If you hadn’t already noticed, I’m a big fan of all things sesame. It’s been a recurring ingredient in many of the previous recipes I’ve made (tahini crisps, black sesame shortbread, sesame-scallion shortbread, black sesame layer cake), but I recently realized that I hadn’t actually experimented with it in a Savor Tooth Snacks original. So, I set out to change that. Enter: Tahini Raspberry Blondies. 

The inspiration behind this recipe is a comfort classic: the PB&J. I wasn’t a huge pb&j kid growing up – my ideal lunch was actually the Starkist DIY Tuna Salad with crackers kit (iykyk) – but it always was an easy back-up option when time was short and I needed to catch the bus. My recipe was as follows: 

• Two slices of bread, preferably something with some added texture or intrigue (think whole grain, seeded, cinnamon swirl, etc.). A bagel or english muffin sliced in half will also work in a pinch. 
• Natural peanut butter, salted – the kind you have to pre-mix and it makes a huge mess and god-forbid you have to open a fresh jar because there is no chance you will be catching the 7:35 bus. I wish I could say that I was raised on crunchy peanut butter as someone who loves crunch, but alas, creamy is what we were working with. 
• Jam – preferably raspberry, with the seeds. 

For assembly, I’d aim for a 2:1 ratio of peanut butter to jam. This is important for both structural integrity and taste. Too much jam will result in a slightly soggy, overly sweet sandwich. Using a heartier bread will help prevent this as well, but at the end of the day, I’m here for the pb part of a pb&j. 

Last, but not least, if I was eating a pb&j sandwich, my meal was incomplete without a salty side snack. Think Lays potato chips, goldfish, or pretzels. While maybe not the #1 most nutritious meal, it did address my desire for added texture and salt in each and every bite. 

Now, obviously a pb&j does not contain sesame in any way, shape, or form (unless you’re building your sandos with that good-good She Wolf toasted sesame wheat bread, which I fully endorse). However, I find myself drawing parallels between peanut butter and tahini (essentially sesame butter) in that both bring richness, fat, and depth to the table. These are substantial ingredients that create unctuous textures – think creamy, glossy peanut sauce or velvety hummus – and strong flavors that can stand up to sugar or heat in a dish. 
So, when I asked myself what would pair well with tahini in a dessert, my first thought was raspberry jam, seeded. I drew inspiration from Yossy Arefi’s recipe for Butterscotch Blondies. They feature brown butter and brown sugar, which both felt appropriate for a pb&j inspired dessert. I added tahini to the batter and swirled some extra into the top alongside dollops of raspberry jam. The result was dense, fudgy, and fondly reminiscent of brown bag lunches. These blondies are also my most approachable recipe to date – simple in both ingredient list and technique. No stand mixer required. Almost as easy as making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

savory-ness (1-5)	2 – more sweet than savory
weird or works? (complimentary flavors or a little bit weird?)	works!
savory ingredients highlights	tahini + brown butter
best served…	in a brown bag lunch
encore?	pb&just right!

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Tahini Raspberry Blondies 

These blondies are an elevated take on a childhood classic: the pb&j sandwich. Instead of peanut butter, the blondies feature tahini and brown butter which pair perfectly with tart raspberry jam, swirled into the top of every square. The result is fudgy, nostalgic goodness! 

Makes 16 square blondies 

Kitchen Equipment 

• Kitchen scale – this will help ensure precise measurements and a foolproof bake! 
• Square baking dish – I opted for an 8in x 8in baking dish, but 9×9 will also work

Ingredients

• 1 stick butter 
• ½ cup tahini
• 275 g dark brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla 
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 224 g cups AP flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ cup raspberry jam
• Extra tahini for swirling (I used black tahini but any kind will do!)

Instructions

1. Melt the stick of butter in a saucepan until browned (watch closely and stir often to make sure your butter doesn’t go from browned to burnt!). Transfer to a bowl to cool. 
2. Once cool (but still melted), add the brown sugar, tahini, vanilla, and salt. Whisk until smooth. Add the eggs and mix until combined. 
3. Whisk together the flour and baking powder. Fold the flour mixture into the butter, sugar, egg mixture until no dry streaks remain in the batter. 
4. Line a square baking dish with parchment paper. Pour the batter into the pan and spread it out until evenly distributed. Add small dollops of raspberry jam and tahini across the surface of the batter. Using a toothpick, swirl the jam and tahini into the surface of the blondies. Sprinkle some flaky salt on top to finish. 
5. Bake the blondies at 350ºF until set and slightly puffy, about 25-30 minutes. For gooey blondies, err on the short side of baking. Cool before slicing. Savor and enjoy!