Gluten Free Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies
Yields: about 24 -28 cookies Prep Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 45 minutes
This is one heck of a nutrient dense cookie, with protein, calcium and vitamin E from tahini, almond flour and quinoa flakes. Chocolate chips add the extra burst of sweet chocolate goodness that truly makes these irresistible!
Ingredients
1/4 cup sesame tahini
5 tablespoons softened butter
1 egg
2 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup brown rice flour
3/4 cup almond flour
1/4 cup quinoa flakes
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 semi-sweet chocolate chips
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Combine tahini, softened butter, egg, vanilla and brown sugar in a bowl and mix until well combined.
3. In a separate bowl, combine rice flour, almond flour, quinoa flakes, salt and baking soda.
4. Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet ingredient bowl. Mix well and add chocolate chips.
5. Scoop about 1 1/2 teaspoon sized rounds of dough onto a parchment paper or silicone mat lined baking tray. *These cookies spread, so make sure they are about 1 -2 inches apart.
6. Bake at 375 degrees for about 8 – 9 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack.
As I’ve mentioned throughout many of my recipe posts, I am always looking to find nutrient dense ways to enhance the foods we eat. Instead of loads of butter (which has its place in some recipes…), I try to replace that fat source with other healthy alternatives. Nut butters are always a great option. Then there are seed butters, a little more new to the baked goods shelf.
Tahini is the “butter” if you will, of sesame seeds. Sesame seeds are small, but nutritional powerhouses. They are loaded with calcium, B vitamins, potassium and magnesium. Plus, they are relatively low in unsaturated fat. Now, do keep in mind, these are small seeds, so to get a quarter cups, that’s a lot of seeds! (More goodness on tahini!)
Tahini is not a low calorie food. It is full of vitamins, minerals and healthy fats. It is also very filling. So, these aren’t cookies to sit down and eat a whole plate. However, they are quite satisfying, so they fill you up – satiating taste buds and nutritionally for the whole body.
A note about the baking…do let these little gems cool. The lack of gluten can make them more vulnerable to breaking until the cookie has cooled and the sugar has hardened. Then, enjoy away!
