The Easiest Brownies with a Tahini-Miso Swirl

These decadent vegan tahini brownies are unbelievably simple to make and feature a magical miso-laced swirl on top. Zero fancy equipment needed!

If I’m being honest, a brownie is something I never usually go for in a dessert-selection situation. Most chocolate desserts are too sweet and intense for me. I’m way more likely to spring for banana bread or a carrot cookie.

But on a recent visit to Sahadi’s – a beloved Brooklyn institution specializing in middle eastern foods – I spotted some tahini brownies in the pastry case and just had. to. have. one. It was the decadent fudgy type, with a crispy, crackly top and a swirl of tahini throughout. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it, down to the crumbs. Naturally, I needed to recreate them. These vegan tahini brownies are rich, fudgy, and guaranteed to be quickly devoured.

Why You’ll Love These Tahini Brownies

• Easy to make. The batter comes together in just one bowl.
• Minimal ingredients. 8, to be exact.
• Unique flavor. The tahini-miso swirl gives these brownies all their personality. The topping hits sweet, salty, and savory notes, and has a salted caramel vibe. A sprinkle of flaky salt at the end balances out the sugar, making the brownies dangerously addictive.

Tahini Brownies Step-by-step

Make the Batter: First, preheat your oven to 350ºF. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.) Then add the water and oil, and the batter’s done! It really is that simple.

Note: this batter is very thick – a gooey blob, really. Don’t be alarmed. Just transfer it to a baking dish and use a rubber spatula to spread it around.

Make the Topping: In a small bowl, stir together the tahini, miso, and maple syrup or honey. 

Make the Swirls + Bake: Dollop the tahini mixture across the surface of the batter in the baking dish. Then grab a wooden toothpick or skewer (or butterknife) and drag it through the dollops to create swirls. Bake until the topping is caramelized and the brownies are pulling away from the sides of the pan.

Finish the Brownies: Sprinkle the baked brownies with coarse sea salt. Be sure to cool completely in the pan before cutting/removing – otherwise, they’ll be crumbly.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

• Coconut Oil: Use virgin coconut oil if you like the flavor of coconut. If you don’t, use refined. You can also sub with avocado oil or organic canola.
• Raw Sugar: I use turbinado (raw) sugar because it’s less processed than white. But you can use any granulated sugar you have here.
• Tahini: If you don’t have any, swap in any other nut/seed butter you have, like peanut or almond butter, or pumpkin or sunflower seed butter.
• Miso: This Japanese fermented soybean paste adds a salty-savory flavor. Look for it in the refrigerated section (next to tofu, kimchi, etc.) or in the international foods aisle. If you don’t have any, sub with a pinch of salt in the tahini topping.

More vegan desserts…

• Sugar-Free Date Brownies
• A Healthier Banana Bread
• Chickpea Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Vegan Blueberry-Lemon Muffins

Let me know if you try this recipe! Give it a rating below and leave a comment, and don’t forget to tag your creation with @thenewbaguette on Instagram.

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