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 is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and ingredients used.
Bea says
These look amazing! We will be trying them soon. Thanks for all your amazing recipes!
Eileen W says
I love these cookies! I followed the recipe as written. After cooling, the cookies had a pleasing taste and crispness to them. The spices were subtle and not overwhelming. Enjoy them with vanilla ice cream!
Kavita says
In the words of my sister-in-law, these cookies "smell like Christmas." The spice on these is more than right, it's spot-on perfect! Love the use of the black pepper and allspice; we added some fresh grated ginger. Finally, the cookie that I've tried forever to make at home, and finally was able to! A few notes for the health-nuts out there: I replaced the sweeteners with 1/4 c. molasses, cut the tahini in half, and added in about 1/3c applesauce. It was a hit all the way around; I also like that this is a smaller batch that I can make just for me and enjoy without any guilt. Thanks a million, Lori!
suzi says
I made these today and they are really interesting!! Found the time for my oven was 9-10 minutes or else they were too crunchy, but some may want that!! Melted a tiny bit of white chocolate and drizzled on top of one to try. Good both ways!!
Pam says
Delicious!! Even better with the addition of chocolate chips.
Madeline Armstrong says
Wonderful recipe! I make a lot of tahini based cookies and these are so different and delicious with all the warming spices. They'll definitely be a staple this fall and winter! thank you!
Courtney says
Beautiful cookie! Crunchy outside, chewy inside, wonderful mixture of flavors. Thank you for sharing! Xo
Roseann says
These are my kind of cookies. I put a third of a cup of brown sugar and I used pumpkin pie spice instead of allspice because I didn’t have any. I love these cookies!
Sue says
These were great in flavor profile and I like how it's gluten free. At 1/2C of sweetener, it was slightly too sweet for me, but that's just personal preference. Great recipe!
Evan says
Made these last Friday. Everybody loved them!
Lori says
Oh that's great to hear, Evan. Thank you for the feedback!
Rose says
These are delish. These cookies offer a blend of spices that I have not tasted before, never having ground pepper in a cookie, and the crisp factor was on point. I tested two batches with different sugars. In one batch, I used dark brown sugar and the other date sugar. The dark brown sugar batch came out like the pictures here. Both were delectable. This recipe will be a great holiday cookie to share with friends and family, and it is s a solid oil-free vegan cookie recipe that I will use again. Highly recommend!
Lori says
Yessss! I'm so with you on that crisp factor, Rose. Thank you for the awesome feedback. 😀 I'm so happy you love them!
Faith says
Hi, is it possible to substitute the tahini with oil? My son is allergic to tahini as well as all other nuts and seeds.
Lori says
Hi Faith, great question! You definitely can use oil, but it might take a bit of experimentation to get the ratio just right for this recipe. Coconut oil works very well in cookies, if your son is okay with that one. Otherwise, I believe Earth Balance buttery spread is nut-free, and the new Country Crock plant butter might be, too, but you might want to verify with them. For any of these options I would start with 1/3 cup (instead of the 1/2 cup tahini). Melt it gently then measure 1/3 cup.
Let me know if you give them a try!
Melody says
These turned out wonderfully. I love that they are oil free. They are a great texture, just like a regular cookie. They did get a little overcooked, so I’ll watch them closer next time. And I forgot the coconut. Thank you for the great recipe.
Lori says
So glad you like them, Melody!