Raspberry Tahini Cookies: Vegan and Gluten Free

These raspberry cookies are tasty and have none of the harmful ingredients that can be found in some store-bought kinds. The shininess of raspberry jam in a rich, nutty dough makes these gorgeous cookies a true gift to yourself.

Once in a while I love to treat myself with something delicious and the same time healthy. Healthy doesn't mean that you can't enjoy a sweet treat when you need one!

All the ingredients in these cookies are clean and good for you, but I would like to talk little bit about poppy seeds. I think I've only successfully planted them once in my yard, but aren't they gorgeous when they're blooming?

Poppy seeds are not very trendy, and even though you never hear people called them a superfood, they are. Full of minerals like iron, calcium phosphorus, zinc, and magnesium, along with omega-6 fatty acids and fiber, there are so many goodies packed in those tiny little seeds. You can usually find poppy seeds in any supermarket these days, but I wouldn't recommend it because they add unnecessary ingredients, such as corn syrup. I always buy dry poppy seeds.

As I mentioned, I’m from Ukraine, and poppy seeds are very popular in Eastern Europe. I grew up on poppy seed rolls, poppy seed ‘Piroshky’ (buns with sweet or savory filling), and my grandmother’s ‘Palyanitsa’ (special bread made from wheat flour) with poppy seed milk as a dip. Palyanitsa is a very common dish in western Ukraine. I craved it often when I was pregnant. I'm still working on a recipe to match my grandmother's flavor profile, and I'm excited to share it with you once I get it just right! For now, though, these vegan and gluten free healthy cookies are just great. I promise you will make them again and again. Let me know how much you like them below!

Prep time: 10 min

Bake time: 12-15 min

Total time: 22 - 25 min

Author: Inna of innichkachef.com

Ingredients

1 cup coconut flour 1 cup almond flour ¾ cup coconut sugar 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon sea salt ½ cup sesame seeds ½ cup poppy seeds 1 cup tahini (sesame paste) 1 teaspoon almond extract 4-6 tablespoons brewed coffee ½ cup of good quality jam (for the filling, I used raspberry)

Ingredient Notes

Store-Bought Jam

If using store-bought jam for filling, make sure to look for one with no added harmful ingredients or preservatives like high fructose corn syrup, etc.

Homemade Jam

To make homemade raspberry filling mash fresh, ripe berries (or frozen berries that have been thawed) with sugar until the desired consistency is reached and boil for 1-2 minutes to extend the shelf life. I usually prefer to use raw honey instead of sugar, but I try to avoid heating it to get the best health benefits of the honey. My honey is always local and raw (unless my mom brings me honey from Ukraine).

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. 2. In a food processor, add flours, sugar, soda, salt, and seeds. Pulse a few times. 3. Add the rest of ingredients except the jam (tahini, almond extract, and coffee). Pulse again, and you're all done with the dough! 4. Scoop the dough with a cookie scoop onto baking paper. 5. Press with a spoon into the center of each cookie and place in the oven. 6. Bake for about 12 minutes, depending on the size of your cookie scoop. 7. Remove the cookies from the oven, and fill each one with one teaspoon of raspberry jam. 8. Place the cookies on a wire rack to cool. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

These cookies can be stored in an airtight glass container for 4-5 days.

I hope you'll make this recipe soon. If you do, please tag me #innichka_chef on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest.