These cookies aren‘t just vegan. They’re also gluten free, grain free, nut free, and free of added sugars. But honest to goodness you would never know by eating them! Fluffy, chewy, rich, and perfectly sweet, these little beauties are the perfect treat we can all feel good about eating!

So how is this miracle accomplished? The magic happens when sweet, chewy dates are married with beautiful, rich tahini! Dates are such a healthy food to enjoy! They are quite sweet, but the sugars are all natural and dates themselves are loaded with nutrients and fiber.

While the dates act as the sugar and the glue in these cookies, the tahini adds the richness and depth of flavor. Because it’s so important in these cookies, I recommend using a really good quality tahini. My new favorite line is SoCo. Their tahini is honestly the smoothest and richest I’ve had, and unlike some other tahinis, there’s no bitter after taste. Plus I love that they’re a woman owned, mission driven company! If you decide to try them out, enter code AMBERSINTHEBAKEHOUSE for 20% off any purchase.

Once you’ve got your dates and your high quality tahini, the rest is really is simple. Dump all the ingredients in the food processor, whiz it up well, shape into balls, and bake. Then top the cookies with a drizzle of melted chocolate and some flaky sea salt, and you have the most amazing vegan cookies around!

One final note before we get to the recipe. I always like to bake with my kids, but some recipes are more child appropriate than others. This is one of the most kid friendly bakes around! Not only is it fast and with minimal ingredients, but it’s also nut free and free of processed sugars, so it’s a fun and healthy treat to pack for your kids to take to school or enjoy at home.

Vegan Salted Chocolate Tahini Cookies - Makes 9 cookies

Equipment:

• Food Processor

Ingredients:

• 1 cup good quality tahini (such as SoCo Artisanal Tahini)

• 1 heaping cup pitted dates

• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

• 1/2 tsp. baking soda

• 1-2 TBS. water

• 6 oz. dark chocolate, chopped

• Flaky sea salt (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Combine the tahini, dates, vanilla, and baking soda in the bowl of a food processor. Process until the dates are finely ground, and the mixture starts to come together like a dough. This can take a couple of minutes, and you may need to scrape the bowl down with a rubber spatula to make sure all the tahini gets blended in.

3. If the dough seems crumbly and is not forming a ball, add 1 TBS. of water and process again. You may need to add an additional TBS. of water to achieve a dough ball. When it’s ready the dough will be sticky and a little shiny.

4. Shape the dough into 9 equally sized balls. Use the tines of a fork to press the cookies down and create a cross hatch pattern on the surface. Then bake for 8-10 minutes.

5. While the cookies are baking, melt the chocolate in the microwave or on the stove. Be sure not to burn the chocolate. I recommend microwaving in 15-30 second intervals and stirring in between. Heat only until just melted.

6. When the cookies are done baking, allow them to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet. Then top them with a thick drizzle of melted chocolate and a sprinkling of flaky sea salt. Cookies can be store covered at room temperature for a few days, but trust me, they won’t last that long!

Recipe adapted from Half Baked Harvest