Rich with sesame flavor, these vegan Orange-Tahini Cookies are filled with orange zest and sweet enough to let you know you're definitely eating dessert. They couldn't be easier to make and call for just 8 ingredients and 30 minutes start to finish!
Is there anything tahini can't do? From amazing salad dressings (still obsessed with this Creamy Harissa Dressing) to hummus, as a rub for kale chips and granola, and as a creamy fat for desserts, tahini makes itself at home pretty much anywhere.
There's something particularly irresistible about the earthy vibe of sesame balanced with a bit of sweetness. My love for sweet sesame treats goes way back to childhood. Anyone familiar with Halvah bars? Decades ago they were one of my favorite treats to grab off the shelves at the health food store where Mom worked. So delicious!
Anyway, I've been on such a tahini spree lately on the blog, I figured why stop now? Let's do a cookie! And let's add some coconut oil for a bit more richness and that crispy/chewy cookie texture we all love. Let's also add plenty of orange zest just because orange is excellent in cookies. And then let's roll these babies in sesame seeds just to declare to the world exactly how much we love sesame.
Ingredients Needed for Orange-Tahini Cookies
- tahini
- sesame seeds
- coconut oil - Use virgin if you like coconut flavor or refined coconut oil (sometimes called deodorized) if you really want the tahini to shine. I've made them both ways and preferred the stronger tahini flavor of the batch made with refined coconut oil.
- non-dairy milk
- orange zest and juice
- sugar
- all-purpose flour
- baking soda
...plus a bit of salt. You can also include a touch of orange extract if you like, but honestly, with a heaping teaspoon-full of orange zest, you really don't need the extract. These cookies are so satisfying, soft yet chewy, and a perfect size for those times when you want just a few bites of a treat.
If you don't consider yourself much of a baker, I am of the strong opinion that you should definitely make yourself a batch of these cookies. It really is simple, fun, and rewarding, and once you see how easy it is, you'll wonder why anyone ever buys packaged cookie dough!
More vegan sweet treats:
Spelt Cookies With Peanuts and Chocolate
Rosemary and Roasted Honeynut Squash Cookies
Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookies (oil-free)
Chocolate Chunk Orange Pecan Cookies
Vegan Rice Krispie Treats
Gingerbread-Date Rice Krispie Treats
One-Bowl Orange-Tahini Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
Sesame Seed Coating:
- ¼ cup sesame seeds
- 2 tsp organic cane sugar
Wet ingredients:
- ¼ cup tahini
- ¼ cup coconut oil, virgin or refined, melted (virgin will lend coconut aroma and flavor)
- 1 tsp orange zest (from 1 orange)
- 2 Tbsp orange juice
- ¼ tsp orange extract, optional
- 2 to 3 Tbsp non-dairy milk
- ½ cup organic cane sugar
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
Dry ingredients:
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (160g)
- ½ tsp baking soda
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees, and line two cookie sheets with parchment or silicone mats.
- Mix the sesame seeds and 2 tsp sugar in a shallow bowl, and set aside.
- Put the tahini and coconut oil in a large bowl. Microwave for a few seconds to melt the oil. Whisk to combine the two. Add the zest, juice, extract, 2 tablespoons of milk, ½ cup sugar, and salt, and whisk to combine.
- Sift the flour and baking soda into the bowl and stir until a dough forms. If the mixture is too crumbly, add another tablespoon of milk and stir to incorporate.
- Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough into your hand. Using your palms roll the dough into a ball, and and then flatten it into a cookie shape. Dip both the tops and bottoms of the cookies in the sesame seed-sugar mixture and place on the prepared pans.
- Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until the bottoms are lightly golden. Allow cookies to cool on the pans for a few minutes before transferring to cooling racks.
Notes
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used. We calculate this information using the online calculator cronometer.com.
Carol McCollum
I love Halvah!! Looking fwd to making these cookies! Can date sugar be used in the sesame seed coating, and in the cookie ingredients?
Lori
Hi Carol,
I haven't tried them with date sugar but it should be fine. It will change the color of the cookies a bit, but I bet they'll be delicious! Let us know if you give it a try.
Tara
Another winner. I will admit I cheated a little - reduced the oil, used part oat flour, my new fave thing!, and used different "toppings." But the cookies are still so good. They look rough, but I'm not the blogger, so it's fine for me!
Lori
Hooray, glad you enjoyed these, Tara. I'll have to try them with oat flour next!