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    Home » Recipes » Cookies

    Tahini and olive oil chocolate chunk cookies (vegan)

    Published: Mar 1, 2022 by Makos

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    These vegan, one-bowl, soft and chewy tahini and olive oil chocolate chunk cookies will amaze you with their intense chocolaty taste and their nutty undertones.

    tahini and olive oil chocolate chunk cookies vegan 4

    This recipe for vegan olive oil and tahini chocolate chunk cookies is a one-bowl recipe and one of the easiest you’re going to make!

    The Mediterranean cuisine may have a lot of easy, one-bowl cookie recipes like these vegan and crunchy Greek sesame and olive oil cookies – but it hasn’t any American-type chocolate chip ones. So it is easy to say that this recipe combines the best of two worlds and creates a healthier cookie with intense chocolaty taste and nutty undertones.

    All you have to do is just mix some ingredients with a fork or a whisk, add the flour and the chocolate chunks and chill the mixture in the fridge.

    Since the dough doesn’t contain any eggs or dairy, you can make a large batch, keep it in the fridge for several days, and bake some cookies each time you feel the need! The only thing you have to be careful of is to not over-bake them!

    tahini and olive oil chocolate chunk cookies vegan 6

    This post has been updated with new photos. If you've been here before, you may remember the old photos with the blue background (I will probably leave an old photo at the end of this post for reference). I'd like to believe that my photography has evolved from when I started this blog, and one of the reasons for this is a long talk I had with Bella through the telephone.

    Bella from ful-filled.com is one of the most talented photographers I know and one of the kindest, warm, and altruistic persons you're going to meet. I contacted her through Instagram about a year ago and after a few days we were on the phone talking about my photography.

    She told me things that were not very easy to hear, but her way so smooth and affectionate that she made me rethink my photography and pushed me to evolve and explore new paths. I guess this small paragraph is my big "thank you" to her, and I hope one day I'll be able to return the favor.

    Also, the original version of the cookies you see here are these big, soft and chewy tahini - olive oil chocolate chunk cookies which are some of the best cookies I’ve ever made!

    tahini and olive oil chocolate chunk cookies vegan 1

    Tip for better presentation: keep some pieces of the chopped chocolate on the side (about 2-3 pieces per cookie) and add them to the top of each cookie after you scoop it and when you roll it into a ball.

    Why use chopped chocolate and not chocolate chips?

    Since chocolate is a basic ingredient in these cookies, it goes without saying that you should use a good quality one. And in general, a good chocolate bar will be of better quality than many chocolate chips… But that’s not the only reason. Chopping the chocolate will create pieces uneven in size and shape plus many trimmings. The trimmings scatter throughout the dough giving it a wonderful chocolaty flavor, and the variously shaped chunks make the appearance but also each bite more interesting!

    tahini and olive oil chocolate chunk cookies vegan 2

    There are two things you should have in mind when making these cookies.

    The cookies should be cold before baking otherwise they tend to spread a lot. But even if they spread too much, they still are delicious and chewy, so there have been times when I’ve baked them without chilling them first (if you want them to look like the pictures though, don’t skip this step!) For the same reason, they’re also baked at a slightly higher temperature than average, so that the edges set quickly and the cookies remain nice and thick. 🙂

    tahini and olive oil chocolate chunk cookies vegan 5

    Some notes/tips:

    • Chill the dough very well in the fridge to prevent the cookies from spreading too much.
    • Use chopped chocolate instead of chocolate chips. The uneven pieces and the trimmings of the chocolate contribute to better texture and taste!
    • As with all cookies of this type, don’t over-bake them! The centers of the cookies should seem slightly underbaked when you take them out of the oven.
    tahini and olive oil chocolate chunk cookies vegan 3

    You may like these similar recipes:

    Crispy pistachio and chocolate chip cookies

    Chocolate covered Greek honey cookies (honeyroons)

    Share this post if you liked it (share buttons at the top!) and don’t forget to subscribe for new recipes or follow me on Instagram,   Pinterest,   Facebook

