Black Sesame Date Cookies (oil-free!)

Oil-free Black sesame cookies are chewy, nutty and delicious. They need 1 Bowl, some almond flour, creamy tahini and sticky-sweet dates for amazing flavors and textures. No oil, no butter, no whipping butter and sugar! The black sesame is a beautiful addition to cookies, adding a great nutty flavor and crunch. Gluten-free Grain-free

Black sesame is trending, so I decided to use it in these fabulous cookies. I use my almond flour cookie dough that you all know I love, because you don’t need any extra bowls, any whipping up of butter and sugar and all of that. No extra equipment, and they come together in about 15 minutes.

One of the common requests I got for that almond flour cookie dough was to make it without any oil or coconut oil, so today we are using tahini instead. You can use regular tahini or black sesame tahini. If you don’t have tahini, you can also use some smooth, creamy almond butter instead.

We make this very simple dough, add in some crushed black sesame seeds along with dates, cinnamon, vanilla, and tahini. Then, you bake it up into these chewy and delicious cookies. They’re crisp on the edges, chewy in the middle, and because of the tahini, they’re also incredibly moist.

Black sesame is nutty and looks pretty and tastes delicious. It is also a powerhouse of nutrients, like calcium, magnesium, iron, antioxidants, and protein. They are a great addition to these cookies. There’s just a fabulous combination of flavors and textures in these black sesame cookies!

Why You’ll Love Black Sesame Cookies

• crisp, chewy cookies with a nutty flavor and beautiful black sesame seeds
• sweet, chewy dates contrast the nutty flavor of the cookies
• simple to make in 1 bowl
• naturally gluten-free and soy-free

More Almond Flour Cookies

• Ginger Molasses Cookies
• Almond Flour Snickerdoodles
• Baklava Cookies
• Gochujang Caramel Cookies

Ingredients

• black sesame seeds – Adds protein, flavor, and crunch to these cookies. We are chopping/crushing some and using some on top as well.
• almond flour – The base for these black sesame cookies. You can’t substitute other flours. It just won’t work.
• tapioca starch – This is your binder.
• salt – Conditions the dough and enhances the flavors.
• cinnamon – Goes so well with the nuttiness of the cookies!
• baking powder and baking soda – To condition the dough.
• brown sugar – Adds sweetness and a great molasses-y flavor.
• vanilla – Use powder or extract!
• dates – Lumps of sweet, chopped dates contrast the nuttiness of the cookies beautifully!
• maple syrup – Adds more sweetness, flavor, and moisture.
• tahini – This replaces the oil that’s in my other almond flour cookies.
• non-dairy milk – Adds moisture. Use soy-free, if needed.

💡Tips

• You can’t replace the almond flour in this recipe. Other flours behave differently, and it won’t work out properly.
• The dough may be slightly wet, depending on your measuring and the ingredients and all of that. It’ll be just a little sticky or maybe a bit more sticky. Either will work out just fine, because we’re going to chill the dough.
• Chilling the dough prevents it from spreading too much as the black sesame cookies bake.
• Your cookies are ready when they’re a little golden on the edges. You can bump up the heat of the oven slightly, if needed, if they aren’t browning after 14 to 15 minutes.

How to Make Black Sesame Cookies

Crush the sesame seeds. I use a mortar and pestle and add the sesame seeds to the mortar and pestle and crush them until they are coarsely crushed. You don’t have to crush them. You can add them whole as well. You can also use a spice grinder to just pulse a few times so that they are somewhat crushed and then set them aside. Chop the dates, if you haven’t already. You can keep them slightly larger or chop them smaller based on your preference and set that aside.

In a bowl, add the almond flour, tapioca starch, salt, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, brown sugar, and the vanilla powder (if using), and then press and mix to break down any almond flour or brown sugar lumps. Mix really well.

Add in the sesame seeds and chopped dates and mix again.

Make a well in the center of this dry mixture. Add the tahini, maple syrup and non-dairy milk and mix it in that well, so that the tahini and maple can combine a bit, and then mix that into the dry mixture. Depending on your measuring and the ingredients and all of that. It’ll be just a little sticky or maybe a bit more sticky. Either will work out just fine, because we’re going to chill the dough.

Chill the dough in the freezer for 15 minutes or in the fridge for half an hour or so. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 335° F (168° C), and line a baking sheet with parchment.

Remove the chilled dough from the fridge. Use a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop the dough onto the parchment-lined baking sheet. Then, use a spatula to press the cookies, so that they flatten a little bit. Top these cookies with more black sesame seeds and a pinch of brown sugar.  Bake for 15 to 17 minutes.

Once the cookies have spread evenly and are starting to get golden on the edges, you can take them out of the oven. If they aren’t getting golden enough, you can increase the heat after the 14 to 15 minute mark to 345° F (174° C) and bake them for another minute or two. Then, remove them from the oven. Let them cool on the baking sheet for a minute or so, then remove the parchment from the baking sheet and let them cool for another 10 minutes, and then enjoy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently asked questions

Is this recipe allergy friendly?

Black sesame cookies are naturally gluten-free and soy-free, as long as you use a soy-free non-dairy milk.

What can I use instead of almond flour?

I’m working on that recipe, but in this particular application you can’t replace the flour. People have replaced some of the almond flour with oat flour, and that works out. However, completely replacing the almond flour with other flours doesn’t work, because almond flour does not absorb as much moisture and behaves very differently from all the other flours.

How do I store these?

Store black sesame cookies on the counter in a covered container once completely cooled for up to 3 days. For longer storage, you want to put them in the fridge, and they’ll last for 2 to 3 weeks, though I doubt you’ll have any left for that long, because they’re so delicious!