Gluten Free Chocolate Tahini Brownie

Most folks have only experienced tahini in the traditional sense–in a creamy hummus dip or a tangy tahini sauce atop a juicy kabob.

My friends, it’s time to expand your tahini experience. Added in desserts like our today’s chocolate brownies…well, it’s a game changer!

While adding flavor to chocolate brownies isn’t a new thing, I’ll have to agree with Christopher Kimball, the occasional marshmallow, nut or swirl of peanut butter, doesn’t take brownies much farther. Most remain one-note wonders.

I made a batch at the very last minute for my holiday party last year (bonus points for making the house smell like brownies just as guests arrived) and friends have been asking for the recipe ever since.

Like all good brownies, these are dense, silky, and super chocolaty with a crackly top. There’s a tahini swirl in the center and on top that lends a nutty, salty pop against the rich chocolate. I like my chocolate treats on the salty side, because chocolate tastes good that way.

Brownie aficionados everywhere will tell you that your brownies are only as good as the kind of chocolate you use, so spring for a quality brand, preferably one with 70-percent cacao.

Tahini and chocolate are a complex grown-up pairing; you’ll discover they are such the perfect match. But the whole point of this tahini brownies was not to simply add a different flavor to a classic brownies recipe.

Tahini is a key ingredient here. Instead of adding tahini to a classic brownie batter, we stir chocolate into a tahini base. The game does change. A lot!

These are everything. They’re nutty and fudgey and salty and sweet and bursting with rich chocolate flavor. They are easy to whip up and don’t take too long in the oven.

If you can, let these brownies cool completely, even overnight. I love the flavor and texture so much more the following day, best when chilled in the fridge. But if you must eat them warm, keep it a-la-mode with a scoop of your favorite ice cream.

Ingredients |

• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 150 grams of Green and Black’s Organic 70% chocolate
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method |

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Sprays an 8 x 8 inch baking pan with coconut oil. In a large bowl whisk together cocoa powder, plain flour baking powder, and salt and set aside.

In a large heatproof bowl, combine coconut oil, coconut sugar and chocolate. 

Place a bowl over (but not touching) simmering water to create a double-boiler. Heat up over medium heat, stirring often, until melted and the mixture is smooth.

Remove bowl from heat and whisk in tahini. Whisk in eggs, and vanilla. Mix in the cocoa powder mixture. Transfer batter to baking pan ensuring the top is smooth. Add 9 dollops of tahini over mixture. Using a butter knife, create swirls to make the pattern along the top.

Using a butter knife, create swirls to make the pattern along the top. See the video above for further instructions. Allow brownies to cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting into 16 squares and removing from pan.

Take a photo of your version, send us an email, tag us on Instagram, tweet us, anything. We love to see you trying out our recipe!

xoxo, Joe