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Overhead view of tahini cookies topped with whole almonds on a white cooling rack.

Tahini Cookies with Almonds

Buttery, crumbly tahini cookies with a rich sesame flavor and a whole almond topping. An easy one-bowl cookie recipe made without a mixer.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Bake Time (per batch) 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 35 cookies (35–40)
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: Middle Eastern, Turkish-inspired
Calories: 140
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour approximately 390 g
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 cup plain tahini approximately 240 g, stirred well
  • 1 cup granulated sugar approximately 200 g
  • 200 g unsalted butter softened (about 14 tablespoons)
  • 35–40 whole blanched almonds for topping

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Place the flour, baking powder, tahini, sugar, and softened butter in a large bowl. Mix with your hands until a soft, uniform dough forms. It should feel slightly oily and hold together when shaped. If it is too crumbly, mix in an extra tablespoon of tahini.
  3. If using skin-on almonds, cover them with boiling water and leave for 5 minutes. Drain, let cool enough to handle, slip off the skins, and pat dry. Skip this step for ready-blanched almonds.
  4. Divide the dough into 35–40 portions and roll into walnut-sized balls. Arrange on the prepared baking sheets with space between them. Gently press one almond into the center of each ball.
  5. Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the bottoms are golden and the tops are lightly colored. Do not overbake: the cookies will firm up as they cool.
  6. Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheets before moving them. They are very fragile while warm.

Notes

  • Use plain sesame tahini, not tahini sauce.
  • Stir the tahini before measuring.
  • Use softened butter, not melted butter.
  • You need one whole almond per cookie.
  • Measuring cups are 240 ml. Gram equivalents are approximate; use the listed weights when measuring with a scale.
  • Bake time is per batch. If your baking sheets don’t fit in the oven at the same time, bake in batches. The total time assumes two batches baked one after another and does not include cooling.