Vegan Pistachio Cookies

Pistachio cookies are so delicious, crispy on the outside with a soft gooey centre. These cookies are completely flourless, grain/gluten free, no nightshades and vegan friendly. They are made with pistachio flour, dried cranberries and chopped pistachio nuts.

Course Appetisers/Snacks

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 20

Total Time 40

Servings people

Calories 292kcal

Author Charla

Ingredients

1½ cup pistachio nuts (218g)(de-shelled)
¼ cup coconut flour (30g)
¾ cup powdered coconut sugar (120g)
¼ teaspoon pink salt
½ cup dairy free butter (106g) cubed
½ cup dried cranberries (60g)
⅓ cup pistachios chopped (41g)
2 teaspoon pistachio extract optional
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 oz vegan white chocolate optional (57g)

Instructions

To make the pistachio flour

Add the pistachio nuts to the coffee/spice grinder (you may need to do it in batches).
Mill them into a fine powdery consistency then set aside.
Add the pistachio flour, coconut flour, powdered sugar and pink salt in a food processor with an S blade or stand mixer with a paddle attachment.
On low speed mix until all the dry ingredients are combined.
Add the vegan butter to the mixing bowl and on start on low speed and gradually increase the speed to make a crumble.
Add the vanilla extract and pistachio essence (if adding).
Continue to mix, gradually increasing the speed to high until large clumps begin to form.
Add the chopped cranberries and chopped pistachio nuts.
Use your hands to remove the mixture and shape into a large dough ball, make sure the dough isn't sticky, if it is add more pistachio flour or a small amount of almond milk if it is too dry and re-shape the dough ball.
Saran wrap (cling film) the dough ball and put it in the refrigerate to chill for about an hour.

To make the cookies

Line a baking tray with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 160C/325F.
Lay a piece of parchment paper on an even surface and unwrap the dough ball and place it on the paper.
Place another piece of parchment paper on top of the dough so it's sandwiched between.
Roll the dough flat using a rolling pin to a thickness of about less than ½ inch in thickness.
Use a cookie cutter to shape/cut the cookies (press down firmly to cut through the fruit pieces)
Place the cookies on the lined baking tray (you may need a pallet knife to lift the cookies) and repeat this step.
Any leftover scraps of cookie dough can be re-rolled and cut into cookies.
Bake the cookies until they are golden on the outside but slightly gooey in the middle (it took about less than15 minutes in my oven).
While the cookies are baking if you are garnishing the cookies with white chocolate then place the pieces of chocolate in a heatproof over a saucepan of water to make bain marie.
Once the chocolate has melted use a large spoon to drizzle the chocolate over the cookies.

Video

Notes

You want the dough to be pliable (not too dry or not too wet).

If the dough doesn't come together too easily then add some almond milk, at table spoon at a time until it forms.

When melting the vegan white chocolate, add a tablespoon or two of olive oil to make the chocolate smooth and runny.

Alternatively, if the dough is too soft/wet then add more pistachio/coconut flour.

This makes about 12 cookies in total

If you cannot purchase pistachio flour then use pistachio nuts and simply mill them (must be fine) in a coffee/spice grinder.

It's very important that you use Powdered Coconut Sugar or another low GI sweetener

You can add another dried fruit i.e raisin, sultanas, apricots in place of cranberries or even vegan chocolate chips instead.

Store the cookies in an air tight container.

The cookies should last for a few days and are best suited for NOT freezing.

Make sure to add the chopped cranberries/pistachio nuts before rolling the dough into a ball.

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