Tahini Brownies are super rich, fudgy and decadent with melted dark chocolate, cocoa and tahini, all topped with a creamy chocolate tahini buttercream frosting!
You might be skeptical about adding tahini to brownies, but I promise these brownies are amazing! The tahini enhances the richness of the chocolate and adds a layer of roasted, nutty flavour to these fudgy bars.
If you prefer chewy brownies over fudgy, no worries! These almond butter brownies are rich and chewy with sea salt and an almond butter swirl.
And, if you like some ice cream with your brownies, you’ll want to try these peanut butter brownie ice cream sandwiches!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- These brownies are extra chocolatey with melted dark chocolate and cocoa in the batter and topped with chocolate frosting.
- The frosting has a mild sesame flavor that complements the cocoa, and the tahini and butter whip up together to form a perfectly creamy frosting.
- These brownies freeze well (even with the frosting) so you can make a batch and freeze some to enjoy whenever that chocolate craving hits!
What is tahini?
Tahini is a seed butter or paste made from sesame seeds. It’s popular in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine and a key ingredient in many hummus recipes.
You can find tahini at your local grocery store. It’s normally in the organic section or around the international foods. The variety I normally buy is made from raw, hulled white sesame seeds.
Details on a few of the ingredients
*See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and quantities.
Chocolate – The base of the brownie batter starts with melted chocolate. For a rich flavour, I used chopped extra dark chocolate (70% cacao) but you can also use dark or semi-sweet chocolate. I’ve also tested this recipe with chocolate chips and there was not a significant difference in texture.
Tahini – For this recipe, you’ll want to use tahini that’s just made from raw sesame seeds. The tahini is added to the batter and also used in the buttercream. I like to use a tahini that has a pourable texture so it mixes into the other ingredients easily.
Sugar – The recipe calls for a combination of coconut sugar and cane sugar. If you can’t find these types of sugars (which are normally found in the organic section of grocery stores), you can substitute brown sugar and granulated sugar.
Flour – One cup of flour adds structure to these brownies. I used whole wheat flour in this recipe, which is more absorbent than white flour.
Cocoa – The recipe calls for dutch-processed cocoa, which is darker in colour compared to natural cocoa, so it produces a dark chocolate brownie with a more intense chocolate flavour.
How to make brownies with tahini
Preheat your oven to 350F and line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper.
Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. (Sifting is important since cocoa tends to be lumpy). Set aside.
In a separate bowl, melt together the chocolate, oil and tahini. Then, whisk in the sugars.
Whisk in the eggs (one at a time) and vanilla.
Stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined. Be careful not to over mix. The batter will be thick.
Spoon the batter into your prepared pan and use an offset spatula to spread it out evenly.
Bake for 26-28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the brownies comes out with moist crumbs on it.
Let cool completely before frosting.
How to make tahini buttercream
Place your room temperature butter and tahini in a mixing bowl and use an electric mixer to beat together.
Gradually beat in the powdered sugar and cocoa until the frosting is thickened. (Add more powdered sugar for a thicker and sweeter frosting).
Spread out onto the brownies. Top with a few sesame seeds (optional). Cut into squares and serve.
Recipe substitutions
- If you don’t have coconut and cane sugar, you can use a combination of brown and granulated sugar. Just note that brown sugar adds more moisture to the brownies so the batter may not be as thick and will require a few more minutes of baking.
- To make these brownies dairy-free, substitute the chopped chocolate with dairy-free chocolate and use dairy-free butter to make the frosting. (Using dairy-free chocolate will make the brownie batter a little thinner so it may need to bake longer).
- Instead of the tahini buttercream, use this avocado chocolate frosting or another frosting of your choice.
- You can also leave off the frosting and top the brownies with a swirl of tahini and some flaky sea salt before baking.
