I always keep dessert in the house.
There was a time – before I had a healthy relationship with food – when I couldn’t keep dessert in the house. Having it there was so triggering.
Just knowing it was there meant it was all I thought about. It meant that I couldn’t eat it without eating all of it at once.
Here’s what changed once I created a healthy relationship with food: I started allowing dessert.
Once dessert was allowed, that “specialness” wore off.
I told myself that I could eat it any time I wanted. Truly any time.
And because of that, I was actually able to recognize if I wanted dessert in a given moment, instead of just wanting it because I felt like I shouldn’t have it.
Allowance is the biggest game changer when it comes to the way you look at food.
Now, I always keep dessert in the house, so that when I want something sweet, I have options. Candy, cookies, brownies – you name it.
All of those options help to keep dessert as something neutral, not something special. Because the more we can’t have something, the more we want it. That goes for anything, not just food!
Sometimes, dessert looks like a piece or two of chocolate. Sometimes it’s a slice of cake.
And sometimes, it’s something rich and heavenly like these Tahini Brownies.
These are so good.
The texture is ridiculously fudgey and soft. They’re super chocolatey with a glorious hint of tahini flavor.
If you’re not familiar, tahini is a sesame paste with a mild nutty flavor.
It’s often used in foods like hummus, but also in desserts like halva or even banana bread.
But of course, the best way to learn about tahini is to try it! And these delicious brownies are the perfect place to start.
Prep ingredients
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a 6 x 8” baking dish with parchment paper.
Whisk wet ingredients
In a large bowl, add the tahini, sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk well to combine.
Add dry ingredients
Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until smooth – the batter will be thick.
Fold in chocolate
Fold in the baking chocolate, reserving some for the top of the brownies.
Pour into pan
Pour the batter into the pan, using a spatula to spread it evenly and smooth out the top. Add the remaining chocolate to the top of the batter.
Bake
Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes, or until the top is a little cracked. A knife inserted in the center should come out with a little batter on it, but not fully raw. Make sure to not over bake!
Cool and cut
Let the brownies cool for at least 20 minutes (or longer if you have the time and can wait!), then cut them into squares. Letting the brownies cool completely will help to cut them smoothly.
Ingredients
- 1 cup tahini stirred well
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 8 ounces baking chocolate roughly chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a 6 x 8” baking dish with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, add the tahini, sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk well to combine.
- Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until smooth – the batter will be thick.
- Fold in the baking chocolate, reserving some for the top of the brownies.
- Pour the batter into the pan, using a spatula to spread it evenly and smooth out the top. Add the remaining chocolate to the top of the batter.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes, or until the top is a little cracked. A knife inserted in the center should come out with a little batter on it, but not fully raw. Make sure to not over bake!
- Let the brownies cool for at least 20 minutes (or longer if you have the time and can wait!), then cut them into squares. Letting the brownies cool completely will help to cut them smoothly.
