5 Ingredients or Fewer

Chocolatey Tahini Cups

August  6, 2018
4
14 Ratings
Photo by Rocky Luten
  • Prep time 45 minutes
  • Cook time 5 minutes
  • Makes 9
Author Notes

What would happen if a Reese's was petite-sized, tahini-filled, and salt-sprinkled? This. Runny, pourable tahini turns spoonable and thick thanks to one magic ingredient—water. I like milk chocolate best, but feel free to swap in dark if that's your thing. —Emma Laperruque

Test Kitchen Notes

This is one of our Big Little Recipes. Read more here: Chocolatey Tahini Cups With a 2-Ingredient Shopping List. —The Editors

What You'll Need
Watch This Recipe
Chocolatey Tahini Cups
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup well-stirred tahini
  • 4 teaspoons cold water
  • 1 cup milk chocolate chips (about 5 ounces)
  • 1 pinch flaky salt
Directions
  1. Set 9 mini muffin paper liners on a plate.
  2. Add the tahini to a small bowl. While stirring with a fork, add the water a teaspoon at a time. After you’ve added all the water, stir some more to emulsify the mixture as much as possible. It should be very thick.
  3. Two ways to melt the chocolate: In a double boiler, set over softly simmering water, stirring frequently. Or in a bowl in the microwave—30-second bursts, stirring between each. (The former will take longer than the latter.)
  4. Add 1 teaspoon melted chocolate to the bottom of each cup. (I like to use a teaspoon measuring spoon. Fill it generously, then shake into the liner. Don’t worry about getting every last drop.) Add 2 teaspoons tahini to each cup. If the tahini blob is rounded, gently flatten with a wet finger. (You don’t want to push too hard, lest it squish through the chocolate.) Top each with another 1 teaspoon melted chocolate, smoothing with the measuring spoon to make sure the tahini is completely covered. Sprinkle each with flaky salt.
  5. Stick in the fridge to chill completely. And keep there—or in the freezer—until you’re ready to eat.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Foodaism
    Foodaism
  • Nicole S. Urdang
    Nicole S. Urdang
  • Emma Laperruque
    Emma Laperruque
  • Bklynbookgrrl
    Bklynbookgrrl
Emma was the food editor at Food52. She created the award-winning column, Big Little Recipes, and turned it into a cookbook in 2021. These days, she's a senior editor at Bon Appétit, leading digital cooking coverage. Say hello on Instagram at @emmalaperruque.

24 Reviews

Sophia April 18, 2021
I made this oh so easy recipe with dark chocolate, they are addictive! I was wondering if one could make the same recipe but with peanut butter instead of tahini?
 
Foodaism March 28, 2019
I make something similar with crumbled halvah instead of plain tahini. It’s sweeter, flakier and even easier. Also do-able as lollipops.
 
Emma L. March 29, 2019
Crumbled halvah sounds so good!
 
Marcia September 14, 2018
As a variation on this recipe, could I use almond paste instead of tahini? Would I need to add butter (how much) or anything else to compensate for not using tahini? Thanks.
 
Emma L. September 14, 2018
Love that idea! I could (would, should) eat almond paste straight, so I'd just add 2 teaspoon–sized hunks to the center, same as the tahini.
 
Marcia September 14, 2018
Just to clarify, I would still use the 1/2 cup tahini along with 2 teaspoon-sized hunks of almond paste? Or am I substituting the 1/2 cup tahini for 2 tsp almond paste? thanks
 
Emma L. September 14, 2018
Sorry for the confusion! If you want to use almond paste instead of (not in addition to) tahini, you'd start with about 1/2 cup almond paste (just an estimate, since I haven't tested this adaptation) and add about 2 teaspoons of almond paste to each chocolate cup.
 
Kathleen August 26, 2018
Thank you for the suggestion, Miriam. A good solution and the sugar free chips may well suit othe recipes 😊
 
Kathleen August 26, 2018
Has anyone calculated a carb count for this using semi or dark chocolate. I am type I I diabetic and restrict carbs. Thanks.
 
Bklynbookgrrl August 26, 2018
Hi Kathleen-I haven't calculated but my husband is Type2 (different, I know) and I often use sugar free chocolate chips to makes things. Hershey's has a semi-sweet, sugar free chocolate chips, and Nutsonline.com has mini-milk chocolate chips. They work well!
 
Oaklandpat August 15, 2018
Delicious! Finally made them today, using Guittard milk chocolate, and like several others, I believe I would enjoy them even more with a darker variety. Also, will make them in a standard size muffin cup next time so that they are thinner. I found that the hardened chocolate caused the tahini filling to squeeze out when bitten into. Thanks for a great recipe Emma.
 
Emma L. August 15, 2018
Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed.
 
Rachael August 14, 2018
These are awesome! I got 12of the recipe, I used 72% dark chocolate with it and it came out great. I love how simple this recipe is with the just tahini, I am not a huge fan of things being to sweet and this was just right! Thank you!
 
Emma L. August 14, 2018
Thanks, Rachael!
 
Nicole S. August 13, 2018
Hi,
I made half is recipe today in little gen sized muffin cup foil liners.
I found the milk chocolate too sweet.
Next time, I would add some sugar To the tahini-water mixture and use a great 70% dark chocolate to balance out the flavor while keeping them less sweet.
Also, dark chocolate melts into a runnier consistency and is far easier to worth with, at least, for me.
 
Emma L. August 14, 2018
Hi Nicole! If you add sugar to the filling, I'd use powdered sugar, which will dissolve more easily. Hope you like the dark chocolate swap!
 
Nicole S. August 15, 2018
Hi Emma,
Thank you for your suggestion. Actually, I experimented with making half the recipe into a bark. Made an 8 inch round disc of 64% Valrhona Tainori chocolate topped, froze it for five minutes to get it hard, topped it with tahini mixed with 2-3 teaspoonfuls of real maple syrup, and drizzled it with the remaining third of the chocolate in a Jackson Pollock pattern. I put it back in the freezer and after it was quite cold broke it into bite-size pieces. Stored it in the freezer where the chocolate remained firm but the tahini kept a softer texture. Interesting and delicious!
 
Emma L. August 15, 2018
That’s so creative! Sounds wonderful.
 
Nicole S. August 15, 2018
Thank you. You provided the inspiration!
 
Beth T. August 13, 2018
Can I use dark chocolate?
 
Emma L. August 13, 2018
Totally!
 
Nicole S. August 12, 2018
As a complete chocophile, see my reviews on Chocolate Ratings, I love the simplicity and uniqueness of this recipe.

If you want to use a milk chocolate bar for this recipe, I would suggest TCHO 54% milk. It’s a somewhat darker milk chocolate, higher percentage of cocoa solids, with a very rich caramel flavor
 
Oaklandpat August 8, 2018
Emma, is there a brand of milk chocolate chips you would recommend? Would this this work with a bar of chocolate?
 
Emma L. August 8, 2018
Hi! I usually use Ghirardelli chips, or the Whole Foods brand. I'd recommend using whatever brand you really like the taste of :) Totally fine if it's a bar; just break up before melting so it melts evenly.