Tahini Oatmeal Cookies are crisp on the outside, chewy in the middle, perfectly rich, sweet, and filled with warming spices. Even better, they're vegan, made with oats and oat flour, and contain no refined sugar or oil. But don't worry, they're so delicious no one will even know!
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Why You'll Love Tahini Oatmeal Cookies
In my trusty old recipe binder I have a printout from nearly twenty years ago for Spicy Oatmeal Crisps. It was from an issue of Cooking Light, you know, back when we used to read magazines instead of screens.
I don't remember exactly how many times I made those cookies back in the day, but I know that I loved them and turned to that recipe often for parties and during the holidays.
For years I've been meaning to create a vegan version of those spicy oatmeal cookies, and that day has finally arrived!
But I didn't just veganize them, I also made them quite a bit healthier, opting for oat flour instead of all-purpose flour, tahini instead of butter, and coconut sugar instead of brown sugar. Don't let that "healthier" part scare you off, though. They are seriously delicious.
The result is a crisp-yet-chewy, irresistibly spiced, tahini oatmeal cookie that keeps you coming back for more!
Ingredient Notes
The full recipe is below, but here's a quick glance at what you'll need:
- oats and oat flour - look for regular, old fashioned rolled oats. Oat flour can be purchased in most stores these days and online, or you can make your own by blending rolled oats into a flour consistency.
- spices - I used cinnamon, allspice, cloves, nutmeg black pepper, but feel free to experiment with others, like pumpkin spice blend!
- tahini - this is simply toasted sesame seeds that have been ground into a paste.
- coconut sugar - or sub light brown sugar.
- maple syrup - adds moisture and lovely flavor to the cookies that pairs so well with the earthy, nutty flavor of tahini and the spices.
- non-dairy milk - we only need a small amount, otherwise the cookies will lose that slightly crisp exterior. Any variety is fine.
How to Make Tahini Oatmeal Cookies
Technically, you can make these in 1 bowl. But if you're in the mood to play it safe, go ahead and mix wet ingredients in one bowl and dry in another bowl, then combine.
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I use this Wilton cookie scoop, but a standard tablespoon also works.
Scoop up a scant 1 ½ tablespoons dough per cookie, roll into balls, then flatten each one with a fork creating a criss-cross pattern on top. Easy peasy!
Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 10-12 minutes or until the bottoms are golden. The cookies will be soft straight from the oven. So let them cool for a few minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack.
The fat content of tahini helps them crisp up on the outside, while the maple syrup and moisture make them irresistibly chewy on the inside.
Substitutions
Oat Flour - Though this recipe was inspired by the Cooking Light recipe I mentioned, the base of the cookies more closely resembles my Oat Flour Peanut Butter Cookies.
So far I've only tested the recipe with oat flour, but other whole-grain flours should be fine, too. And similar to my Cashew Butter Cookies, a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend should also work (reduce to ½ cup).
Feel free to use store-bought or make your own oat flour by blending rolled oats until finely ground.
Spices - As written, I wouldn't describe these as over-the-top spicy, but of course, these things tend to be subjective!
After trying the recipe you may find you want to adjust the amount spices. If you're not sure how you feel about the black pepper, try them first with jsut the the cinnamon and nutmeg for a more classic tahini oatmeal cookie flavor.
Sweetener - Coconut sugar gives these cookies a molasses-y warmth and non-cloying sweetness. If you choose a different granulated sweetener, like brown sugar, they will taste a bit sweeter.
Maple Syrup - The small amount of maple syrup called for in the recipe contributes to the overall flavor, sweetness, and moisture.
I recommend using maple syrup if you can, but if you don't have any, replace the maple syrup with 1 ½ tablespoons coconut sugar plus 2 teaspoons non-dairy milk.
How to Store
Store the cookies in a container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 1 month.
Top Tip
For the best results I recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh the flour. If you don't have a scale, whisk the oat flour really well, gently scoop it up with a measuring cup, then level off the excess.
I hope you LOVE these Tahini Oatmeal Cookies. If you try the recipe be sure to leave a comment below to let everyone know how they turned out!
Recipe
Spiced Tahini Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup oat flour - Certified gluten-free if needed. See Notes.
- ¼ cup rolled oats
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper - Medium grind
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ cup tahini, stirred well
- ½ cup coconut sugar - Sub light or dark brown sugar if desired.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 to 2 tablespoons non-dairy milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C), and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium-size bowl whisk together the oat flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, salt, pepper, cloves, and nutmeg. In a mixing bowl combine the tahini, coconut sugar, vanilla, maple syrup, and 1 tablespoon of milk. Stir until smooth.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the mixing bowl, and stir to combine. The dough should be thick and somewhat sticky; if it seems too dry, add 1 more tablespoon of milk.
- Use a tablespoon or cookie scoop to scoop up approx. 1 ½ tablespoons of dough per cookie. Roll the dough between your palms to form a smooth ball, and place on the prepared pan about 3 inches apart. Use a fork to create a criss-cross pattern on the top of each cookie, gently pressing down to flatten. Dip the underside of the fork tines in coconut sugar to prevent sticking.
- Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until the bottoms are golden. The cookies will be very soft straight out of the oven. Allow to rest on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer cookies to a cooling rack. As they cool the outsides will crisp up while the insides remain chewy.
- Once cool, store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days, or freeze for longer storage.
Notes
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used.
Raine Chapman says
Really yummy. I added 2 T olive oil because dough seemed dry and I knew texture would be better if I did. I also didn't add maple syrup cuz it seemed a bit unnecessary. Also I recommend baking for closer to 9 minutes because they were a bit hard when baked them for like 11 minutes. This is definitely a healthy recipe I can get behind!
Lori Rasmussen says
Glad you liked the recipe, Raine! Yes, the maple syrup adds quite a bit of moisture, so that also affects the cook time. It sounds like you worked it out perfectly for your version. I really like olive oil in cookies, so I'll have to give that a try.
Kay says
This is my go-to cookie recipe! I always make them as written and they freeze well, too. Don't skimp on the spices - it's what makes them truly delicious. Thanks for a great recipe!
Kat says
Can I substitute all purpose flour? Thanks for all of the great recipes!
Lori Rasmussen says
Hi Kat - Yes, that should be fine. Use the same amount by weight, 60 grams or 1/2 cup. Hope you enjoy them!
Deanna says
Wonderful recipe. The cookies are delicious and the spice is very complimentary. I will make them again.
Julie Ann Bailey says
These cookies are delicious and remind me of Chai tea, which I love. Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe!
Lisa M says
Absolutely delicious! Addictive and could not stop eating ❤️
erae says
I made these cookies today and added some semi-sweet dark chocolate chips to the recipe. These cookies are the best! Thank you for this lovely, easy and very tasty recipe.
Alanna says
This recipe is so good! The tahini through me off so I used half tahini have sunflower seed butter. On tasting, I wish I had gone all tahini. Very good.
Roseann says
Could I just use water instead of milk?
Lori Rasmussen says
Hi Roseann - Yes, since it's such a small amount I'm sure that will be fine.