, lemon juice, soy sauce, maple syrup, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper until smooth. Add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed to reach desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
**Lemon-Tahini Salad Dressing:** In a small bowl, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, water, salt, and pepper until smooth. Add more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, if needed to reach desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. This dressing is best when made fresh.
Serve cookies, sauce (with roasted vegetables or grilled chicken), and dressing (over a green salad with chickpeas and cucumbers).