My love for all things sesame is well documented. Black sesame macarons? Sounds good. Black sesame ice cream? Yes! Tahini lunchbox cookies? Groovy.
How about tahini in bar form?
With added currants (or just about any dried, chopped fruit), these bars are a cross between a peanut butter cookie and a fig newton. They’re dense, nutty, soft and chewy.
AND, they’re even better when eaten frozen. Full disclosure: I feel the same way about white grocery store birthday cake and those Lofthouse cookies with the icing and sprinkles on top so, consider the source.
Tahini Blondies
Ingredients
- 1 stick (4 ounces) butter, melted and cooled
- 3/4 C granulated sugar
- 3/4 C golden brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 C tahini paste (make sure sesame is the only ingredient…unless you like your blondies garlicky)
- 1 1/4 C all purpose flour
- Currants or raisins (if desired)
- Sesame seeds for sprinkling on top (if desired)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8X8 baking pan with parchment.
- Whisk melted butter into the sugars. Add salt.
- Whisk eggs into sugar mixture one-at-a-time. Whisk in vanilla.
- Fold-in tahini. Fold-in flour until just incorporated. Fold-in currants.
- Pour mixture into prepared pan. Top with sesame seeds.
- Bake for about 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and an inserted skewer comes out clean.