Sesame Chocolate Chip Cookies are a delicious blend of the nutty-like flavor of sesame, with sweet and decadent chocolate morsels — all wrapped up in a soft dough with crisp edges. It’s dreamy! Go to the mall? Go to the beach? Or make cookies?
My friend AimΓ©e and I would always include these three things on our “possible-things-to-do-today” list, on a typical Saturday or Sunday growing up.
I think the mall often beat out the beach, but making cookies usually won.
One day recently, I woke up and had some free time. I laughed out loud, when I consciously thought to myself, “mall, beach or cookies?”
Cookies won, of course.
Inspiration for Sesame Chocolate Chip Cookies
One of the reasons I was so eager to make cookies was that I’d made my Homemade Tahini the day before. So I had sesame seeds on my mind.
I wanted to taste that same tahini flavor in a cookie.
When AimΓ©e and I were kids, of course by the time the cookies came out of the oven, we were way too full to try them, because really, the entire point of the whole cookie making activity was to eat the batter.
Well, at least now I only eat a little of the batter. After all, I need some finished cookies to to photograph. For you.
This Sesame Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe was a success and I got my pictures. (Phew.)
It’s the sesame seeds that make these cookies so special.
What are sesame seeds?
- The plant that sesame seeds come from is an annual herb. It can grow as high as four feet and has flowers that vary from white to lavender. Those flowers mature into pods that contain the tiny, flat, oval-shaped sesame seeds.
- The color of the sesame seeds depends on the plant variety. These colors can vary from brown, red, black, yellow and the most common, ivory.
What do sesame seeds taste like?
- Sesame seeds are quite crunchy and have a subtly nutty taste.
- As with most seeds (and nuts), when they’re toasted, the flavor intensifies.
I loved those cookie making days when I was a kid. I still do.
Enjoy every last crumb of this Sesame Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe.

This recipe is a delicious blend of the nutty-like flavor of sesame, with sweet and decadent chocolate morsels -- all wrapped up in a soft dough with crisp edges.
*Please read instruction no. 2 before you begin to be sure you have equipment you might need.
- 1/2 cup white sesame seeds
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup golden brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
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Preheat the oven to 325Β°F, and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
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Add the sesame seeds to a small sautΓ© pan and place it over low-medium heat. They will begin to turn golden within a couple of minutes. Move the pan around often, and once they are all golden, look a bit oily, and are aromatic, immediately remove them from the heat. (Be careful as they can go from golden to black quickly!) Pour the toasted seeds into a mortar. Use the pestle to grind them until it's a coarse powder. (You can also do this is a spice grinder or mini food processor.) Set aside.
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Add the butter, sesame oil, both sugars, vanilla, salt and toasted sesame seed powder to a large mixing bowl. Use a large spoon to blend everything together. Then add the eggs and mix until it's smooth.
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In another bowl, combine the flour with the baking soda and then fold it into the wet mixture. Then, fold in the chocolate chips.
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Use an approximately 2 1/4-inch cookie scoop to shape the dough into balls, placing them on the parchment-lined baking sheets as you go. They should have at least 2-inches between them.
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Bake in the preheated 325Β°F oven until they are slightly golden along the edges and no longer look doughy, about 15 to 17 minutes.
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Leave them on the baking sheets to cool to room temperature.
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sippitysup says
I’ve made sesame cookies, but chips make these unique. GREG
valentina says
Thanks so much, Greg. π
David says
Mark adores sesame candy – maybe he would love these! So unique!
valentina says
I love sesame candy too! Hope he enjoys these! π
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry says
My kids love cookie making days too – so much so that they eat half the dough straight up. Love the addition of sesame in these.
valentina says
Thanks! The dough is half the fun! π
Brandon says
I would pick go to the beach AND make cookies π Or perhaps make these cookies first, then go to the beach, then each a bunch afterwards with a cold glass of milk. They look SO good!
valentina says
What, no mall? π Thanks Brandon. Enjoy!
jayne says
I have never thought to put sesame seeds in choc chip cookies before but what a fab idea as they taste so amazing when cooked! great recipe
valentina says
Thanks so much, Jayne! π
Suchi @elegantmeraki says
Can’t wait to try the combination of sesame seeds and chocolate, I mean hello it sounds delicious!!
valentina says
Thank you! Hope you love it! π
Theresa P. says
I Love sesame flavor!! and am going to make these. Thanks for sharing. One question though the sesame oil in the recipe is that toasted sesame oil or regular sesame oil?? The toasted has a more intense sesame flavor that I LOVE!
valentina says
Hi Theresa, I believe I didn’t use the toasted, but you are totally correct, the more intense flavor would be divine! Go for it. Enjoy! π