I don’t stray far from our chocolate chip cookies, and if you’ve tried them, you’ll understand why. If not, you might want to check those out too. When I had to give up diary, I made them with one of my favourite vegan products, Melt Vegan Butter, and you honestly couldn’t even tell the difference. But then I stumbled across a chocolate chip cookie recipe that called for tahini instead of butter and I was intrigued. As you may have noticed, I’m pretty into nut butter (see our peanut butter cups and chocolate peanut butter crunch bars), and while tahini isn’t made with a nut, it’s a similar spread and one that I really got acquainted with during my strict dairy free time. Tahini really is a vegans best friend. It’s nutty and creamy flavour is super versatile and can be used in a variety of ways. We use it often to make salad dressings, sauces and dips, but I had never used it in baking. I mentioned the recipe to my sister in law (who is not dairy free) and she was also intrigued. She made them that night and told me the recipe was a home run and that I had to try. So I did…. and I was blown away. I flip flop between this and our original recipe. Aside from the Tahini they are actually so similar, which is probably why my husband and I love them so much, and I think you will too.

Reasons I love these:

1. Dairy free, but not by any weird “fake” ingredients like some dairy free options are.
2. ONE BOWL. A moms dream. None of this mixing dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately, and then mixing them together business. Less dishes the better!
3.  They taste great. And that’s reason enough for me.

Now, if you’re one of those “I always add extra chocolate chips” people, DO NOT DO IT. I beg you. 2 cups is enough. Trust me. I was shoving chocolate chips into the rolled cookie dough balls on the baking sheet because there were so many lose chips in the bowl!!

If you’re a little bit of a skeptic because you think “tahini” and you think “hummus”, I don’t blame you, I was the same way! But I swear it’s amazing in cookies. It keeps them super moist and provides a very subtle nut flavour to the cookies. Kind of an “upscale” peanut butter chocolate chip cookie (not that I have any beef with a peanut butter chocolate chip cookie…). Diary consumer or not, you’re going to love these!

Please note, that while these are diary free they are not vegan because they contain eggs. Since I am not vegan, I have not tested them with a flax egg, but if you give it a go please let us know so we can share your experience with our followers!

Ingredients

• 1 cup white sugar
• 3/4 brown sugar
• 1 “scant” cup of tahini
• 2 eggs
• 2 Teaspoons of vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons of cold water
• 1 1/4 teaspoons of salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 cups vegan chocolate chips or chunks (or regular for those without dietary restrictions)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, and line cookie sheet(s) with parchment paper
2. Combine sugars and tahini in stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, and mix a few minutes until combined. Mixture will be crumbly, not the smooth texture you’re used to in traditional recipes.
3. Add eggs, vanilla and water and mix until combine. The mixture will now start to resemble that of a traditional cookie- smooth and shiny.
4. Add salt and baking soda, and mix to combine, then add flour and mix until just combined.
5. Add chocolate chips/ chunks and mix until just combined. Normally this is a step I suggest doing by hand so as to not crush the chocolate chips…. but this cookie dough is seriously thick and sticky!! However my mixer tends to start to complain and I end up having to do this step mostly by hand anyways. Do whatever you gotta do to get those chips mixed in! (even if it means shoving them into the dough balls!)
6. Use a tablespoon, or eyeball it, to scoop dough. Roll to ensure those chocolate chips don’t sneak out, and then place on cookie sheet. Moisten fingers with cool water, and flatten cookie slightly. Shove more chocolate chips in if you have to.
7. Bake at 375 for 8-10 mins until edges are turning golden.

ENJOY!

Did you enjoy these cookies?!  Let us know by e-mailing us at rivercitysisters@gmail.com or show off on Instagram by tagging us @rivercitysisters, or using the hashtag #rivercitysisters.