Ridiculously delicious tahini choc chunk cookies
Gluten-free, nut-free, vegan and low in unrefined sugars
Makes about 16 cookies
Everyone loves a good chocolate chunk cookie. I think these are my best cookie creation yet: ridiculously simple to make, delicious to eat, and oh so good for your body and brain!
You’ll get the best results with a runny tahini. I like Carwari brand, which is available from Foodland and IGA supermarkets.
Why you and your body will love these
Tahini, which is simply sesame seeds ground into a paste, takes the place of butter in these cookies, upping their nutritional profile with plenty of bone-loving protein and calcium, all while providing a deliciously chewy texture.
The shredded coconut and coconut flour are good sources of fibre and keep the cookies naturally gluten-free.
Last, but definitely not least, the chocolate provides antioxidants, zinc and iron and is a rich source of stress-relieving, muscle-relaxing magnesium.
What you’ll need
1 cup (250 g) hulled tahini, organic if possible
¼ cup (60ml) pure maple syrup
¼ cup (50g) rapadura or coconut sugar
1 Tablespoon flaxseed, ground and mixed with 3 Tablespoons water to make 1 flax egg (or use 1 large free-range egg, lightly beaten)
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt flakes
½ teaspoon bicarbonate soda
3 Tablespoons coconut flour
¼ cup (20g) unsweetened shredded coconut, lightly toasted
90-100g 70% cocoa chocolate block, roughly chopped
(I like Green & Black organic chocolate and their bars are 90g, Lindt also works well and their bars are 100g)
Extra salt flakes for sprinkling on top
What to do
Preheat your oven to 160°C fan-forced. Line 2 baking sheets with compostable baking paper or with silicone mats.
If using a flax egg, prepare this first by combing the ground flaxseed and water in a small bowl and leave it to sit for 10-15 minutes until it’s thick and gloopy.
Pour tahini into a medium mixing bowl. Add maple syrup, sugar, flax egg (or regular egg), vanilla, cinnamon, salt flakes and bicarb soda. Stir together with a large metal spoon until well combined.
Fold in coconut flour and shredded coconut. Lastly, fold through the chocolate chunks.
Use a tablespoon measure or small ice-cream scoop to form cookies. Place on the baking sheets, leaving a few centimetres between each cookie. Flatten each cookie slightly with your hand and sprinkle a few flakes of salt on top of each.
You’ll be cooking these for 16-18 minutes in total. After 8 minutes, remove the trays from the oven, give each tray a sharp tap on your kitchen bench (this helps to flatten the cookies, making them crisp on the edges while keeping them gooey in the centre – and avoids them becoming cakey). Return trays to the oven, swapping the shelves, and bake for another 8-10 minutes until the cookies are just golden on the edges.
Leave to cool on trays for 15 minutes and then move onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Devour immediately – or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Storing the cookies in the fridge keeps them fudgy rather than becoming cakey.
© The Green Gourmet, 2021
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