You know what's way better than a chocolate chip cookie? One with tahini. And coconut. And ZERO refined sugar. Okay, maybe that last one's a stretch because it's actually quite difficult to beat a sugared-up chocolate chip cookie (like, a REAL one) but I can honestly say these low-carb coconut chocolate chip tahini cookies come pretty darn close! Made with almond flour, stevia-sweetened chocolate chips and creamy tahini, these keto cookies are soft and chewy and only 4 net carbs each.
about the tahini...
So, tahini. Mmmmmmm. It's sort of a main player in this keto cookie recipe. Made out of ground sesame seeds, tahini has a delicious nutty flavor that's a lot more mild than other nut/seed butters (and with an ever-so-slightly bitter, earthy taste).
is tahini low-carb?
Yup. High in fat, low in carbs, and extra low in sugar, tahini is a great low-carb/keto-approved food. If you don't have it, you could probably substitute a different type of nut butter for these coconut chocolate chip tahini cookies and consistency-wise, they'd turn out fine. BUT the flavor of tahini, along with the chocolate and coconut, are really what makes these low-carb cookies SOOOOO good.
how to use tahini
Another thing. Make sure to find a brand of tahini you really love! I use the generic Sprout's organic unsalted tahini and it tastes great (Soom Foods also makes a nice one). Besides the obvious use in baking, you can put a spoonful into a smoothie, or make easy dips or salad dressings with tahini, like this garlic tahini goodness on a bed of fresh greens.
how to store tahini
I've heard a few different suggested storing methods. Google it and you'll find some say to keep tahini in the refrigerator because its high oil content means it can go rancid quickly. My jar of tahini says to keep at room temperature so I store it in the cabinet with our nut butters. We go through tahini fairly quickly and I've never had one go bad, but if tahini is not something you'll use too often, I'd suggest storing in the fridge.
Check out this article from The Kitchn, which calls tahini "Sesame's Secret Weapon." Agreed!
let's make low-carb coconut chocolate chip tahini cookies!
Here's what you'll need for these low-carb and keto-approved coconut chocolate chip tahini cookies:
- almond flour (superfine, blanched almond flour works best)
- coconut flour
- shredded, unsweetened coconut
- tahini
- keto-friendly sweetener like this monkfruit/erythritol blend from Lakanto (I like the golden monkfruit sweetener for this one!)
- keto-friendly chocolate chips like Lily's stevia-sweetened baking chips
- 1 egg (this recipe is also vegan friendly- you can swap an egg for a flax egg)
- coconut oil or ghee
- baking soda
- salt
- vanilla extract
The dough is simple to mix up and only requires one bowl. Here's a quick summary of the process but be sure to check out the full recipe below!
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large mixing bowl (or standup mixer), combine the tahini, egg, sweetener, vanilla, and coconut oil. Mix until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients- almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda and desiccated coconut- and thoroughly combine until the cookie dough forms.
- Roll scooped tablespoons of dough into a ball, then flatten each dough ball slightly before placing it onto a prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes, cool them for five minutes, and enjoy!
pro tips for the BEST coconut chocolate chip tahini cookies
- Under-bake, just a tad. I like these a tad underdone for extra soft/chewy coconut chocolate chip tahini cookies.
- If you're a sea salt and chocolate kind of person, sprinkle a bit of sea salt on each cookie immediately after they come out of the oven.
- These are easy to make with a whisk and bowl, but for an extra smooth cookie dough, I recommend using a mixer.
- One batch makes about 14 medium-sized cookies. If you make these extra large, allow for a little bit longer bake time (and cool time).
You will love these, I'm sure of it. They're a fabulous low-carb treat or dessert! The best way to eat them- dunked into a glass of your choice of milk, of course. Now that's an unbeatable combination. 😉
you might also love...
- These keto peanut butter and jelly cookies that are sugar-free, low-carb and really, really, REALLY delicious.
- This easy keto brownies recipe for when you need a true chocolate fix.
- Filipino chicken adobo and garlic green beans for an easy, low-carb dinner!
coconut chocolate chip tahini cookies {keto + low-carb + GF}
These coconut chocolate chip tahini cookies are soft, chewy and a delightful low-carb/keto cookie that is also grain, gluten and dairy-free!