    Vegan olive oil and tahini chocolate chunk cookies 3

    Recipe

    Tahini and olive oil chocolate chunk cookies (vegan)

    Makos
    These vegan, one-bowl, soft and chewy tahini and olive oil chocolate chunk cookies will amaze you with their intense chocolaty taste and their nutty undertones.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 11 minutes mins
    Total Time 26 minutes mins
    Course cookies, Dessert, Sweets
    Cuisine American, Mediterranean, vegan
    Servings 12 cookies
    Calories 299 kcal

    Ingredients
     

    • ⅓ cup (80 grams) tahini
    • ½ cup (100 grams) extra virgin olive oil
    • ½ cup (100 grams) brown sugar
    • ½ cup (100 grams) sugar
    • ¼ cup orange juice or apple juice or water
    • 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds or chia seeds (optional)
    • 2 teaspoon vanilla
    • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
    • ½ teaspoon instant espresso powder
    • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • 1 ½ cups (200 grams) all-purpose flour
    • 5.3 oz (150 grams) chopped chocolate, at least 55% cocoa
    • Some sea salt flakes for topping.
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • If you use the ground flax seeds, mix them together with the orange juice and set aside for 5 minutes.
    • Transfer the olive oil, the tahini, the sugars, the orange juice, the vanilla, the cinnamon, the espresso powder and the salt to a bowl and mix with a fork or a whisk for 1-2 minutes until the sugar is almost dissolved.
    • Combine the flour with the baking soda in a small bowl and add it to the olive oil/tahini mixture. Mix gently with a spatula until almost combined. Add the chopped chocolate and mix gently.
      Refrigerate the dough for 3-4 hours or overnight.
    • Preheat oven to 365°F (185°C) and line your pan with baking paper.
    • Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces (a ¼ cup ice cream scoop will give you exactly 12 pieces) and roll each piece into a ball. Transfer to the pan, leaving about 2-3 inches distance between each cookie and sprinkle with some sea salt flakes.
    • Bake for 11-12 minutes. The cookies should look slightly underdone in the middle. Take the pan out of the oven and tap it on the counter for the cookies to deflate and settle. This will give them a bakery-style look. Let them cool for 5 minutes and transfer to a rack to cool completely.
    • Eat!

    Notes

    • If you don't have instant espresso granules you can use ¼ cup of espresso coffee (about two shots) instead of the orange juice.
    • The ground flax (or chia) seeds are not necessary but they will give you slightly better texture. If you have whole flax (or chia) seeds you can grind them in a mortar.
    • For better presentation: keep some pieces of the chopped chocolate on the side (about 2-3 pieces per cookie) and add them to the top of each cookie when you roll it into a ball.
    Similar recipes you may like:
    Tahini & Chocolate (or Nutella) stuffed crumble muffins
    5-ingredient flourless chocolate cake (no butter)

    Nutrition

    Calories: 299kcal
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    If you like this recipe, pin it!

    tahini and olive oil chocolate chunk cookies vegan 7

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    Reader Interactions

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    1. Christina

      March 16, 2018 at 3:38 pm

      Oooooh, I'm lucky enough to have both ground flaxseeds and chia seeds in my pantry! These cookies look marvelous! Pinning for later when my sweet-toothed beast rears its ugly head again!

      Reply
      • Makos

        March 19, 2018 at 8:04 am

        Thanks Christina! You 're well organised having both ground flaxseeds and chia seeds! Happy baking! 🙂

        Reply
    2. Fran @ G'day Souffle'

      March 21, 2018 at 6:11 am

      Oh, I can see the sea salt flakes floating in these cookies! I see that someone took a bite out of one of the cookies in the bottom photo- I can see why- they look delicious!

      Reply
      • Makos

        March 21, 2018 at 10:20 pm

        Hahaha! Thank you very much Fran! 🙂
        Who that someone may be??? I wonder!

        Reply
    3. heather (delicious not gorgeous)

      March 22, 2018 at 2:25 am

      those puddles of chocolate look awesome!!! and yes yes yes to chopping chocolate for chocolate chip cookies. that's one of my major must do's whenever i make a batch (:

      Reply
      • Makos

        March 23, 2018 at 8:59 am

        Knowing about your must do's makes me like you even more Heather! 🙂
        Happy baking!

