These cookies are my solution for those with a peanut allergy or live in a nut-free home but still crave peanut butter cookies. The recipe substitutes peanut butter for tahini, a sesame seed paste popular in Mediterranean cuisine, but is also found in North Africa, west Asia, and eastern Europe. The smooth, creamy paste has a similar warm and nutty flavor to peanut butter that makes it hard to tell the two apart. I roll the cookies in sesame seeds to identify the cookies as peanut-free and add texture similar to chunky peanut butter cookies. Store opened tahini jars in the refrigerator and use it in other baked good recipes where peanut butter is called for, such as brownies and cakes. Before making these cookies for someone with a peanut allergy, confirm they are not allergic to sesame seeds as well. The two allergies have been linked for some. 

Tahini Cookies
Yields 2 dozen 

Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1¾ cups tahini
2⅔ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup sesame seeds (optional)

Directions 

1. Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed, cream together the butter and sugars for 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Stop the mixer to add the eggs and vanilla, then return to medium-high speed and mix for 2 minutes. 
2. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add tahini and mix for 2 minutes or until mixture is creamy and fully combined. 
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. 
4. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry mixture and mix until just combined. Stop the mixer, then mix with a rubber spatula until no flour is visible. 
5. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, up to 1 hour. 
6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Portion the dough into ¼-cup balls and roll in sesame seeds, then place on the baking sheet about 2-inches apart. Flatten each ball with the palm of your hand.
7. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown on the edges and still pale and slightly soft in the center. Cool on a wire rack for 2 minutes, then transfer cookies from the pan onto the rack to cool completely. 
8. Cookies can be stored in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Unbaked dough can be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

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