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.
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Notes
Nutrition
Originally published on October 25, 2017.
I made these and added cinnamon and vanilla, and they were so delicious! I love having them for a little tasty, yet healthy, treat after a meal. Thanks for the yummy recipe!
These are terrific!! I used 15 dates, slightly more tahini than the recipe called for and a ton of cinnamon, cardamon and pumpkin pie spice and my friends and I loved them!
So glad to hear that! Sounds delish with those spices.
I made these with the added cinnamon and chocolate chips. They are really delicious, but a bit too sweet for my palate. I think I could probably reduce the dates some, leave out the chocolate chips, and/or add something salty like pretzels. That said, these are totally worth making! I suppose since this batch comes across too sweet from me, it’ll help me with portion control, so that’s a plus.
I added a 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut on my first try and WOW – these are great!
I also used a cookie scoop and my batch yielded 19 cookies, probably would have been 20 if I hadn’t kept tasting the dough!
Thank you for this recipe, Deryn! These cookies are SOOO good! I’m low on groceries and this recipe was just what I needed to satisfy the cravings. I like them unbaked as well. They make great energy bites. Baked are great because they have, like you said, that caramel-like texture… swoon. Looking forward to trying more of your recipes. Thank you, again! 🙂
Loved these cookies. So did everyone else. Will adapt the recipe each time as per suggestions.
Absolutely love these easy, healthy but still delicious cookies! I make them with my 3 year old quite often and he already knows all the ingredients ☺️ I also have made them by adding some chocolate tahini that I had and they were soooo good!
Aww that’s so cute! Chocolate tahini? Sounds AMAZING!! Thanks for the review!
They’re absolutely delicious, thanks for recipe.
You’re very welcome. Glad you enjoyed them!
I wonder if you could use chopped, fresh, cranberries instead of either figs or dates?
I wouldn’t recommend it as the dates actually bind everything together and add moisture. You could maybe use an equal amount of soaked dried cranberries or raisins though.
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. My daughter is sensitive to several foods. Since she’s on a rotation diet, using recipes with few ingredients doesn’t put all the ‘good stuff’ in one day. Both girls love them. We’re making these to bring to another non-sensitive home this Friday, and we’re going to shape them using holiday cookie cutters. Thanks again for making my daughter’s first Christmas with dietary restrictions a little better.
I’m so happy I could help! Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas! Feel free to explore the desserts section as you may find more recipes that work for her. Thanks for the review!