Tahini Cashew Nutter Butter Sandwich Cookies

Please tell me you’re as nuts about nuts as I am because otherwise I just can’t see out relationship working out.

Speaking of nuts, I feel like I’ve been going a tiny bit crazy and I’m trying to remember how I survived the last few winters without turning into an icicle. It’s only just starting to get cold and I feel as if my mind has totally dumped all instincts for self-preservation to stay warm and I can’t remember how to weather the cold.

It’s pretty ridiculous too, because where I live now in Patagonia is so mild compared to where I lived in the mountains of northern Idaho for a few years prior to moving down here. I mean, we used to get buried in double digit feet of snow and now we don’t even get snow. Clearly I need to suck it up and figure out that I should just wear more clothes. I’ve already broken down and pulled out my warmest house-wear.

At some point I know that I’ve mentioned to you guys how I’ve become a pretty un-materialistic person over the past few years. Like, say there was a fire and I had to grab the most important things to me, I wouldn’t have to spend much time considering what to take because I don’t let myself get overly attached to just stuff anymore. Okay, but if there is one silly thing that I have a weakness for, something that I would be a little regretful of losing if my home was engulfed in an inferno of flames, it would be my fuzzies.

Have I told you guys about my HUGE little tiny addiction to fluffy pajamas (and all wearable things that are fluffy for that matter)? Well, it’s pretty bad. Yeah, I’m kind of thinking the world needs to declare a national holiday for staying at home and spending all day in plushy jammies and bunny slippers (I actually don’t have any bunny slippers but I seriously need them.) I do however, have quite a lovely collection of fluffy socks that I love and adore wearing all through the cold seasons and I’m currently wearing as I type this post.

Maybe that’s a huge part of what started drawing me into the kitchen for so many hours at a time, it’s always the warmest room in the house. In fact, I’m always really sad on days when I don’t have something that needs baking or boiling any time from autumn to spring because it helps warm the room so much. See, so baking is not only a passion for me, it’s also a great way to not freeze to death. Not to mention that everyone seems to be a lot hungrier during the winter. I’ve even heard that restaurants purposefully keep the temp down because it’s been proven to cause people to eat more food. Dude, it takes a lot of energy to stay warm so that totally makes sense.

Sorry, I know that it’s totally the wrong time of year to be talking about cold season for most of you because so many of you live in the opposite hemisphere, but Springtime can also have plenty of cold spurts. Plus, I’m not saying that these can only be enjoyed during when your cold. I guarantee that they’ll be just as delish on a hot summer day, and also a great way to fuel up for warm weather activities. Don’t you love recipes that aren’t limited to any season, I do!

Yep, these cookies are so good! It’s seems like tahini has been becoming more and more popular over the past few years and I totally see why, it’s so YUM! I was thrilled a few days ago when my mom came home with armfuls of random new and exotic ingredients because our local grocery was basically clearancing all of their imported section. Tahini was only one of the items she brought but I think it was the one I got most excited to see because I’ve had a hard time finding it in my area.

These were cookies were inspired by nutter butters of course, but instead of crunchy cookies I wanted soft cookies with the added crunch of nuts inside, and that’s where cashews come into the picture. So these are super yummy cookies but unlike the original they don’t actually have peanuts at all, which should be good news for those of you with allergies. The dunk into the chocolate is completely optional but you know I just couldn’t resist and, let me tell ya, neither should you!

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Tahini Cashew Nutter Butter Sandwich Cookies

Ready for something a little bit extravagant? These sandwich cookies are reminiscent of nutter butters but so much softer and thicker! 

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Servings 30 cookie sandwiches (about)

Ingredients

Cookies:

• 1/2 cup raw tahini
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cashew butter
• 1/4 cup coconut cream
• 1/2 cup organic cane sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2/3 cup roasted cashews chopped
• 3 cups all-purpose flour

Frosting:

• 1/2 cup unsweetened cashew butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons almond milk
• 3 cups powdered sugar

Chocolate: (optional)

• 1/2 cup dairy free semi-sweet chocolate bar or chips
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil

Instructions

Cookies:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F (180 C). Beat the tahini, cashew butter, coconut cream, and sugars together in the bowl of stand mixer fitted with beater attachment. Mix in salt, baking powder, vanilla and beat until smooth. Add the flour and mix just until the dough comes together and is evenly mixed. Fold in the cashews until combined.
2. Roll the dough into 1 1/2 tablespoon sized balls and place on parchment lined cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Use a fork to press down and make criss cross marks on them. Bake for 10 -12 minutes until edges are just beginning to brown. Remove from oven and leave on pan for about 5 minutes, then remove to cooling rack.

Frosting:

1. Stir together the cashew butter, vanilla extract, and almond milk in a medium mixing bowl. Add the powdered sugar a cup at a time and mix it until combined. (Add more powdered sugar or almond milk if needed) Spread about a tablespoon of frosting in between sets of cookies to make sandwiches.

Chocolate Coating: (Optional)

1. Melt the chocolate and coconut oil over low heat in a double boiler. Dip then as desired and place on a parchment lined tray to dry.