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Home » Dessert

Peanut Butter Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Modified: Feb 18, 2025 · Published: Apr 24, 2024 by Marni Katz · This post may contain affiliate links ·

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I first saw these tahini chocolate chip bars when Melinda Strauss shared them on her Instagram and they went totally viral and I knew I had to try them. After testing them a few times with my kids, changing the ingredients a bit and perfecting the method, I now get asked for the recipe every time I make them!

Tahini and chocolate are a match made in heaven. Box mix tahini brownies, tahini chocolate chip cookies, no matter the combination, the sweet and savory just work really well together. They are great for a pareve Shabbat dessert or an afterschool snack.  And best of all, just like my cake mix cookie bars, they take just 5 minutes to make and are a true crowd pleaser.

peanut butter chocolate chip tahini bars with a glass of milk
Jump to:
  • Why you'll love them
  • What is tahini?
  • Ingredients
  • 💡Pro Tip
  • Step by step instructions
  • Storage Tips
  • Recipe Variations
  • 📖 Recipe

Why you'll love them

  • These little bars of goodness pack a big flavor punch without the use of any flour!  They are grain free with the peanut butter and tahini doing all the work. (I've made them dozens of times and still can't believe the magic!)
  • Take less than 30 minutes from start to finish
  • Mix in one bowl and baking on a cookie sheet...no baking pans to wash!
  • Naturally dairy free

What is tahini?

Tahini is a sesame paste that is made from toasted and hulled sesame seeds that are ground up to paste.  It’s a condiment often found in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine and can be found in many of the classic dishes you know from the region.  Tahini is a main ingredient in hummus and is awesome on a falafel sandwich.

Tahini is also super versatile ingredient. 

  • Use it in baking (think salted tahini chocolate chip cookies, tahini brownies, etc)
  • Use in salad dressings and marinades. 
  • Great as a veggie dip
  • Excellent swirled into sauces with pasta or spread on toast. 

Ingredients

ingredients for tahini chocolate chip bars

A few notes on the ingredients:

  • Tahini:  Make sure to stir the tahini in the jar before you measure it out.  The oil sometimes separates and needs to be reincorporated.
  • Peanut Butter: Any brand of regular store bought peanut butter will work.  I have not tested this with natural peanut butter.
  • Chocolate Chips:  Any chocolate chips you have on hand will work.  If you want to make sure these are totally dairy free cookie bars, be sure to choose a dairy free chocolate chip.

💡Pro Tip

To clean your measuring cups easily, spray them with non-stick cooking spray before using and the peanut butter and tahini will pop right out into the bowl.

Step by step instructions

You won’t believe me when I tell you how easy these are. First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Then, simply put all the ingredients, except the chocolate chips into a bowl and whisk.

egg, peanut butter, tahini, maple syrup and baking soda in a glass bowl

Yep, that’s it.  Seriously, they are super easy to make.  

cookie batter in a bowl with chocolate chips next to it

The peanut butter tahini chocolate chip cookie bar batter will look broken when you start mixing, but just keep whisking.  It will come together after about a minute.  Once it’s nice and smooth, stir in the chocolate chips.

smooth batter in a glass bowl

Then, pour the batter on the parchment lined baking sheet into a general log shape.  Sprinkle with coarse salt, put into the oven and bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes.

log of tahini cookie bar dough on parchment paper

After 15 minutes, take the log of  peanut butter tahini chocolate chip cookie goodness out of the oven and slice into bars.  Separate the bars a bit so they can firm up on all sides and return the pan to the oven.  Bake another 5 minutes or so before removing from the oven.

cookie bars sliced on a baking sheet

Cool on the baking sheet and enjoy!

Storage Tips

Peanut butter tahini chocolate chip cookie bars are best eaten the same day you make them.

To store them overnight, put in a zip top bag or airtight container and store on the counter. They will last a day or two and then dry out. They don’t last as long as other cookies, but you’ll eat them up quickly, so it should be a proble.

Recipe Variations

  • Make them nut free. Simply leave out the peanut butter and substitute the same amount of tahini. You'll have a delish tahini chocolate chip bar. They may come out a little flatter, but will still taste amazing!
  • You can easily half this recipe if you aren’t looking to eat all the cookie bars in just a day.  It won’t look like much in the bowl, but I promise it works just as well.
  • As a Passover dessert if you eat kitniyot. They end up looking like chocolate chip mandel bread but totally gluten free.
  • Skip the chocolate chips and mix in chopped nuts or dried fruit.

