Vegan Tahini Date Cookies
on Nov 03, 2020, Updated Oct 13, 2026
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These 3-ingredient tahini date cookies are naturally sweet, soft and chewy, with a rich, caramel-like flavour from the dates and a nutty taste from tahini. Made with just oats, dates and tahini, they’re an easy vegan cookie you can make in about 20 minutes.
The dough comes together in a food processor, and you can customize the cookies with chocolate chips, chopped nuts, cinnamon or vanilla. They’re perfect when you want a simple homemade treat made with a few pantry staples and no added sugar.
Whether you’re already a fan of tahini or trying it in a sweet recipe for the first time, these cookies are an easy place to start.
Featured 5-Star Review
These are crave worthy!!!! The tahini and the dates work so well together. Just yum! Thank you for such a unique cookie recipe.
Sherry
Why You’ll Love Tahini Date Cookies
- Just 3 ingredients: All you need is oats, soft dates and tahini.
- Naturally sweetened: Dates provide the sweetness without added sugar.
- Quick and easy: Prepare the dough in a food processor in just a few minutes.
- Vegan and dairy-free: No eggs, butter or dairy needed.
- Easy to customize: Add chocolate chips, chopped nuts, cinnamon or vanilla.
- A unique cookie texture: Soft and dense inside, with lightly browned edges.
- No flour required: Oats form the base of these simple cookies.
For a similar cookie made with maple syrup instead of dates, check out my 3-Ingredient Oatmeal Cookies (No Banana) or try these Flourless Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Cookies made with nut butter, oats and banana.
Ingredient Notes
Below is a quick overview of what you’ll need to make the recipe and any substitutions you can make. Use the recipe card with the full list of ingredients and measurements at the bottom of the post when you’re ready to make the recipe.
- Rolled oats: Old-fashioned rolled oats, large-flake oats or quick oats will work. Since the ingredients are processed together, you don’t need to use a particular oat variety. Use certified gluten-free oats if needed.
- Dates: Soft, moist dates are essential for creating a dough that holds together. Medjool and Sayer dates are good options. If your dates feel dry or firm, soak them in hot water for 10–15 minutes, then drain them thoroughly before using.
- Tahini: Choose smooth, creamy tahini that’s easy to stir and has a pourable consistency. Tahini that is too thick or dry can make the dough crumbly. The flavour of your tahini also matters, as some varieties taste more bitter than others.
- Optional salt: A small amount of salt balances the sweetness of the dates and enhances the tahini flavour.
Variations & Additions
- Chocolate: Dairy-free chocolate chips, chopped dark chocolate or cacao nibs.
- Nuts: Chopped walnuts or pecans.
- Seeds: Sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds.
- Dried fruit: Chopped cranberries or raisins.
- Spices: Cinnamon, cardamom, ginger or nutmeg.
- Vanilla: Add up to 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
- Coffee: Add 1–2 teaspoons of espresso powder for a coffee flavour.
- Chocolate-dipped: Dip the cooled cookies in melted dairy-free chocolate and chill until set.
How to Make Tahini Date Cookies
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Add the oats, pitted dates, tahini and optional salt to a food processor. Process until the mixture forms a thick, crumbly dough that holds together when pressed between your fingers.
If the mixture is too dry to hold together, add 1–2 tablespoons of warm water and process again. This may be necessary if your dates or tahini are particularly dry.
Step 2: Divide the dough into 12 equal portions and shape each into a cookie. Arrange them on the prepared baking tray and flatten them to your preferred thickness.
The cookies won’t spread during baking, so shape them as you want them to look when finished. Thinner cookies will develop a slightly crisper exterior.
Step 3: Bake for 10 minutes, then leave the cookies on the tray for 15 minutes to cool and firm up before handling. The cookies should be lightly browned on the outside while remaining soft and dense in the middle.
Expert Tips
- Use soft, moist dates: Medjool and Sayer dates work well because they’re naturally sweet and easy to blend into the dough. If your dates are dry or firm, soak them in hot water for 10–15 minutes, then drain thoroughly before using. Excess water can make the dough too wet, so remove as much as possible.
- Use creamy, pourable tahini: Choose tahini that’s smooth and easy to stir. Thick or dry tahini can make the dough crumbly and harder to shape.
- Weigh your ingredients: For the most consistent results, use a kitchen scale to measure the oats, dates and tahini by weight. It’s more accurate than measuring by volume and makes preparation easier since you can add each ingredient directly to the food processor.
- Shape the cookies before baking: The cookies won’t spread in the oven, so flatten each portion to your preferred thickness before baking. Thinner cookies will have a slightly crisper exterior, while thicker cookies will remain softer and denser.
- Let the cookies cool: Leave them on the baking tray for 15 minutes after baking. They’ll be delicate while warm but will firm up as they cool.
Recipe FAQs
These cookies have a naturally sweet, caramel-like flavour from the dates, balanced by the nutty, slightly earthy taste of tahini. Their texture is soft and dense inside, with lightly browned edges.
Yes. You can substitute creamy peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter or sunflower seed butter. Choose a variety with a smooth, pourable consistency for the best results. The flavour and texture will vary slightly.
The dough may be too dry if your dates are firm or your tahini is thick. Use soft, moist dates and creamy tahini. If needed, add warm water a little at a time and process until the mixture holds together when pressed.