Frequently asked questions
The baking time for these brownies is 26-28 minutes. Since oven temperatures can vary slightly, I suggest checking for doneness using the toothpick test. Just insert a toothpick into the centre of the brownies. They’re done when moist crumbs (not batter) come out stuck to the toothpick. Pulling them out of the oven at this point will result in a fudgy brownie. For a more chewy texture, bake them for another few minutes. Be careful not to bake for too much longer as the brownies will dry out.
This recipe has only been tested with whole wheat flour. As whole wheat flour is more absorbent than white flour, if you try to substitute, you may need to increase the amount of white flour used.
Yes, but an 8-inch pan will create thicker brownies, so you will need to increase the baking time by about 5 minutes.
You can substitute another seed butter or nut butter for the tahini in this recipe but it will change the flavour of the brownies and the frosting.
Since these brownies are frosted, they should be stored in the fridge, where they will last for 5-7 days. The frosting will firm up in the fridge, so you may need to let them sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Yes, you can freeze these brownies, even with the frosting. Just place them in a single layer in a freezer-safe container and store in the freezer for up to a month. When ready to enjoy, defrost for a few hours in the fridge.
Key recipe tips
- Melting the chocolate. I melt the chocolate, oil and tahini together in the microwave. I do this in two 30-second intervals, stirring in between and after until smooth. Be careful not to overheat as the chocolate will burn, which can easily happen if you’re heating the mixture on the stovetop.
- Measuring the flour. For this recipe, use the spoon and level method. Scooping flour out of the bag or container will pack it into your measuring cup and result in too much flour for the recipe.
- Parchment paper. I normally grease the brownie pan and then line it with parchment paper on the bottom and up the sides. Once cooled, you can use the sides of the parchment paper to easily lift the brownies out of the pan.
- Let cool before frosting. You’ll want to let the brownies cool completely before frosting. If they’re still warm, the frosting will melt.
- Don’t over bake. Be careful not to over bake the brownies as they will turn out more chewy instead of fudgy.
More brownie recipes
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear what you think in the comments below!
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Tahini Brownies
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cooling Time: 3 hours
- Cook Time: 28 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 48 minutes
- Yield: 16 brownies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
Tahini Brownies are super rich, fudgy and decadent with melted dark chocolate, cocoa and tahini, all topped with a creamy chocolate tahini buttercream frosting!
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole wheat flour, spooned and levelled
- 1/3 cup Dutch-processed cocoa, sifted if lumpy
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (kosher or table)
- 6 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (or olive oil)
- 1/4 cup tahini (pourable consistency)
- 3/4 cup cane sugar
- 3/4 cup coconut sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the frosting:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/4 cup tahini, room temperature
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy
- 1/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa, sifted if lumpy
- Sesame seeds (optional, for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 9-inch square pan with non-stick cooking spray and line it with overhanging parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, add the chocolate, oil and tahini. Microwave on two 30-second intervals, stirring in between and after until mixture is smooth and runny. Be careful not to overheat as the chocolate may burn.
- Add in the sugars and whisk until combined.
- Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, and then the vanilla.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir until just incorporated. Be careful not to over mix. The batter will be thick.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and use an offset spatula to spread it out evenly.
- Bake for 26-28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out with moist crumbs on it.
- Let cool completely before frosting.
- To prepare the frosting, use an electric mixer to beat together the butter and tahini. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar and cocoa until the frosting has thickened.
- Spread the frosting onto the cooled brownies. Cut into squares and store in an airtight container in the fridge for 5-7 days, or freeze for up to a month.
Notes
- If you don’t have coconut and cane sugar, you can use a combination of brown and granulated sugar. Just note that brown sugar adds more moisture to the brownies so the batter may not be as thick and will require a few more minutes of baking.
- Try not to over bake the brownies. For a fudgy texture, you want to pull them out of the oven when a toothpick inserted into the centre still comes out with moist crumbs on it (not batter). For chewier brownies, you can bake for another minute or two, but be careful they don’t bake too long and dry out.
- For a thicker and sweeter frosting, add more powdered sugar.
- Be sure to check out the other sections above the recipe card for more detailed advice and suggestions for making this recipe.
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