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.
Could another flour gluten free flour replace the oats? I’m not in the US and we don’t have GF oats.
Hmm, I’m not sure about that. Quinoa flakes would be the best option if not, buckwheat flour would be the closest to oats, and you could possibly try almond flour. I can’t say exactly how much to use as ground flours are quite a bit different than oats but as long as you have a thick, doughy consistency before baking you should be fine. Do you have celiac? Oats are naturally gluten-free so regular oats are fine for most of us, but if not GF-certified they may have cross-contamination which would be an issues for those with severe gluten intolerance or celiac disease. Let me know if you try them!
I have made these several times and they are always a hit! Last time I ate 8 out of 12 so today I might try to hide them from myself🤣 Thanks for the super easy, delicious recipe.
Haha, I usually have to hide them too…so tasty! Glad you enjoy them.
Have just made these. The original recipe wasn’t coming together for me so I added a couple of tablespoons of almond butter to help my mixture bind. After they were baked I coated half the biscuit in dark chocolate and my goodness this recipe might be a go to for me in the future. Thanks Derryn. Hope your staying safe during these unprecedented times. Much love from Perth, Western Australia. xx
Oh wow, that sounds amazing! Glad you enjoyed and thanks for the feedback.
Love these yummy cookies. I’ll soak my dates next time but managed to get them shaped. They are my new favorite. I’m making the coconut lime recipe tomorrow.
Do you have any flourless pancake recipes? Thanks and keep the great recipes coming!
Hi Kari – I’m glad you enjoyed the cookies and I hope you like the coconut lime balls! I don’t have any flourless pancakes but I do have a number of chickpea flour pancake recipes, which I suppose would be considered flourless! I also have a quinoa flour and buckwheat flour pancake recipe if you’re looking for gluten-free options. You can find all of them under Breakfast –> Pancakes! Have fun!
Could we replace the tahini with almond butter? Nice recipe, like the texture. Although while processing it I didn’t find it looked like dough but a crumbly mixture. I had to add some maple syrup to bind better.
thank you!
Yes, you can use almond butter. Enjoy!
Thank you Deryn! Love these!!! They are so quick and easy to make, so simple yet so tasty! Really enjoyed them with my black coffee today! Adding this recipe to my favourites.
These ingredients are staples in my house too, all ingredients that I love, so I was thrilled to find this recipe and to be able to make it immediately without having to shop for an ingredient! They smelled wonderful while baking unlike anything I’ve baked before probably because I’ve never baked anything with tahini before! So quick, so easy, and so delicious!! Thank you for this great recipe! I will make it again and again!
Do you use old-fashioned or quick cooking oats?
You can use either…enjoy!
These are delicious! I love how unique they are and how they don’t make me feel bad after eating, unlike most other kinds of cookies. The only issue I had was that I didn’t realize just how thick the dough would be and tried to do it in my Vitamix – and burnt out the motor! Thankfully it started working again after I let it cool down, and I finished blending in my food processor. My husband said “they’d be better with frosting” but clearly he doesn’t know what he’s talking about LOL. This is a keeper for sure.
Haha, I mean, they would definitely be good with frosting too! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Simply amazing taste and texture with a balance of flavours.I am a vegan chef and love how all the ingredients blend in.I also added a touch of maple to this to sweeten it
So thank you
So glad you enjoyed them! Sound yummy with a little maple syrup! Thanks for the comment.