Desserts and snacks made with tahini
Tahini (sesame paste made from ground hulled sesame seeds) is one of the oldest ingredients in the world, and while many people associate it with hummus or savory dishes, it has been used in desserts for centuries across the Middle East, Mediterranean, Balkans, Central Asia, and increasingly in modern Western baking. Its naturally nutty, slightly bitter flavor pairs exceptionally well with honey, chocolate, vanilla, dates, citrus, and coffee.
Here’s an overview of some of the most popular tahini-based desserts around the world.
1. Halva (Middle East, Balkans, Eastern Europe)
Sesame halva is made by combining tahini with hot sugar syrup (or honey) that has been whipped with soapwort extract or another foaming agent to create its signature flaky texture.
Countries where it’s popular:
- Turkey
- Greece
- Israel
- Lebanon
- Egypt
- Bulgaria
- Romania
- Serbia
Its texture is unlike fudge. It is crumbly, airy, and melts in the mouth.
2.Tahini Cake
The cake is moist, tender, and almost pound cake-like.
Often flavored with:
- orange
- lemon
- cardamom
- vanilla
- cinnamon
Tahini acts much like nut butter, contributing richness and moisture.
I also posted a delicious orange and cranberry cake recipe made with tahini, oranges, and dried fruits. Give it a try!
Vegan and No added oil but super moist Orange and Cranberry Cake
3. Date and Tahini Desserts
Dates and tahini are a classic pairing throughout the Middle East.
Examples include:
- Stuffed Medjool dates filled with tahini
- Date-tahini truffles
- Energy balls
- Date bars
- Date brownies
The natural sweetness of dates perfectly balances tahini’s slight bitterness.
Tahini itself is not traditionally common across most of Asia in the way it is in the Middle East. Instead, many Asian countries use their own forms of sesame paste, which may be made from white sesame, black sesame, or roasted sesame seeds. As a result, you’ll find many sesame-based desserts, but not necessarily desserts made with Middle Eastern-style tahini.
Here are some of the most popular examples by region.
China, Hong Kong, Taiwan
- Black Sesame Tangyuan (汤圆) — Glutinous rice dumplings filled with sweet black sesame paste and served in hot sweet soup. This is especially popular during the Lantern Festival and Winter Solstice.
- Black Sesame Soup (芝麻糊, Zhīma Hú)– A silky dessert soup made by grinding toasted black sesame seeds with rice. It has a rich, nutty flavor and is enjoyed hot. Dessert shops also offer sesame-filled glutinous rice balls and sesame-flavored puddings.
- Sesame Mooncakes — Many mooncakes are filled with sweet sesame paste, often blended with nuts or seeds.
- Sesame Pastries — Sesame paste is also used in steamed buns, flaky pastries, and sweet pancakes.
Japan
Japan typically uses neri goma (練りごま), a smooth sesame paste similar in texture to tahini but often made from roasted sesame seeds.
- Goma Manjyu — A traditional Japanese steamed or baked bun filled with a sweet and nutty black sesame (goma) paste.
- Goma Mochi (Dango) — Soft mochi (rice cakes) topped or filled with sweet sesame paste and sesame seeds.
Why Tahini Works So Well in Desserts
Tahini isn’t just a flavoring. It also improves texture and richness. It:
- Adds healthy fats, giving baked goods a moist, tender crumb.
- Acts as a natural emulsifier, helping create smooth batters and fillings.
- Balances sweetness with its subtle bitterness and roasted, nutty notes.
- Pairs beautifully with ingredients like chocolate, coffee, vanilla, citrus, honey, maple syrup, dates, figs, pistachios, walnuts, bananas, and warm spices such as cinnamon and cardamom.
Because tahini is naturally dairy-free, egg-free, and nut-free (though sesame is a major allergen), it’s especially popular in vegan and plant-based desserts, where it provides creaminess and body without relying on butter or cream.
Source – Wikipedia “Tahini”
Wikipedia “Soapwort (Saponaria)”
Vegan Gluten-free Tahini Chocolate Cookies
Equipment
- Baking sheet (46cm (18") x 33cm (13") x 3.5cm (1.4"))
Ingredients
Cacao Tahini Cookie dough
- 100 g (1/3 cup) Tahini (White sesame paste)
- 20 g (2 1/2 tbsp) Powdered sugar
- 40 g (2 tbsp) Maple syrup
- 5 g (1 tsp) Vanilla paste
- 0.5 g (a pinch) Salt
- 20 g (3 tbsp) Brown rice flour
- 15 g (3 tbsp) Cocoa powder
- 30 g (1/4 cup) Cacao nibs
Topping
- 100 g (3.5 oz) 70% Dark chocolate
- Freeze-dried strawberries
NOTE: For best results, measure ingredients with a scale using grams. Cup measurements (US customary units) are provided for your convenience but are not always accurate.
Instructions
Cacao Tahini Cookie dough
- Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F).
- Line a baking sheet with Silpain or parchment paper
- Sift powdered sugar to remove clumps.
- Combine the tahini, sifted powdered sugar, maple syrup, vanilla paste, and salt together.
- Sift together brown rice flour and cocoa powder.
- Add cacao nibs.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until uniform.
- If the dough is too wet and sticky, add a little bit of brown rice flour.
- If the dough is too dry and doesn’t come together, add a bit of soy milk or any plant-based milk.
- Roll the dough between 2 pieces of plastic wrap until the thickness is 3 mm.
- Cut out the cookie dough with a cookie cutter and place them on a prepared baking sheet.
- Bake them for about 10 minutes, or until the cookies become crispy and easy to break by hand.
- Let them cool completely.
Topping
- Melt the chocolate either on a double boiler or in a microwave.
- If you use a microwave, check every 10 seconds and stir well. Be careful not to heat it too much and burn the chocolate.
- Make a paper piping bag.
- Cut a square of parchment paper into two triangles.
- Take one corner and roll it toward the center, bringing the point around to meet the top tip.
- Repeat with the other corner, wrapping it around the outside.
- Adjust the corners until the bottom tip is very sharp and closed, so nothing leaks out.
- Secure the cone by folding the top edge down.
- Dip the cookies into the melted chocolate, remove excess chocolate, and sprinkle small pieces of freeze-dried strawberries.
- Fill the paper piping bag with melted chocolate.
- Pipe the melted chocolate on top of the cookies and sprinkle freeze-dried strawberries.
- Although the chocolate coating adds richness and depth to the cookies, you can also omit it and enjoy the cookies as light snacks or breakfast cookies.
Notes
- Depending on which region you live in, it may be difficult to find tahini. You can substitute tahini with white sesame paste. Tahini and white sesame paste are both made from sesame seeds, but they differ in processing, which affects their flavor and texture. Tahini is typically made from hulled sesame seeds that are lightly roasted or even raw, resulting in a mild, smooth, and pourable paste commonly used in Middle Eastern dishes like hummus. In contrast, white sesame paste, often used in East Asian cuisines, is usually made from unhulled seeds that are more deeply roasted, giving it a thicker consistency and a stronger and nuttier flavor.
- You can also substitute tahini with any type of nut butter, such as almond butter. Make sure to use pure nut butter without any additives such as salt, sugar, or oil.
- These cookies can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a few weeks.
For the latest recipes and food articles:
Discover more from Kitchen Porcupine
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
