makes 24 cookies (2 per serving) · prep time: 10 minutes · cook time: 16 minutes

Move over, peanut butter; your older, more refined cousin, tahini, is in the house. Not only is tahini delicious, but it is a great option for those with a peanut allergy. Tahini is made by grinding toasted sesame seeds into a paste. It is commonly found in Mediterranean dishes and has a place in both sweet and savory recipes. These soft and chewy sesame cookies are the perfect textural blend of shortbread meets sugar cookie.

ingredients

• 2½ cups blanched almond flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¾ cup (1½ sticks) butter, softened
• 1 cup granular erythritol
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• ¾ cup tahini
• ¼ cup toasted sesame seeds

directions

1.Place oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
2.Whisk together the almond flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
3.Place the butter, erythritol, and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl. Using an electric hand mixer, beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
4.Beat the tahini into the wet ingredients, then add the dry ingredients a little at a time, beating after each addition.
5.Using a large spoon, scoop up heaping mounds of the dough (about 2 tablespoons each) and drop them onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing the mounds about 2 inches apart. Sprinkle each mound with 1/2 teaspoon of sesame seeds.
6.Bake for 16 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through. The cookies will be soft in the center and golden brown around the edges. Let them cool on the baking sheets before serving; they will continue to firm up as they cool. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the pantry or on the counter for up to 1 week.

CALORIES: 340 | FAT: 32 g | PROTEIN: 8 g | TOTAL CARBS: 8.8 g | DIETARY FIBER: 3.8 g | NET CARBS: 5 g | ERYTHRITOL: 20 g