These chocolate chip tahini cookies are paleo, vegan and free of the top 8 allergens. Not to mention, the tastiest cookies you'll ever eat! They are soft, chewy and have a slightly nutty flavor thanks to the tahini, but are completely nut free. Trust me when I say this is a cookie recipe you NEED to try!

You just can't beat a chocolate chip cookie!
This classic never gets old, especially since there are so many ways to tweak a chocolate chip cookie recipe. For instance, making them egg free and using tahini as I did in these healthy chocolate chip tahini cookies.
What is Tahini?
For anyone who doesn’t know, tahini is made from ground sesame seeds. Typically, the sesame seeds are hulled (the shell is separated from the kernels) and then roasted and ground to a silky smooth texture. But, there are many different types of sesame seeds and ways to make tahini. So ultimately, the process depends on the company making the tahini.
Sesame seeds have a great nutritional profile. They provide an excellent source of copper. In addition, they are high in manganese, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron and zinc.
Tahini has really taken off within the last few years and is used in many grain free recipes. I love using tahini as a nut butter alternative. This way, I can create more allergy friendly recipes (for those that are allergic to nuts).
Tahini has a slightly bitter, nutty flavor and creamy texture. When I’m not baking with it, I love slathering it on banana bread or using it as a mug cake topping.
Why You'll Love These Tahini Cookies
This is one of my favorite paleo chocolate chip cookie recipes - and not only because I'm a huge fan of tahini. These cookies are chewy, but have a slightly crunchy outer texture. They have a lovely balance of flavor and aren't overly sweet. In addition, they're:
- paleo friendly - made with real, whole food ingredients that are minimally processed
- vegan - these are vegan tahini cookies, meaning free from animal products
- free from common allergens - no eggs, nuts, gluten, soy or dairy
- gluten free - these tahini cookies are made with cassava flour which is naturally gluten and grain free
- easy to make - you only need 7 ingredients in these chocolate chip cassava flour cookies and the dough comes together in one bowl
Ingredients
These paleo chocolate chip tahini cookies are made with cassava flour and tahini - a match made in heaven! Here's a list of what you need:
- tahini
- maple syrup
- vanilla extract
- cassava flour
- baking soda
- salt
- dark chocolate chips
Tahini
It should be obvious that tahini is one of the main ingredients in these cookies, considering the name and all 😉 I don't recommend substituting this ingredient because it is best for optimal taste and texture. That being said, any drippy nut or seed butter should work as a replacement.
Maple Syrup
Maple syrup is an excellent natural sweetener and balances out the slight bitterness of the tahini. Any liquid sweetener/sugar will work in its place.
Cassava Flour
Cassava flour is what really gives these cookies the perfect texture. However, if you are looking for a substitute any gluten free flour blend should work. Just be sure to measure by weight when making this substitution. (Cassava flour is quite dense.)
Chocolate Chips
To keep these tahini cookies vegan and dairy free, use dark chocolate chips or chop up a dark chocolate bar. My favorite paleo vegan chocolate chips are from Pascha Chocolate, but pick whatever variety you prefer.
How to Make Chocolate Chip Tahini Cookies
The process for making these paleo cassava cookies is super simple! The hardest part is waiting for the dough to chill. Because yes, to achieve optimal texture, these cookies need to be refrigerated prior to baking. But not to worry - that's a perfect time to do dishes and clean up any mess!
First, mix together the tahini, maple syrup and vanilla in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
Add in remaining ingredients, except chocolate chips and mix.
After the dough is thoroughly combined, fold the chocolate chips into the batter.
Next, refrigerate the dough for 20 minutes and preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
After chilling the dough, remove it from the fridge and scoop the cookies onto a baking sheet. Each cookie is about one rounded tablespoon in size, making 10 cookies. If you want a full dozen, then use slightly less dough per cookie.
Lastly, place the cookies in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.
After baking, cool the cookies for a couple minutes on the baking pan, then transfer them to a wire cooling rack.
Storage
These vegan chocolate chip tahini cookies can be kept at room temperature for a couple days or stored in the fridge or freezer.
Keep them in a sealed, air-tight container or baggie. They will last a couple days at room temperature, up to a week in the fridge and up to two months in the freezer.
More Nut Free Paleo Cookie Recipes
For more nut free, paleo cookies check out these from my site:
- Allergy Free Gingersnap Cookies
- Paleo Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookies
- Tigernut Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodles
Enjoy!
PrintChocolate Chip Tahini Cookies (Paleo, Vegan)
- Prep Time: 25 min
- Cook Time: 12 min
- Total Time: 37 minutes
- Yield: 10-12 cookies 1x
Description
These chocolate chip tahini cookies are made with cassava flour, have a chewy texture and slightly nutty flavor but are completely nut free! Paleo, vegan, gluten free and dairy free.
