I first made these cookies back in October and couldn’t wait to post about them because they were so delicious: a double chocolate cookie (cocoa powder plus chocolate chunks) amped up with nutty tahini paste, and then kicked over the edge with the addition of candied sesame seed brittle. Then when I sorted through all the photos I’d taken (long after all the cookies were gone, unfortunately) I wasn’t happy with how any of them turned out and decided against posting them. But I couldn’t stop thinking about these wonderful cookies, and so when I made them again this weekend, I not only kicked myself for waiting eight months to do so, I also looked through my old photos and realized that they were actually fine. So here we are! Sorry for taking so long 😉

These cookies sound fancy, but they are no more complicated than a regular chocolate chip cookie, with the only added step of making the sesame seed brittle (or “sesame crunch” as Dorie Greenspan, the cookies’ creator, calls it). But it’s pretty simple, as far as caramelizing sugar goes, and the added effort is 100% worth it. The chopped-up brittle is mixed into the cookie dough along with chunks of dark chocolate and baked into cookies that are crisp at the edges with a satisfyingly soft, chewy texture thanks to both the brown sugar and the tahini in the dough. The sesame brittle gives them extra crunch, and if you happen to come across a bit at the edge or bottom of the cookie, it has become further caramelized and even more delicious in the oven. Don’t wait eight months to make these – go do it now!

Dorie’s Cocoa-Tahini Cookies with Sesame Crunch

From Dorie’s Cookies by Dorie Greenspan. Makes about 24 cookies. Click here for a printable PDF of the recipe.

First make the sesame crunch. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat, or lightly butter the baking sheet, and place it near the stove. Measure out 1/4 cup (40 g) sesame seeds and place them near the stove.

Sprinkle 2 tbsp granulated white sugar in the bottom of a small heavy skillet (non-stick is great here), then drizzle it with 2 tsp water. Place the skillet over medium-high heat and allow the sugar to come to a boil. Continue cooking, swirling gently 1 or 2 times to make are all the sugar is incorporated, until it starts turning colour. Once it is pale golden in spots, gently stir it with a silicone spatula until it is evenly amber in colour (this will happen quickly, so don’t turn your back), then add the sesame seeds and stir to coat.

Once coated evenly in the caramel, scrape the mixture out onto your prepared baking sheet, spread it as thinly as you can manage (don’t worry if it clumps) and leave it to cool completely.

Once cool, finely chop the sesame crunch (you want pieces no larger than a pea) and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350˚F (325˚F convection) with the racks in the upper and lower thirds of then oven. Line 2 baking sheets with silicon mats or parchment paper.

For the cookie dough, whisk together in a medium bowl:

3/4 cup (102 g) all purpose flour

1/3 cup (28 g) unsweetened cocoa powder (sift if there are lumps)

1/4 tsp baking soda

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine:

6 tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

1/4 cup (63 g) tahini

3/4 cup (150 g) granulated white sugar

1/3 cup (67 g) packed brown sugar

1/2 tsp fine salt

Cream together on medium speed until creamy and pale in colour, scraping down the bowl a few times to incorporate everything. Add 1 large egg and cream for another minute or so, again scraping down the bowl.

Add the flour-cocoa mixture all at once and stir on low speed until the dry ingredients are almost but not quite combined.

Add 6 oz (170 g) chopped dark chocolate (or 1 cup chocolate chips) and the chopped sesame crunch and mix until the dry ingredients have disappeared and the chocolate and sesame crunch are evenly distributed.

Scoop into walnut sized dollops (I used a #40 cookie scoop, which is 1 1/2 tbsp) on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2″ between each cookie (they will spread in the oven!).

Bake in the preheated 350˚F (325˚F convection) oven for 13-15 minutes, rotating the pans top to bottom and front to back half-way through baking, until the edges are just set. Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheets for 5 minutes to firm up before transferring to cooling racks.

Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.