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup tahini
- 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
- 1 egg (pasture-raised, when possible)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup monkfruit sweetener blend
- 1 cup almond flour, blanched + superfine
- 3 tablespoons coconut flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
- pinch of salt (or sea salt for topping)
- ⅓ cup sugar-free chocolate chips*
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper or a baking mat.
- In a large mixing bowl or standup mixer, combine the tahini, coconut oil and monkfruit sweetener, mixing until smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Mix in the egg (or flax egg) and vanilla.
- Add the almond flour, coconut flour, shredded coconut, baking soda and salt to the wet mixture. Thoroughly combine wet and dry ingredients until the cookie dough forms.
- Fold in the chocolate chips. Using a tablespoon, scoop cookie dough, roll into a dough ball, then flatten slightly with your hands. Place each cookie on the baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes (don't let them brown, they're better slightly under-done and will continue to bake a little during the cool time). Remove from oven. Immediately sprinkle sea salt on top (optional). Allow the cookies to cool for at least 5 minutes.
Notes
*I LOVE Lakanto monkfruit sweetener and the golden sweetener is extra good in these
*I always go for Lily's semi-sweet chocolate chips because they're sweetened with stevia (however, they are not vegan)
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 14 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 139Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 63mgCarbohydrates: 6gNet Carbohydrates: 4gFiber: 2gSugar: 1gProtein: 4g
This nutritional information is approximate and is provided for convenience as a courtesy.
Mowondi says
Made these one night. Left them in a cookie jar and the next morning the inside of the cookie turned green. Has anyone else experienced this, is it something I did wrong?
Abby says
Interesting- I haven't ever experienced this and we make these all the time! But now I'm deep into the rabbit whole of Google searching and I found a few sites that explain how ingredients with high amounts of chlorogenic acid can react with baking soda and baking powder. Most of the examples discuss sunflower seeds (so products like SunButter) as having that reaction- it only changes the appearance but not the taste. Did you make any ingredient swaps or did you follow the recipe as written? If you followed it, I'd be curious to know if your tahini is only made with only sesame seeds. Or perhaps sesame seeds also have chlorogenic acid and the brand you used has more? I'm just guessing here!
Here are a few links I found:
https://punkrockor.com/2012/03/22/why-my-cookies-turned-green-a-post-on-chemistry/
https://www.simplisticallyliving.com/why-did-my-cookies-turn-green/
Mowondi says
😳
I used sunflower butter because I was out of Tahini.
LOL
Abby says
haha mystery solved! Thanks for sharing! I'll definitely keep the chemistry lesson in mind whenever I'm working with sunflower butter 🙂
G says
I had some bad luck on these cookies - messed up on the order of ingredients on this recipe (added sugar to the flour) and oven temp was all over the place - but these STILL turned out super well! Definitely pull them out as suggested before they brown. So soft and tender with a delicate crumb, and just a hint of bitterness from the tahini that pairs so well with the chocolate. Thank you!
Abby says
Thanks so much for the comment! I'm glad they turned out well for you! 🙂
Linde says
These are SO delicious! I halved the recipe to make a smaller batch and they came out perfectly. The tahini and coconut together with the dark chocolate is a match made in heaven 😍
Abby says
Wonderful! Thank you for sharing! Glad you enjoyed them 🙂
Kyme Morris says
Is there a reason you use baking soda instead of baking powder? I would think baking powder would help it rise, whereas it seems the baking soda didn't help it rise at all.
Abby says
I typically use baking soda more for cookies (or a combo of the two) since baking powder alone can give a cookie more of a "cakey" texture. The "rise" issue is more related to the fact that these are made with almond flour and usually almond flour cookies don't rise as much as a glutenous cookie. But if you try it with baking powder and it works better, let me know!
Cyni says
What can you use instead of monkfruit sweetener blend? Any swaps ideas?
Thanks
Abby says
Hi Cyni- If you'd prefer a different, keto-friendly sweetener, plain erythritol works well here but it's not my favorite in cookies (I think the cooling aftertaste is a lot more noticeable). I would probably opt for granulated allulose and increase the amount by 1/4 cup since it is not as sweet as the monk fruit sweetener. And if you'd prefer a paleo (but not keto) option, try coconut sugar.