It’s no secret that I am obsessed with tahini. The first recipe I ever published here, many years ago, did indeed use tahini. I even joke with people that if I ever write a book, it will be all about tahini!
Funny story….have you ever gotten so excited about something such as a book, a product of some sort or a recipe AND then realize, “oh, yeah! I’ve read that, tried that, or created that before!” This is what happened with me and the tahini mocha!
While waiting at the airport in Burlington, VT for our flight, Josh grabbed a coffee and when he came back to sit down he said, “they have a tahini mocha drink!” You know me and tahini – I think it took me maybe 10 seconds to get in line to learn more. While chatting with the baristas about my addiction with tahini and the amount of jars we go through in a week, I learned that this was in fact one of the baristas proud creations! It’s served over ice and I fell in love with one sip. A perfect balance of coffee-tahini-chocolate. They were kind enough to make Willow a tahini chocolate (almond) milk and she sucked it down so fast.
I made it my mission to recreate it when we got home. What makes this story so funny is that while running the first trial, a little voice kept nagging me, saying “you’ve done this before.” So I ran a search on my own blog and sure enough, I created a tahini mocha FOUR years ago 😂 While that one was good, I decided that I wanted to simplify, improve, and eliminate some of the ingredients…ingredients that many don’t have on hand or can’t find locally.
Oh! Did I mention that this is excellent hot or cold?? I’ve been loving the cold version with it being summertime, but I know I’ll be switching to hot once the colder months hit…hello, comfort in a mug.
Let’s talk about the flavor for a moment, shall we? And the key components! Tahini, while made from sesame seeds, has a delightful nuttiness to it and while I have always used a raw version (Artisana brand), I chose to use Whole Foods 365 brand for two reasons….it’s runny AND SALTY!!! I can legit eat it with a spoon I love it so much. (Thank you, Natalie, for getting me hooked on this brand!) Speaking of Natalie and tahini, if you happen to have a slice of that delicious Grain-Free Tahini Cake or some Tahini Medjool Date Chunk Cookies on hand, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND pairing either of them with this beverage! I can personally vouch for how amazing those two desserts are…and since I made them before I restarted my favorites posts, I thought I’d sneak them in here! Since not everyone loves tahini as much as me, I made sure to not make it overwhelming, like a punch in the face. Coffee is the star of this drink with tahini and cacao making the perfect sidekicks…they hit you delicately on the back end. If you want a stronger chocolate flavor, add a full tablespoon of cacao.
Shall we dive in???
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TAHINI MOCHA
Serves one
What you need:
- 10 oz coffee (chilled; can use cold brewed coffee)*
- 2 heaping TBSP tahini**
- 1 TBSP maple syrup
- 2 heaping tsp cacao powder
- 1-2 tsp coconut sugar (optional)
- 1/8-1/4 tsp espresso powder (optional)
- 4-6 milk ice cubes (I used a mix of coconut and almond milk)
- Mocha Tahini Sauce (optional; recipe below)
*We use the pour over method to brew coffee (we got rid of our coffee maker a few years ago when I stopped drinking coffee). I ground 2.5 heaping tablespoons of medium-dark coffee beans and used roughly 10oz of hot water. I recommend a stronger brew than normal OR you can use the optional espresso powder to amp the flavor. OR just add the espresso powder no matter what…it pairs beautifully with the tahini and cacao!
**I highly recommend using a roasted, runny/smooth tahini that contains salt…otherwise add a pinch of salt to the blender for optimal flavor!
<<Mocha Tahini Sauce>> in a small bowl, whisk together 1/8-1/4 tsp espresso powder with 1 TBSP hot water until dissolved. Then whisk in 1 TBSP tahini, 1 tsp. cacao powder, and 2 tsp. maple syrup. If you’re using a thicker tahini, you might need to add additional hot water. If you’re using a salt-free tahini, I suggest adding a tiny bit of salt to the sauce. I use this sauce on EVERYTHING! Oatmeal, smoothie bowls, chia pudding, stirred into my hot coffee in the morning…the possibilities are endless and I know this sauce will make more appearances on the blog 🙂
How to:
- If you’re using the optional Mocha Tahini Sauce, I highly recommend chilling an empty glass in the freezer while you whip everything up.
- Blend everything (EXCEPT the milk ice cubes and sauce, if using) until smooth. Adjust sweetness level as needed.
- Next add the milk ice cubes and blend until smooth and frothy.
- Enjoy as is or pour over ice cubes of your choice (coffee cubes, milk cubes, or regular ice cubes. IF you’re using the Mocha Tahini Sauce, drizzle some along the sides of your chilled glass, then pour in the drink, and top with more sauce if desired!
Hot variation: blend hot coffee, tahini, cacao, maple syrup, (optional coconut sugar and espresso powder) with 1/4- 1/2 cup of milk. I recommend warming the milk slightly before adding to the blender. Mix until smooth and frothy!
For a caffeine free variation: replace coffee with an herbal substitute OR blend 8oz non-dairy milk with all of the other ingredients and you’ll get a tahini chocolate milk that is just as delicious! Blend with added milk ice cubes and it becomes a super frothy, milkshake-like treat! This is Willow’s favorite drink!
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Let me know if you give this recipe a try!!
❤️
Be Sol-Ful Living 
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