They can be. Oats are naturally gluten-free, but cross-contact can occur during processing. Use certified gluten-free oats if you need to avoid gluten.
Once completely cooled, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days or in the refrigerator for up to one week. You can also freeze them for up to three months.
The current recipe relies on a food processor to break down the dates and combine the ingredients into a cohesive dough. I wouldn’t promise that a mixing bowl alone will work equally well without testing an alternative method.
Storage Instructions
- Let cool completely before storing.
- Room Temperature: In an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Fridge: In an airtight container for up to 1 week.
- Freezer: In an airtight container or freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.
If you try these Tahini Date Cookies or any other recipe on Running on Real Food, don’t forget to leave a comment and a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the comment section below. It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe, and I love to hear from you. And don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @runningonrealfood so I can see your creation! Thanks for trying my recipes! – Deryn
Vegan Tahini Date Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup oats, 150 g
- 1/2 cup drippy tahini, 140 g
- 1 1/2 cup lightly packed, soft and moist pitted dates, 260 g
- optional: 1/4 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- If your dates are dry, soak them in boiled water for 10-15 minutes then drain well before using in the recipe.
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Add all ingredients to a food processor and process until it forms a thick dough you can easily press together between your fingers. If you want to add any extras like chocolate chips, pecans or walnuts, add up to 1/2 cup and pulse a few times to mix them in.1 1/2 cup oats, 1/2 cup drippy tahini, 1 1/2 cup lightly packed, soft and moist pitted dates, optional: 1/4 tsp sea salt
- Shape the cookie dough into 12 cookies and place on a parchment paper or silicone mat-lined baking sheet. The cookies will not change shape during baking so be sure to shape them into cookies beforehand.
- Bake for 10 minutes and let cool on the pan for 15 minutes before handling.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published on October 25, 2017.
Wow so great! Thank you for this wonderful recipe. I just made them and they are really delicious!!!
That’s awesome, so glad to hear it! I love these too. So easy and sooo yummy!
I was intrigued by this recipe for its simplicity…….dang was it simple! I thought … it would taste, you know, okay but it was more than okay. The thing (for me) that I notice about healthier snacks is that they are savoured rather than devoured. This recipe fits in that category….. De…friggin’..licious !! Thanks so much for sharing it!
Yes, agreed! These are so gooood! I love them and how easy they are. The tahini date combo is THE BEST. So glad you enjoyed them.
Made these today. I am not known for my baking skills but these are delicious!! I added some maple syrup and cinnamon… yummo!!
Just made to use up some of those date pieces, didn’t have enough so added some apricots. Decided to sprinkle tops and bottoms with sea salt since I didn’t add to dough. I also got 30 gem sized cookies to make little peanut butter sandwiches for afternoon study pick-me-up! I make similar cookies but this proportion was so simple. I see many versions on the horizon and like you, perhaps a weekly batch!
Omg I love that sandwich idea! Glad you liked them.
I’m my goodness, these are sooo yummy!!! I’ll be making these over an over for sure! They remind me of those square sesame snap candies I used to have as a kid, but without the refined sugar….naturally delicious!
Yes, I agree! They do kinda taste like those candies. So glad you enjoyed them. Thanks for letting me know.
Love these! I’ve commented about these on the Facebook group but wanted to thank you again here. I love making these for of course the taste but also find them so therapeutic making them. Also today was my first time using my new Vitamix and it was so easy!
That’s awesome, I’m so glad you like them! Thanks so much for the comment, always makes my day. 🙂 AND YAY FOR NEW VITAMIXES!!!!
I love this recipe! Have made it four times now in the last few weeks. We are travelling and always make a batch the night before a big travel day so we have some delicious and healthy snacks/breakfast substitute packed. Have tried 50/50 dates and prunes which was also delicious. Also have tried adding in almonds, walnuts, dark chocolate and chia seeds (soaked in a little water first) that were left over and all are delicious. I love that the recipe is so simple and doesn’t require rising agents, oils, flour etc. No food processor – just sliced the dates finely and mix in really thoroughly (hands required – will get messy) and the cookies held together really well. Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!!
Ohh amazing, I love those ideas! Sounds yummy with a date-prune mix. And the added nuts and dark chocolate sound so good! So glad you like them! And for the reminder that I need to make them again asap. 😉
Hi,
I usually make a recipe for the first time as the author writes it exactly, but I did not have enough dates. So, I used 1/2 thompson raisins and 1/2 dates, and the cookies turned out perfectly. Great recipe! Thanks for sharing.
You’re very welcome! Glad to hear it turned out with raisins! Raisins and tahini sounds like a good combo to me. Thanks for the comment and feedback.
Made these last weekend. These are so good! Definitely don’t skimp on the sea salt, it really brings out the flavor. Used simple truth organic brand tahini and medjool dates from Costco with great results. Now I need to find more recipes for incorporating tahini other than the usual hummus.
YES! I use tahini in everything, pancakes, tahini cups, oatmeal, cookies!! so GOOD! Glad you enjoyed them.
Hi Deryn,
These look fabulous. I’m curious what you call the dip I see in the photos and what flavors are present? Do you offer a recipe for it?
Thank you!
It’s just tahini!