        Reply
    4. LoveCompassionateLee

      March 22, 2018 at 10:08 pm

      It's been a while since I enjoyed a really good chocolate chip cookie. I can't wait to give this recipe a try over the weekend.

      Thanks for sharing & Happy Thursday, Makos

      Reply
      • Makos

        April 12, 2018 at 8:16 pm

        Thank you very much and happy baking!!! 🙂

        Reply
    5. marc

      February 18, 2019 at 11:22 pm

      you mention substituting chia seeds for the egg, but the recipe does not call for an egg! am i missing something??

      thanks

      Reply
      • Makos

        February 18, 2019 at 9:33 pm

        Hi Marc,
        I am referring to the original recipe, these chewy olive oil and tahini chocolate chunk cookies.
        The recipe on this post doesn't need an egg or chia seeds, so you're good to go! 🙂

        Reply
    6. bella

      August 20, 2019 at 11:39 pm

      5 stars
      Hands down our favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe! bravo Mako, this recipe is such a winner!

      Reply
      • Makos

        August 21, 2019 at 4:43 am

        Thank you Bella! This is my favorite choc chip cookie recipe too. I'm thrilled you guys liked it!!!!

        Reply
    7. Darla Brochu

      April 16, 2020 at 1:13 am

      Can I substitute whole wheat flour for the all purpose flour? Would I need to add more liquid?

      Reply
      • Makos

        April 15, 2020 at 10:28 pm

        Hi Darla,
        I haven't tried this, but I think the substitution is 1 to 1.
        Just to be safe, it's better to reserve a couple tablespoons of flour and add them at the end if you feel it's necessary

        Reply
    8. Mark

      April 18, 2020 at 5:38 am

      What a fantastic recipe! Thank you so much — these cookies made my day! (And will make for a few more really good days, too…)

      Reply
      • Makos

        April 18, 2020 at 7:26 am

        Thanks Mark, I'm very happy you liked them 🙂

        Reply
    9. chiara

      April 30, 2020 at 12:18 pm

      Hi Makos, this recipe has been on my must try list for the longest time and I figured to give it a go now. Do you think it’d be possible to cut back on sugar a bit? I am aware sugar plays a very important role texture wise, but a 1:1 flour to sugar ratio is a bit too much for me to handle, considering the sweetness also brought in by chocolate. So I was wondering how much sugar I can cut out without sacrificing texture too much?

      Thank you, and keep up with the awesome work you do!
      best,
      chiara

      Reply
      • Makos

        April 30, 2020 at 12:32 pm

        Hi Chiara
        Thanks so much for your kind words. The quantity of the sugar is also a concern of mine, but every time I make them I'm always afraid to lose the texture so I never reduce it. I would suggest using half the white sugar and all of the brown sugar the first time and see how it goes. If you're pleased with the texture you can make them again and reduce both sugars by half the second time. If I find the time I will try to do it myself also.
        Please let me know how it went if you can.
        Bye!

        Reply
        • Chiara

          May 11, 2020 at 4:47 pm

          Oh my you were SO quick with your reply and I didn't even manage to catch it on time (though I thought I'd turned on the follow-up notifications duh). I'm making them now as you suggested and I'll make sure to let you know how they turn out!

          Reply
    10. Dottie Ricketson

      January 30, 2023 at 10:26 pm

      Has anyone tried these with gluten free flour mix?

      Reply
      • Dottie Ricketson

        February 02, 2023 at 1:56 am

        5 stars
        OK for all you gluten free bakers, I’m answering my own question cause I had to try these - used a gluten free one for one flour mix, cut the white sugar in half and made fresh espresso - OMG my new fav! I love that there’s no butter but they taste so buttery!

        Reply
        • Makos

          February 02, 2023 at 5:25 am

          That's so great Dottie, thanks for the feedback!

          Reply

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    Hi, I’m Makos. I make traditional Mediterranean recipes more accessible to modern people. Sometimes I'll add a twist. Take a look!

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