DArk chocolate, tahini & pumpkin seed cookies
These dark chocolate, pumpkin seed and tahini cookies are the perfect example of how small changes can make everyday foods more nutritious, without compromising on taste.
Inspired by Tim Spector’s almond biscuits, I’ve swapped pecans for pumpkin seeds and replaced olive oil with tahini, giving them a lovely rich, nutty flavour. They’re still cookies and do contain some sugar and chocolate, but they’re also packed with ingredients that bring a little bit more to the table.
Ground almonds, flaxseed, pumpkin seeds and tahini provide protein, fibre and healthy fats, helping to slow digestion and support steadier blood sugar levels. Pumpkin seeds add magnesium and zinc, while dark chocolate provides cocoa polyphenols - plant compounds that interact with our gut microbes to support a healthy balanced microbiome.
They’re also incredibly simple to make: just mix everything together in one bowl, shape and bake. A delicious option when you fancy something sweet with a little extra nutritional value.
Ingredients
Makes 12-14 cookies
2 tbsp ground flaxseed
4 tbsp water
200g ground almonds
3 tbsp light brown sugar
2 tbsp tahini
50g pumpkin seeds
80g dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa solids), roughly chopped
Pinch of sea salt
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Mix the ground flaxseed with the water, set aside for 5 minutes while you measure out the other ingredients, and stir once or twice to mix properly
Put the ground almonds, sugar, pumpkin seeds, dark chocolate, and a pinch of salt in a large mixing bowl and mix well.
Add the tahini and flaxseed mixture, stirring well to combine thoroughly and form a dough.
Use an ice cream scoop or a tablespoon to divide into 12-14 balls, then gently flatten them onto the baking tray.
Bake for 12–14 minutes, until lightly golden around the edges.
Leave to cool on the tray and transfer to a wire rack.
Approx per cookie (based on making 14):
🌱 Fibre: ~3.5g
💪 Protein: ~5.5g
⚡ Energy: ~175 kcal