Did you try this recipe and and love it? 😍 Let me know by leaving a comment below or 5 ⭐ rating!

And make sure to sign up for my newsletter and follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for more simple recipes! Remember to tag us on social channels when you make a recipe at #simplegraytshirt! I 💖 seeing what you’re up to in the kitchen!

📖 Recipe

cookie bars sliced on a baking sheet

Peanut Butter Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Marni Katz
30 minutes to snacking heaven when you make these peanut butter tahini chocolate chip cookie bars.  Grain free, dairy free and totally delicious!
4.75 from 4 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved!
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 20 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine Mediterranean
Servings 10
Calories 235 kcal

Equipment

  • Cookie Sheet
  • Mixing Bowl
  • Whisk

Ingredients
  

  • ½ cup peanut butter
  • ½ cup tahini
  • ⅓ cup maple syrup
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ cup chocolate chips
  • ½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt optional

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
  • In a mixing bowl, add peanut butter, tahini, maple syrup, eggs, baking soda and vanilla and whisk together until smooth.
  • Stir the chocolate chips into the cookie batter
  • Pour the batter onto the prepared baking sheet into a log. Wet your fingers and gently make sure the batter is in one long oblong log shape.
  • Sprinkle the coarse salt over the top of the log and bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes
  • Take the cookie sheet out of the oven and slice the log into cookie bars, Once cut, separate them a bit and return the cookie sheet to the oven. Bake an additional 5 minutes.
  • Remove from oven, let cool at least 10 minutes and enjoy!

Notes

When you first start whisking the batter it will appear separated, just keep whisking and everything will come together to form a smooth batter.
If you want to have a crispier cookie bar, leave them in the oven a few extra minutes on the second bake. 
Need to make these nut free?  Just swap the peanut butter for the same amount of tahini.

Nutrition

Serving: 2barsCalories: 235kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 7gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 34mgSodium: 254mgPotassium: 175mgFiber: 2gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 76IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 50mgIron: 1mg
Keyword Dairy Free, Grain Free, Kosher
Tried this recipe?Let me know what you think!

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About Marni Katz

Marni Katz is the recipe developer, photographer and writer behind Simple Gray T-Shirt. She wants to help people keep things simple in the kitchen. With simple recipes, easy menu ideas and plenty of tips and tricks along the way, she wants getting a meal on the table to be as simple as putting on your favorite gray tee!
"I want to inspire you to get back in the kitchen and do this, because you can!"

Comments

  1. Tutness says

    December 16, 2020 at 12:43 am

    5 stars
    I've revisited this recpie in colder weather, once again using natural peanutbutter! And I can now say with comfodence that the temperature outside played a part in my ability to make a log hehehe. In hot weather I got a puddle, in colder weather I was able to make a very neat log that kept its shape.

    Next time I try it when it's hotter outside I might pop my bowl in the fridge for 10 minutes 🙂 in hopes that the baking soda won't lose its magic.

    Reply
    • Marni Katz says

      December 16, 2020 at 9:19 am

      Amazing tip. Thanks for revisiting it and letting me know how things worked out. Kitchen temperatures are tricky and often an important part of recipes that can't be written down!

      Reply
  2. Tutness says

    September 28, 2020 at 9:09 am

    5 stars
    So I may have skimmed a little when it came to reading all the notes, and used the natural peanut butter I have at hand - while I don't know what the original version is like, natural peanut butter is definitely viable. It's less of a log, and more of a puddle, but the eggs and baking powder gave their lift, I approve 🙂

    Reply
    • Marni Katz says

      September 29, 2020 at 10:01 am

      I'm so glad to know that natural peanut butter worked for you! Logs, puddles, in my book a cookie is a cookie no matter what shape! Enjoy 😍!

      Reply
  3. Rivka bialik says

    September 13, 2020 at 11:27 am

    I made it. Its delicious but came out gooey. What did i do wrong? I see your picture and it looks more firm than mine. I actually made it in a pyrex loaf pan. Could that be the reason??

    Reply
    • Marni Katz says

      September 14, 2020 at 9:47 am

      That could be the problem, or since every oven is a little bit different, you may need to bake just a few extra minutes. I'm glad the flavor was spot on!

      Reply
4.75 from 4 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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