Ingredients
- ½ cup tahini (salted)
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 43g cassava flour (¼ cup + 1 Tbsp)
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ⅛ tsp salt
- ¼ - ⅓ cup dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine tahini, maple syrup and vanilla.
- Add in remaining ingredients except chocolate chips. Mix well.
- Fold chocolate chips into the batter.
- Refrigerate dough for 20 minutes*
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Scoop chilled dough (1 rounded Tbsp per cookie) onto baking sheet.
- Place in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes.
- Remove from oven and cool 5-10 minutes on baking sheet, then transfer to wire cooling rack.
Notes
*I highly recommend chilling the cookie dough for at least 20 minutes for best results.
Keywords: chocolate chip tahini cookies, paleo chocolate chip cookies, paleo tahini cookies, vegan tahini cookies, paleo vegan cookies, nut free chocolate chip cookies, grain free tahini cookies, gluten free tahini cookies, vegan tahini cookies
simplywendi says
wow! i didn't know i could make these paleo and vegan,, thank you.
Katie says
Yep! They taste amazing too!
simplywendi says
🙂
abby says
Can regular flour be subbed for casava?
Katie says
Hi! Regular flour should work. For best results, substitute by weight (in grams) 🙂
Eric says
Great allergy free cookies.
★★★★★
Julia says
So delicious and simple! I love the crisp edges and super chewy middle. Not too sweet and has a wonderfully nutty flavor from the tahini. Great warmed up with a bit of DF vanilla ice cream! Thanks for such delicious allergy-friendly recipes! 😊 🍪 🍨
★★★★★
Katie says
I'm so glad you love them! I bet they do taste wonderful with some vanilla ice cream 🙂 I appreciate the review.
Tamara says
Yum!! They remind of peanut butter cookies. The last couple cookies ended up not having any chocolate chips and I think I will make them without next time! And they do not taste "healthy" to me. Thanks for a recipe I can actually have!!
★★★★★
Katie says
I'm so happy to hear that! Thank you for the review 🙂
Destiny says
Looks amazing. Haven't tried yet but looking forward to try this week. What brand of tahini did this recipe use? Thank you ♡
★★★★★
Katie says
Thank you! Any brand of tahini should work.
Ioana Rat says
OhmyGod, I could hug you right now, please excuse my super excitement! 🙂
These are REALLY good. But I'm overly excited because this is my first EVER cassava flour recipe and I chose your recipe to actually test how I react to cassava - if i have any blood sugar spike (for medical reasons, I'm on a GF, Paleo diet, but tapioca for example, gave me a blood sugar spike first time). I was a bit nervous for cassava, however i just tried it now and HOORAY, no blood sugar spike. And i ate 3 cookies (knowing my over sensibility, I could have gotten reactions from first cookie; 3 with no reaction is already a BIG WIN)
Mine turned out a bit too crumbly, but it might be because I halved the maple syrup, due to not making it too sweet for me. Baking 15 min made them very crispy, almost towards being a bit burned on the bottom and while at first I was upset, when i tasted them, WOW! That's why I couldn't stop at 2 cookies, had 3. This will be a remake, for sure. So easy and the flavor is just so good!
And while I was tasting them, I was actually waiting for your carrot plantain bread to bake in the oven! 🙂
★★★★★
Katie says
Yay! I'm thrilled that you love them 🙂 This is one of my favorite cookie recipes. Thank you for the review.
Melody says
These are fantastic! I am on an elimination diet for food sensitivities and I've been craving cookies and I was about to say, "Screw it, I'm eating whatever I want." But, I decided to try your cookies first since I could actually have all the ingredients, and I'm so glad I did! Totally perfect for my cookie craving, while still eating approved foods! Thank you so much for this recipe, it's definitely one I will keep and use and recommend to others! I was nervous at first about the tahini, but it totally works! Thank you again, so much!!
★★★★★
Katie says
Thank you Melody! Ugh, food sensitivities can be so hard to navigate. I'm glad my recipe fit your needs!
Charlene Stephens says
OMGoodness! My husband is a total carboholic and sweets person! He’s Italian, so pasta is where his carb loving comes from! He did Paleo about 10 years ago and we’ve just gone back to it! We’re at the one week of cutting sugars and sweets and I found this recipe ~ he is a very happy man! He is a lil more tolerant of artificial sweeteners or some alternative baking options (I love to cook & bake) and while I’ve tried them in the past, I’ve never been a big fan of the tastes 😞 Needless to say, I was a little apprehensive of a gluten free chocolate chip cookie recipe! Again, OMGoodness, these are delicious!! Thanks for all your hard work in mastering the recipe! Now I can’t wait to try your bagels!! Bake on my dear, you rock!
★★★★★
Katie says
Hi Charlene! Thank you for such a wonderful review! I'm glad you enjoyed these cookies and hope you like the bagels too 🙂