Step aside, chocolate chip.
I’ve found my new favorite snack and it’s these tahini white chocolate pistachio cookies. Soft and chewy, studded with crunchy pistachios and creamy white chocolate, these cookies will delight large and small children alike.
We should ALL be baking with more tahini. It’s rich and nutty just like peanut butter, but it has this extra savory edge that makes sweeter ingredients really pop. I’ve previously paired it with blackberries and white chocolate, but this time I’m keeping it firmly in the middle east with toasted pistachios and—okay, so this isn’t really middle eastern but what the heck—some more white chocolate.
Tahini is a natural product without added emulsifiers, so like natural peanut butter, the oil will tend to separate and float to the top of the jar. Make sure to stir until the tahini is completely homogenous before measuring it out: too much of that oil (or not enough) could throw off the consistency of the cookie dough. It’s equally important not to overmix the dough once the tahini has been added. Too much beating will cause the tahini in the dough to split, resulting in a coarse, grainy dough that’s leaching oil. (Yes, I found this out the hard way.) To avoid this, fold the tahini in with the flour right at the end, and mix until it’s just incorporated. NEVER beat the tahini with the butter and sugar. It will definitely split.
Similar to a regular chocolate chip cookie, you can mix up the mix-in’s to your heart’s content. I love the contrast between creamy sweet white chocolate and savory rich tahini, but if you’re not a fan, feel free to try dark or milk chocolate or a mix. You could also sub out the pistachios if you wanted—macadamia nuts might be especially delicious, particularly if you combined them with the white chocolate. Just make sure that whatever you choose pairs well with the tahini. This cookie is ALL about the tahini.
Enjoy!
Tahini White Chocolate Pistachio Cookies
(Makes 16-18)
½ cup (100 g.) light brown sugar
6 tbsp. (85 g.) unsalted butter, room temperature
¼ cup (50 g.) granulated sugar
½ tsp. kosher salt
1 large egg, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract
¼ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. baking soda
1 cup (120 g.) all-purpose flour
6 tbsp. (90 g.) well-stirred tahini
½ cup roasted unsalted pistachios
½ cup white chocolate chips
Special equipment: hand mixer, cookie scoop (optional), baking sheets, parchment paper.
Method:
In a bowl with a hand mixer, beat together light brown sugar, butter, granulated sugar, and salt until light and creamy. Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined.
Beat in baking powder and baking soda, then switch to a rubber spatula and fold in flour and tahini just until combined. Fold in pistachios and white chocolate chips. Cover and chill in the refrigerator until firm, at least 1 hour.
Meanwhile, line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, rack in the middle position.
Using a 1-ounce cookie scoop, or with two spoons, scoop balls of cookie dough about 2 tablespoons in size. Place on prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart.
Bake cookies, one sheet at a time, until golden brown around the edges, 10-13 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Originally posted September 15, 2023.