Bake

Vegan Tahini & Olive Oil Chocolate Chip Cookie

by:
January 29, 2024
4.3
15 Ratings
Vegan Tahini & Olive Oil Chocolate Chip Cookie
Photo by Nea Arentzen
  • Prep time 1 hour 20 minutes
  • Cook time 18 minutes
  • Serves 10 to 12
Author Notes

If there’s one thing I can’t resist, it’s a good chocolate chip cookie. They’re the perfect little treat, and I love that you can manipulate the most basic recipe into one that fits your exact preference–chewy, crispy, cakey, underbaked, thin, thick, the list goes on. It’s my most frequented baked good, and it’s even the dish that helped me get my job.

With that being said, since becoming (mostly) dairy-free over the last year, I’ve been on a mission to find a vegan chocolate chip cookie that I enjoy just as much as a regular one. That was until I tried the vegan cookie from Seven Grams cafe.

Their Vegan Tahini & Olive Oil Chocolate Chip Cookie uses tahini and olive oil instead of butter and eggs, and even without those two typically crucial ingredients, they’ve perfected not only the flavor but the structure and texture of the cookie as well. The following recipe was heavily inspired by their cookie, and although not an exact replica, I think you’ll find the tahini and olive oil make for an excellent substitution.

While you’ll find that most chocolate chip cookie recipes call for a higher ratio of brown sugar to granulated, I chose to use mostly granulated sugar. This was to develop a really crispy, chewy, and almost caramelized foot, and to keep the inside nice and soft. At first glance, it may also look like an overly generous amount of tahini and olive oil, but with the other ingredients, the flavors are very subtle and balanced.

Tips & Tricks
-Don’t overbake. Keep a close eye on them after the 15-minute mark, and don’t let them get too browned. You want them to be just golden brown, and look somewhat underbaked in the center still. Since the main ingredients are tahini and olive oil, they’ll harden up a lot once cooled.
-If you have time, let the dough chill overnight. This will help the flavors to develop even more.
-A whole tablespoon of salt and vanilla may seem extreme, but trust me on this. Since you’re not getting any salt from other ingredients, and since olive oil and tahini and fairly savory, you need the extra salt and vanilla to bring out the sweeter flavors. If you want, start with 2 teaspoons of salt and taste your way!
-If you divide the cookie dough into more than 12 cookies, adjust the cooking time accordingly.
-Use a cookie sheet over a rimmed baking sheet if you have one. Because cookie sheets are thinner than regular baking sheets, the bottom of the cookies will turn out crispier.

—Nea Arentzen

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 3/4 cup tahini
  • 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 1/4 cups granulated white sugar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup oat milk
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt (start with 2 teaspoons)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2/3 cup dairy-free dark chocolate chips (such as Guittard)
Directions
  1. In a large bowl, whisk together tahini, olive oil, sugars, oat milk, maple syrup, and vanilla until combined.
  2. In a small bowl, combine the together the flour, cornstarch, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients and chocolate chips to the tahini mixture and mix with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until just combined.
  3. Divide the cookie dough into 12 equal-sized balls, placing them on a parchment-lined plate. Freeze the cookie dough balls until firm, at least 30 minutes to one hour.
  4. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 410ºF with a rack in the upper third position. Place the cookies directly on a cookie sheet (avoid using parchment paper), at least 3 inches apart. Bake until the cookies are slightly golden brown on the top, and the bottom of the cookie looks browned and crispy, 15 to 18 Minutes depending on size. The top and bottom of the cookies should be crisp, and the center should be slightly underbaked. (Can be adjusted depending on taste preference.)
  5. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven. Immediately while they’re still very warm, place a large circular cookie cutter around the cookie (it should be notably bigger than the cookie) and, with a swirling hand motion, use the cookie cutter to shape it into a perfectly round cookie. Don’t do it so aggressively that the cookie breaks, but do it aggressively enough so that noticeable cracks form on the top.
  6. Sprinkle the cookies with coarse or flakey sea salt, if desired.
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  • JBHBird
    JBHBird
  • Nea Arentzen
    Nea Arentzen
  • growlbison
    growlbison
  • Jess
    Jess
Nea Arentzen

Recipe by: Nea Arentzen

Test Kitchen Content Creator & Recipe Developer at Food52

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17 Reviews

growlbison
growlbison August 23, 2024
Wow, these are amazing—so moist and crisp! I’m not usually a fan of vegan baked goods, but I decided to try these out because my niece slice masters and nephew have an egg allergy. I’m so glad I did! They taste just as good, if not better, than regular chocolate chip cookies. I’ll definitely be making these for years to come
 
Nea A.
Nea A. August 26, 2024
Aw thank you! I'm so glad they worked out for you!
 
