Chocolate tahini balls are a salty & sweet no bake treat topped with toasted sesame seeds. They make the perfect addition to your next holiday dessert tray!
I love making a few easy, no-bake candies for my holiday dessert tray every year. Peanut butter buckeyes and grinch oreo balls are my favorites. Looking for a unique twist on those classic buckeyes? Try these chocolate tahini balls!
Sweet tahini filling is rolled into balls and coated in a thin layer of chocolate, then topped with toasted sesame seeds. Tahini adds a nutty, savory flavor that's slightly less sweet than peanut butter, and sesame seeds add a nice crunch on top.
Make a batch of chocolate tahini balls as a quick, year-round treat. They're no bake and keep for up to a month in the refrigerator (or 3 months in the freezer), so they're easy to make ahead of time.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Tahini - Tahini is a butter made from ground sesame seeds, similar to peanut butter or almond butter. It's slightly thinner and has a more savory, bitter flavor when compared to peanut butter. You can usually find it in the International section of your local grocery store.
- Confectioner's sugar - Sweetens the tahini balls and thickens the base enough to roll into balls.
- Butter - Make sure your butter is room temperature for easy incorporation into the tahini.
- Vanilla - Adds flavor to the tahini balls.
- Salt - Enhances the flavors of the other ingredients and balances the sweetness. I don't recommend omitting the salt!
- Sesame seeds - Toasted sesame seeds are ideal and add a nice crunch and texture to the tahini balls. If you have raw sesame seeds on hand, heat a skillet over medium heat and add your sesame seeds in a single layer. Stir frequently for 3 to 4 minutes, or until your seeds are golden brown in color.
- Melting wafers - I recommend dark or milk chocolate candy coating when making truffles at home. Ghirardelli is my favorite brand to purchase from the grocery store, and Mercken's is my favorite online brand. Melting wafers are made for candy making and melt easily into a smooth, dippable texture. I don't recommend using chocolate chips because they melt easily when handled, have a dull, soft finish when hardened, and take much longer to dry.
Tips and tricks
Stir tahini before measuring - Tahini often separates after sitting for a while and can have a thick layer of oil sitting on top. Stir your tahini well to incorporate that oil before measuring it for the recipe.
Portion with a small cookie scoop - For even portioning, I like to use my small (2 teaspoon) cookie scoop. Here's the exact cookie scoop I use: OXO Small Cookie Scoop
Refrigerate before dipping - Just after rolling, the tahini balls will feel a bit greasy and soft. They need to be refrigerated or frozen to firm up for easier dipping. I recommend line a baking sheet with parchment paper or wax paper then transfer the entire pan to the refrigerator or freezer.
Don't chill too long - Refrigerate the tahini balls for 30 minutes or freeze them for 15 minutes. Chilling for too long can cause the candy coating to crack as it sets. If you've chilled your tahini balls overnight, allow them to warm up for about 10 minutes on the countertop before dipping.
Use a toothpick - I recommend the toothpick method I use when making buckeyes. Insert a toothpick into the center of the tahini ball. Use the toothpick to roll it gently in the candy coating to cover all sides. Gently tap to remove excess candy coating then return it to the parchment. Remove the toothpick and use it to fill in the hole on the top.
Add sesame seeds immediately - Candy coating sets quickly so add your sesame seeds quickly after removing the toothpick.
Reheat candy coating as needed - Your candy coating will cool down over time. Reheat in 10 second increments to keep it warm and thin for easy coating.
Storage
Chocolate tahini balls will keep for up to three weeks in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator.
They can also be frozen for up to three months in a freezer-safe container. Transfer to the refrigerator to thaw overnight. Keep in mind that frozen chocolate may cause bloom (white streaks that are perfectly safe to eat) when thawed. Keep this in mind if you'd like to make these for a special event.
Frequently asked questions
Your tahini balls can crack if they are too cold. The cold interior can cause the candy coating to crack as it sets. To prevent this, take care not to chill your tahini balls for too long (maximum 30 minutes in the refrigerator or 15 minutes in the freezer). If they've been chilling for longer, allow them to warm up slightly on the countertop before dipping.
I have this issue with some brands of candy melts (not Ghirardelli or Mercken's, but some cheaper brands). If you've melted your candy melts properly and they're still too thick, try adding coconut oil or vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon at a time, stirring to incorporate. If you're a regular candy maker and have paramount crystals on hand, I'd suggest using those instead. Microwave in 10 second increments to help keep your melted candy warm, thin, and dippable. Take care not to add too much oil because it can prevent the candy from setting properly.
I do not recommend chocolate chips for this recipe. Chocolate chips have a dull finish and soft texture when melted and solidified. Your candy will likely taste just as good but will not have that candy bar "snap" or shiny finish. They also melt easily when handled, making your tahini balls messier to eat.
Recommended
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Tahini Balls
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (203 g) tahini
- ¼ cup (57 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¾ cups (198 g) confectioner's sugar
- 10 ounces (284 g) dark chocolate melting wafers
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- In a bowl, add tahini, butter, and vanilla. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, slowly mix until combined and creamy. Add salt and half of the confectioner's sugar at a time until all of the sugar is incorporated. Mixture will be very thick, like a dough.
- Roll dough into one-inch balls (or use a small, 2 teaspoon cookie scoop) and place onto a wax paper or parchment lined baking sheet. Transfer baking sheet to refrigerator and allow to chill for 30 minutes (or into the freezer for 15 minutes).
- In a small microwave safe bowl, heat melting wafers in 30 second increments, stirring each time, until wafers are melted and smooth.
- Remove a portion of the tahini balls from the refrigerator and carefully dip balls one at a time in melted candy coating. I recommend piercing each ball with a toothpick and using it to gently roll and coat each ball with candy coating. Gently tap to remove excess coating before placing back onto lined baking sheet.
- While still wet, sprinkle sesame seeds onto the chocolate balls.
- Allow to harden on the counter top for 30 minutes, or in the refrigerator for 10 minutes. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Keep balls chilled before dipping: You'll have the best success when your tahini balls are cold and your chocolate is hot and melted. If the tahini balls begin to warm up before being dipped, place back in the refrigerator for a few minutes. If your chocolate begins to cool, microwave for 10 seconds and stir.
- Storage: Tahini balls will keep for about 1 month in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container, or in the freezer for about 3 months. Keep in mind that when chocolate is frozen and thawed it may produce bloom (white streaks on the outside that are perfectly edible). Keep this in mind if you're making these for an important event.
- Variations: Tahini can be substituted with any nut or seed butter in equal amounts. You may need to adjust the amount of confectioner's sugar depending on the consistency of the nut/seed butter used.
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