My keto tahini cookies are crispy and full of rich sesame flavor. This is such an easy and delicious recipe, and it is almond flour free! Ready in 20 minutes, no mixer needed and only 1.3g net carbs per cookie.
If you are looking for a crunchy low carb cookie recipe that's naturally nut free, dairy free, sugar free and gluten free, this is it!
The star of this recipe is tahini, the creamy paste made from ground sesame seeds that's an essential in Middle Eastern cuisine. Its earthy flavor really shines in these cookies, without being overpowering.
Also, since tahini is high in healthy fats, there is no need for additional butter or oils. It is such a simple recipe and you stir it together with a fork.
We have been enjoying these cookies as an afternoon treat for the last few days. I also took them over to dinner at a friend's house. Thumbs up all round.
Also try my keto peanut butter cookies.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Easy - One bowl, 7 simple ingredients and 5 minutes of prep.
Crunchy - These cookies have a great snap - quite a rarity for keto cookies! Prefer them soft? I'll show you how to make a soft and chewy version as well.
Fits many diets - Tahini is naturally high in unsaturated fats, which makes these cookies satisfyingly filling and great for keto. The cookies are also dairy-free and without almond flour.
Tasty - I've added sugar free chocolate chips because I love a good chocolate chip cookie. But of course, the star of the show is the gentle sesame flavor of the tahini.
Only 1.3g net carbs!
Ingredients
Let's talk ingredients. You'll find exact quantities in the recipe card at the bottom of the post, but I wanted to give you a bit of extra info right here:
- Tahini - You need runny, drippy, smooth tahini for the best dough consistency. Stir it well in the jar. Tahini separates and can become lumpy. Also, choose light tahini, which is made with hulled sesame seeds. It has a gentler flavor than dark tahini (unhulled).
- Sweetener - I used an erythritol monk fruit sweetener blend. Erythritol is the only sweetener that makes keto cookies truly crunchy.
- Egg - Large and room temperature. Egg binds the ingredients and makes the cookies stable.
- Coconut flour - You only need a small amount because it is highly absorbent.
- Ground flaxseed - Amazing for crunchiness. I tested this with my keto Oreos and the keto breakfast cookies.
- Baking powder - adds lightness and a lift to the cookies.
- Vanilla - The sweet, warm aroma softens the tahini's earthy notes. They are an ideal pairing.
I added both sea salt flakes and sugar free chocolate chips to the cookies. Tahini and chocolate are a dream team, and a pinch of salt makes any cookie taste better. It enhances flavors and is a classic baking trick.
Instructions
It is simple to make keto friendly tahini cookies. Here are the basic steps.
Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed method with ingredient amounts, timings and nutrition information.
STEP 1
Put all ingredients into a large mixing bowl.
STEP 2
Stir together with a fork until a smooth, thick cookie dough forms.
STEP 3
Add the optional sugar free chocolate chips, holding back a few for decorating.
STEP 4
Form 16 dough balls and place them on the lined baking sheet.
Tip: I used a tablespoon and levelled the dough for equal portions of 19 grams each. You could also use a small cookie scoop.
STEP 5
Flatten the dough into round cookies (5cm diameter, but you can make them thinner if you like). Keto cookies don't spread like wheat cookies.
Press the remaining chocolate chips on top. Option to also add a sprinkle of sea salt flakes.
STEP 6
Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown (mine took 15 minutes).
Let the cookies cool fully to firm up.
Katrin's Top Tips
#1 Troubleshooting cookie dough - Tahini is a natural ingredient and consistency can vary. If your cookie dough does not look like mine:
- How to fix soft dough: Tahini was too liquid. Add another pinch of coconut flour.
- How to fix firm dough: Tahini was too thick. Add a teaspoon of oil or butter.
#2 Check on them during baking. Oven time is dependent on the sweetener and on cookie thickness. The thinner the cookie, the quicker the'll bake.
#3 Let them cool. The cookies are soft and fragile fresh out of the oven. Only once they are room temperature, they become crunchy. I find they are even crunchier on day 2.
Can I use another sweetener?
Other sweeteners (allulose, xylitol, Bocha Sweet) work in this recipe, but the cookies turn out softer.
If you use allulose, reduce the oven time. Allulose browns quicker than erythritol. Also, pure allulose is less sweet than the 1:1 sugar substitute I used. Add an additional tablespoon to achieve the same sweetness.
How to make soft tahini cookies
How to make soft, chewy cookies:
- Use Allulose
- Reduce baking duration to 8-10 minutes
- Option to also make larger cookies
- and/or keeping them thicker
Note: You can still use erythritol and make soft cookies if you follow the other tips above.
Variations
Keto chocolate chips can be expensive. Here are alternative add-ins and toppings:
- Chop 90% chocolate such as Lindt or use cocoa nibs
- Dip the cookies in melted sugar free chocolate
- Omit the chocolate and add sea salt plus toasted sesame seeds.
It also looks pretty if you press a criss-cross pattern into the cookies with a fork like I did with my keto almond butter cookies.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. Swap the coconut flour with 3x as much almond flour (6 tablespoons).
Yes. If you don't add the chocolate chips, you can roll out the dough between two sheets of parchment paper. Freeze it like this to harden for 15-20 minutes, then lift the top parchment and use cookie cutters.
Storage
The cookies stay crunchy in an airtight cookie jar for up to 2 weeks. Make sure they have cooled 100% or the remaining moisture will get trapped in the jar and make them softer.
They freeze well for up to 3 months. Freeze them on a parchment paper-lined tray and then transfer them into a ziplock bag once they are frozen. This way, they don't stick together.
Reheat them in the oven or air fryer for a few minutes in case they have softened after defrosting.
More Low Carb Recipes With Tahini
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Recipe
Keto Tahini Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup tahini 120g, must be runny and stirred.
- ¼ cup granulated sweetener 50g, ***see notes
- 2 tablespoon flax meal 16g
- 2 tablespoon coconut flour 16g
- 1 egg large, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
Add-Ins & Toppings (optional)
- 1 tablespoon sugar free chocolate chips
- pinch of flaked sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Put all ingredients into a large mixing bowl and stir together with a fork until a smooth cookie dough forms.
- Add the optional sugar free chocolate chips, holding back a few for decorating.
- Form 16 dough balls and place them on the lined baking sheet. (I used a tablespoon and levelled the dough for equal portions of 19 grams).
- Flatten the dough into round cookies (5cm diameter). Press the remaining chocolate chips on top. Option to also add a sprinkle of sea salt flakes.
- Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown (mine took 15 minutes). Let the cookies cool fully to firm up.
Notes
- Using allulose: Reduce the baking time as it causes the cookies to brown quicker.
- Oven time: is also determined by the thickness of the cookies. The thinner the cookie, the quicker they'll bake.
- Thickness: It is possible to flatten the cookies more (to about ½cm thickness).
- Soft & chewy cookies: Keep them thicker and bake 8-10 minutes.
- Let them cool: The cookies are soft and fragile straight out of the oven. They need to cool fully to crisp up. Only then eat or store in a cookie jar.
- Store for up to 2 weeks. Suitable for freezing (up to 3 months).
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