Jess
Jess July 10, 2024
I baked these at 400 because even that sounded too high so I didn't want to go over that. I baked them for 15 min (the lower side of what was instructed) and the bottoms totally burned. My oven is brand new so it's not an oven issue. They definitely need to be baked either at a lower temp or for probably 10 min instead of 15. Also at 15 min they are certainly not underbaked. They also spread a but more than I like. So, if I make these again, I will be adjusting the recipe.
 
Jess
Jess July 10, 2024
meant to say the spread a BIT more....
 
Jabster182
Jabster182 June 24, 2024
I was so excited to make these as I’m a big fan of the original from the cafe!

My cookie dough came out fairly goopy / drippy. When I went to make balls from the dough, they sort of oozed into flatter blobs. After chilling in the freezer for 30 min they were firmer but still quite soft.

They came out delicious but definitely flatter than yours. Do you think I should add more flour?
 
JBHBird
JBHBird June 23, 2024
Delicious! We made 18 cookies instead of 12, though. They were plenty big enough. And after trying the circle motion for the first few cookies we gave up and just let them be the shape they were! It didn’t seem to add anything, and it was an extra step. High ratings from both vegan and non-vegan tasters. If you don’t like tahini, though, you will not like these!
 
Nea A.
Nea A. July 12, 2024
Really appreciate your comment! Glad you liked them <3
 
Camila C.
Camila C. June 5, 2024
Truly an amazing cookie! This now is my favorite vegan cookie ive ever baked! The first time i made them the dough was extremely greasy and sticky but once baked they had great flavor and texture, since then I've made them 4 more times, the last time i made them i added less oil and omitted the milk completely and they turned out great but maybe next time ill add a little milk!
 
Nea A.
Nea A. July 12, 2024
Aw thanks so much for leaving a comment, I'm so glad you like them! Also very interesting to learn about what you changed!
 
rebeccac411
rebeccac411 June 2, 2024
I baked these using parchment because I didn't want a crispy bottom. They burned around the edges at 14 minutes and had an overall burned taste (even after I cut off the visibly brine edges). Maybe try baking at a lower temperature for a longer time? 410 is quite high for cookies. I froze some of the dough, so I will try baking the rest at 375. Based on the first batch I baked, I will not make these again. I've had better luck veganizing other recipes by using flax meal instead of egg and vegan butter.
 
sarahccabral
sarahccabral May 11, 2024
These are SO good - so moist and crisp. I say that as someone who just about never eats vegan baked goods. I have a niece and nephew with an egg allergy so I gave these a try and they did not disappoint! They are just as good, if not better, than regular chocolate chip cookies. I will be making these for years to come.
 
mcirinelli
mcirinelli February 8, 2024
These cookies are amazing! I also love the video on instagram showing how to use the cookie cutter to shape the cookies after they bake. Thank you 🙏
 
Nea A.
Nea A. February 13, 2024
Aw so so glad you enjoyed them as much as I do!
 
Emma
Emma February 4, 2024
I had to make an official account just to review this recipe. This is by far the best vegan cookie I've ever made, and I've made many! Perfectly crispy on the top, edges, and bottom with a melt-in-your mouth center that has a delicious tahini/olive oil flavor. Though I'm not vegan, my best friend who is vegan says this is the best vegan cookie she's ever had. I honestly think I could give this to a non-vegan and they wouldn't be able to tell it doesn't have butter or egg. The tahini flavor definetely comes through, but is so well balanced by the sugars, chocolate, and salt. Yum!
 
Nea A.
Nea A. February 13, 2024
I'm so happy to hear this!! Thank you so much for your review!
 
Hilarays
Hilarays February 2, 2024
Would you mind explaining why to avoid parchment paper?
 
Nea A.
Nea A. February 2, 2024
Yes! The reason I say to use a cookie sheet and omit parchment paper is to get a crispier, chewier, and almost caramelized bottom. If you would rather the bottom not be as crispy and browned, use a thicker baking sheet and/or use parchment. Hope that helps!