tahini

December 10, 2020 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

no doubt this holiday season will look and feel quite different. we’re all making sacrifices in order to keep our loved ones and even complete strangers healthy. but that doesn’t mean we are forgoing cookie season. as strange as this season will likely feel, i’m determined to make the most of it with my kids. the other week we made sufganiyot for this upcoming weekend’s hanukkah celebration. but i’m already thinking ahead to christmas cookies, because even as much as ames loves a doughnut, he loves a cookie even more.

last year he was still a bit too young to really bake with. but this year i’m putting him to work, starting with these chocolate sesame thumbprints with maple-tahini caramel 😊. they’re quite an easy cookie to make, and only call for a handful of ingredients. they also happen to be gluten-free, grain-free, vegan, and refined sugar free. basically a cookie free of lots of things - but one that doesn’t lack one bit in over-the-top, christmas cookie decadence!

we start by making the maple-tahini caramel, our 4-ingredient (and oh so easy) star of the show. we cook the maple syrup down slightly, remove it from the heat; whisk in the tahini, vanilla, and salt. we let it cool, and then move on to the cookies!

we sift together our dry ingredients, and then separately our wet ones. everything gets folded together to make our dough. like with any thumbprint cookie, we pinch off small pieces of dough, roll them between our palms, and roll them in our toasted sesame seeds (we toast them ahead of time for optimal flavor). we flatten them slightly, make indentations with our thumb, and then bake them off for roughly 12 minutes. they cool, get filled with our maple-tahini caramel, and then topped with a healthy pinch of flaky salt.

while they may not be the typical jammy thumbprint, you will be quite the happy camper with these. they’re full of chocolatey, toasted sesame flavor, with even more sweet, toasty notes from our caramel. truly delicious, i can’t wait for you to make them!

chocolate sesame thumbprint cookies w/ maple-tahini caramel | gf & v

PRINT THE RECIPE!

| makes 18 cookies |

cookie ingredients

2 cups almond flour
1/2 cup cacao powder (or cocoa powder)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted and cooled
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds
maple-tahini caramel sauce
flaky salt, for topping

maple-tahini caramel (makes extra)

1/2 cup maple syrup
3 tablespoons tahini
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

method

preheat oven to 350°F and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
in a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, cacao, and salt - break up any bit of almond flour with your fingers.
in another large bowl whisk together the maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla. add the wet ingredients to the dry until combined.
place your toasted sesame seeds in a large shallow bowl. pinch off a tablespoon amount of dough and roll between your palms to form a smooth ball. roll the cookie in the sesame seeds until its covered in seeds. place on your cookie sheet, and repeat with remaining dough, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie.
use the bottom of a jar or glass, and gently press the cookies down to form little disks (don’t press down too much, you’re looking to have roughly 1/2-inch thickness). gently make an indentation in the center of each cookie.
bake cookies for 10-12 minutes, until fragrant, and edges are toasted. remove and let cool completely.
once cookies are cool, plop roughly 1/4 teaspoon of the tahini caramel into your indentations. top with flaky salt, and eat!
cookies can be stored in a sealed container for up to 3 days.

tahini caramel:

in a small heavy bottomed pot, heat the maple syrup over medium heat until it starts boiling. adjust the heat to maintain a steady boil, but not so much that the maple syrup boils over, medium-low should be sufficient. continue to cook the maple syrup until it’s reduced by about half, roughly 4-5 minutes.
remove from heat and whisk in the tahini, vanilla, and salt. pour the caramel into a jar and let cool. once cool, fasten the lid on and store at room temp for up to 3 days.

more festive cookie recipes:

(inside out) chocolate chunk cookie bars

CARDAMOM TAHINI ZUCCHINI BREAD (GF) / August 20, 2020 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

CARDAMOM TAHINI ZUCCHINI BREAD (GF) | dolly and oatmeal

it’s that time of year where zucchini is spilling out of my refrigerator crisper drawer, and i’m finding ways to slip it into every dish i’m making - cue: zucchini bread. while i love the spices what usually come along with a zucchini loaf, i wanted to switch it up a bit. while i love cardamom, there are only so many recipes that can handle its complexity (in my opinion). cardamom is a spice made from the seeds of 3 different plants, and its flavor is an interesting one. parts herbal, floral, and spicy all at the same time. and it’s the perfect punch of flavor here in this zucchini bread. i especially love it paired with tahini which lends this loaf a distinct nuttiness that hits in all the right places, giving warmth to each bite.

the ingredient list is a bit long, but i think (fingers crossed) you’ll have all the ingredients if you’re pantry is gluten-free-friendly. i mix a few different flours for a nice tender crumb - not too dense, but not too light and airy either. i also call for 2 kinds of sugar: monkfruit sweetener (you could also use granulated sugar if that’s what you prefer/have on hand), and coconut sugar. we do this simply for flavor purposes. coconut sugar has a slight caramel flavor which i find to be overpowering, especially with all the other flavors going on here. you’ll also find i call for “runny” tahini. i go into more detail in this post about the importance of the quality of your tahini, but we’re looking for a drippy, yet coat-the-back-of-a-spoon consistency. and lastly, and most essential is two very simple ingredients that take the flavor of this zucchini loaf to the next level: granulated sugar and sesame seeds.

and here’s where things get even more delightful - after the batter is poured into the pan, we sprinkle sugar and sesame seeds over top. they get baked into the dome, and a bit toasted. but for the ultimate flavor bomb, we broil the top of the zucchini bread to caramelize the sugar and toast the sesame seeds, giving everything an even deeper flavor while also giving the top a sugary, nutty, crunchy surface that is the perfect compliment to an already delicious zucchini bread.

