Chocolate Glazed Tahini Cookies
What could be better than cookies with chocolate glaze? Nutty, salty, and sweet all in one bite. I based this recipe on a cookie recipe I found in my mom’s old recipe tin. The card was folded and stained - evidence of their popularity. If you’re unfamiliar with tahini, it is a paste made from sesame seeds that tastes similar to peanut butter, only better. If you can’t find tahini, sub any nut butter you want.
Anthony and I have been running around like madmen over the last week, trying to get Christmas presents together, cards sent, and the house decorated. Every year we say we’re going to take it easy and make life simple but somehow we end up doing more than the year before. I bragged in November that I had finished most of our holiday shopping before Thanksgiving, only to rest on my laurels until now and it is a mad dash to get things together in time.
Ingredients
for the cookies
2¼ teaspoon yeast
2 tablespoons warm water
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
½ cup tahini
¼ cup butter, softened
¼ cup shortening
1 ½ cup flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
for the glaze
1½ cup powdered sugar
¼ cup cocoa powder
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions
Dissolve the yeast in warm water in a large bowl. Mix in the sugars, egg, peanut butter, butter, and shortening until smooth.
Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir the flour mixture into the sugar mixture and beat until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375.
Roll the dough into 1 inch balls and place 2 inches apart. Press down with a fork to create a criss-cross pattern and bake for 8 minutes or until light brown. Remove from the oven and cool on wire racks.
While the cookies cool, make the glaze by mixing all the ingredients until smooth, adding additional milk, ½ teaspoon at a time until the desired consistency is met.
Dip the top of each cookie in the glaze and sprinkle with sea salt.
