Vegan Tahini Date Cookies
on Nov 03, 2020, Updated Nov 05, 2025
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These vegan tahini date cookies are easy to make in 20 minutes with just 3 ingredients: oats, dates and tahini!
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
There’s not much to these cookies but the combination of tahini, dates and oats is to-die-for. They’re soft, buttery and just so yummy. Here’s why you’ll love them:
- Quick and easy to make with just 3 simple ingredients.
- Minimal prep and 10 minutes to bake.
- Vegan, gluten-free, oil-free and no added sugar.
- They taste like caramel (even better if you add chocolate chips!).
- They make the perfect healthier dessert or snack.
- You can leave them raw or bake them.
- You can customize with extras like chocolate chips, pecans or walnuts.
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.
If you’re new to using tahini in sweet recipes, these Vegan Tahini Sesame Cookies, Vegan Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies and Tahini Hemp Seed Bars are all delicious too.
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.
- Oats: You can use rolled oats, large flake oats or quick oats. Even minute oats would work since we’re just blending them up anyways.
- Dates: Any variety works as long as they’re soft, moist and not dry. I like medjool dates, sayer dates or deglect noor. If your dates are dry, soak them in hot water for 10 minutes and drain well before using.
- Tahini: Use creamy, drippy tahini. Good tahini should be completely smooth, slightly sweet and not overly bitter. I like Arz Fine Foods or Soom tahini. You can also use almond butter, peanut butter, cashew butter or sunflower seed butter in this recipe as long as they’re not dry (texture should be nearly pourable).
This list is not complete. Please see the recipe card at the end of the post for the complete ingredient list with measurements and detailed instructions.
Variations & Additions
- The dough makes a great base for chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans, sesame seeds, coconut, pumpkin seeds, cranberries or chocolate chips. Add up to 1/2 cup of your choice of add-in.
- For flavour enhancement, you can add a pinch of salt and up to 1 tsp of vanilla extract and/or cinnamon.
- 1-2 tsp of espresso powder is yummy to make them coffee-flavoured!
- Other flavours that are nice in these cookies are orange, cardamom, ginger and nutmeg.
- For an extra treat, try melted some dairy-free chocolate and dipping the top or half of each cookie into the chocolate then firming on a pan in the fridge. So good!
How to Make Tahini Date Cookies
Before You Start: Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Step 1: Add all the ingredients to a large food processor and mix into a thick, crumbly dough. You should easily be able to press the dough together between your fingers.
If the dough is too crumbly to press together, which can happen if your dates and/or tahini is too dry, add 1-2 tbsp warm water and process again.
Step 2: Shape the dough into 12 cookies and place on a parchment or silicon mat-lined baking tray.
Quick Note: The cookies will not change shape at all during baking so be sure to shape them into the cookie shape you want before hand. You can make them thin or leave them on the thicker side, up to you!
The cookies have a soft, dense texture kind of like baked oatmeal. They get a bit brown and crisped on the outside but the inside will stay dense and soft. For a somewhat crisper outside, shape them on the thinner side.
Step 3: Bake for 10 minutes then let cool on the pan for 15 minutes and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
These cookies have a soft, dense texture and are not like a traditional cookie. They get a bit browned and crisp on the outside but the inside will be dense and soft.
No. You can substitute the tahini with any other nut or seed butter such as almond butter, peanut butter, or for another nut-free option, sunflower seed butter as long as it’s creamy and drippy.
Deryn’s Notes
- Dates: It’s important to use soft, moist, sweet and squishy dates like medjool or sayer dates. If your dates are overly dry, soak them in hot water for 15 minutes then drain well before using in the recipe.
- For best results, use an inexpensive kitchen scale to measure the ingredients. This is not totally necessary but I always recommend following my exact measurements if you can! Plus it makes baking super easy because you can just add the ingredients straight into the bowl to the specified weight.
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.
These are so tasty! I adore anything with tahini in and they are so simple to make without added sugar or strange ingredients. Will be making these often 🙂
Thanks for the recipe.
I adore tahini too, so great in baking and desserts! Glad you enjoyed the recipe!
We made it with 1/2 tahini and 1/2 almond butter and we loved them!
Awesome! That combo sounds perfect!
Thank you for sharing this date-lovers’ dream of a quick recipe. I used noor dates which I usually eat plain or throw a hand full in smoothies for sweetness, so I really appreciated this recipe. Question: how do you think these would come out using a microwave?
Hmm, I’m not sure…I’ve never made anything like this in a microwave! Let me know if you try it. I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
These are so great! I make them as instructed but add cinnamon and cardamom. They are so easy to make! I make them to replace cliff bars and I eat them when I hike and as snacks. They really do remind me of cliff bars, minus the excess ingredients and preservative.
Definitely! They are a bit like Clif bars for sure. So glad you enjoy them!!
These are, once again, fabulous! I love how you make healthy ingredients easy to throw together and taste great! I did add the mini chocolate chips and cinnamon. My kids love them! I love them for something to have in my bag for after a workout or run. You mention to wait 15 minutes to cool. Have to admit, I’m glad I snuck one after 10 to enjoy the melting chocolate.😁 Soooo good! Thank you!
Hi! Is there a way to make these with soaked oats?
Thanks!
I don’t think so unfortunately, they’d be too moist. Unless you toasted them maybe to dry them out? I’m not sure, I haven’t tried it! Sorry!
Thank you for your thoughtful response! Much appreciated
I make these often with mazafati fresh dates and I like to add 2 tbsp of chia seeds and sometimes a little cinnamon. I’m making these right now with all that and some cacao nibs. sure it’s going to be yummy! thanks
They sound amazing with cacao nibs, enjoy!
Well, I’m glad they still taste good! Let me know if you try them again. Thanks!
Best recipe! Sooooo easy. I put a little chocolate chip “dot” in the middle. Loved by vegans and non vegans alike!!
This is an excellent, EXCELLENT recipe. Thanks for sharing it. Your really knocked it out of the park. 🙂
Excellent! I’m so happy you enjoyed them! Thanks for the review, I appreciate it. 🙂