i hope you love it :)

cardamom tahini zucchini bread | gf & df

| makes one 8.5 x 4.5 inch loaf |

print the recipe

notes:

this recipe calls for an 8.5 x 4.5-inch loaf pan. however, a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan will work as well. the loaf will cook for slightly less time (i would test it around the 40/45-minute mark), and the loaf will be a bit more squatty in stature.
i love cardamom here, however if you don’t have it/don’t like it, simply swap it out for more cinnamon, or use ground nutmeg, or even ground ginger.
the tahini i always find to be perfectly runny enough to bake with includes: soom, seed + mill, and 365 brand tahini.

ingredients

1 large zucchini
1 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup almond flour
1/4 cup arrowroot powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 cup granulated monkfruit sweetener (or granulated sugar)
1/4 cup coconut sugar
2 pasture raised eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup runny tahini
1/3 cup unrefined coconut oil, melted and cooled, more for greasing the pan
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons white sesame seeds
dried rose petals (optional)

method

preheat oven to 350°F. grease a 8.5 x 4.5-inch loaf pan with coconut oil, and line it with parchment paper, leaving enough to hang over each side.
grate the zucchini over the large holes on a box grater. grab a clean dish towel, put the shredded zucchini in, and wring out the liquid. use your fingers to fluff the zucchini, then measure out 1 cup and set aside.
in a large bowl, whisk together the flours, arrowroot, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices until combined.
in another large bowl, whisk together the sugar and eggs. add the zucchini, tahini, coconut oil, and vanilla. use a rubber spatula to mix everything together. 1/3 at a time, add the dry ingredients to the wet, until the batter is completely combined.
pour the batter into your pan, and use your spatula to smooth out the top. sprinkle the granulated sugar and sesame seeds over top.
bake in the center of your oven for 50-60 minutes, until a cake tester (or toothpick) inserted in the middle comes out clean. remove the loaf from the oven, and position an oven rack in the upper third of your oven. turn your broiler to high. place the loaf on the rack, and broil until most of the seeds are golden, and the sugar is caramelized, about 1-2 minutes.
remove the zucchini bread, and place on a cooling rack. allow it to cool, then remove from the pan. slice thick and serve warm. the tahini zucchini bread is best served the day of, but will stay fresh on your counter covered with parchment for up to 2-3 days. if the loaf dries out a bit, toast it up in your toaster oven (or oven) and smear with vegan butter and flaky salt (you won’t regret it 😉). better yet, melt butter in a hot skillet, fry both sides until a bit toasty; sprinkle with salt.

similar recipes:

PREP SAUCE SUNDAY: VEGAN TAHINI YOGURT SAUCE / August 2, 2020 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

VEGAN TAHINI YOGURT SAUCE | dolly and oatmeal

sunday greetings, and happy august!

we’re coming in hot with my forever go-to sauce, vegan tahini yogurt! it is literally the “mother sauce” in our house. over the years of making this in conjunction with a variety of recipes on my blog, i have gotten the most questions on this one. mostly about how to create a flavor and texture similar to a traditional, dairy-based tahini yogurt, what brands to use, how to store tahini, and what to use tahini yogurt for. sit tight, we’re going to talk all about it.

because there are so few ingredients in this sauce, we want to make sure each one is the very best for the ultimate flavor and texture. here are a few suggestions for making a vegan tahini yogurt sauce that’s a total knock out.

yogurt -

traditional tahini yogurt is made with thick greek (or greek-style) yogurt. plant-based yogurt tends to be inherently thinner in consistency. but we use an almond-based, greek-style yogurt that achieves a traditional thickness and texture to dairy-based greek yogurt. i’ve tried countless plant-based yogurts over the years, and this one (by far) provides the best base for this sauce.

tahini -

the other deal breaker is good tahini. when looking for tahini, we look for one that hasn’t separated (with the oil on top, and the paste on the bottom). a few of my favorites include: soom, seed and mill, al wadi, roland, and whole foods’ 365 tahini. with a little shake and stir, your tahini should be smooth and good to go. i prefer to store my tahini in the pantry, but if you live in a moist climate, then i would suggest storing it in the refrigerator.

up the ratio -

even with a plant-based yogurt that’s thicker than most, we still need to fill it out a bit more. while typically there’s a smaller ratio of tahini to yogurt, we use a 1:4 ratio of tahini to yogurt. this gives the sauce a bit more flavor and sturdier consistency.

mellow that garlic -

we mellow the garlic in the lemon juice first. this softens the garlic a bit, and takes away that punchy, spiciness that can overpower a sauce like this.

what to use tahini yogurt for -

we love this in and on everything, truly. layer it on flatbread (or pita) with fresh sliced tomatoes, olive oil drizzle, salt & pepper. you could add a good plop to a bowl, or thick toast, and shower it with roasted or fresh vegetables. serve it alongside skewered poultry or fish for a cooling drizzle. serve it in a bowl garnished with spices and olive oil as a dip for sliced vegetables and grilled bread. the options are limitless.

big hugs, and i hope you find some inspiration with this recipe! ❤️

tahini yogurt sauce | v

| makes 1 heaping cup |

print the recipe

method

in a mixing bowl, combine the lemon juice and garlic. let it sit for roughly 1 minute. this makes the garlic a little less spicy and punchy.
whisk in the yogurt, 3 tablespoons tahini, and salt. give it a taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary, adding an additional tablespoon of tahini, or more salt and/or lemon juice.
pour the sauce into lidded jar, and store in the fridge for up to 5-6 days.

ingredients