Description
Delight in these Vegan Pistachio Cookies, a perfect blend of nutty richness and zesty lemon flavor. Made with raw pistachios, vegan butter, and Greek-style vegan yogurt, these cookies boast a tender texture and a luscious vegan icing on top. Easy to prepare and bake, they’re an ideal treat for gatherings or a sweet everyday indulgence.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 200 g all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Wet Ingredients
- 130 g vegan butter (block-style, softened)
- 40 g vegan Greek-style yogurt (or vegan skyr, vegan sour cream, or coconut yogurt)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
Pistachio and Sugar Mixture
- 100 g raw shelled pistachios (with or without skins)
- 200 g granulated sugar
Icing
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
- 1 teaspoon vegan Greek-style yogurt (or non-dairy milk)
- 120 g powdered sugar
Instructions
- Prepare: Preheat your oven to fan-forced 160°C (320°F) or conventional 180°C (356°F) to ensure even baking temperature for the cookies.
- Blend the nuts and sugar: Add the pistachios and granulated sugar to a food processor or blender and blitz until finely ground for a smooth texture. Then transfer this mixture to a large mixing bowl.
- Mix the wet ingredients: Add softened vegan butter to the pistachio-sugar mixture and whisk with an electric whisk or stand mixer for 2 minutes until combined and creamy. Next, add the vegan yogurt, vanilla extract, almond extract, and lemon juice, whisking again until fully incorporated.
- Mix the dry ingredients: Add the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt to the wet mixture, then fold gently using a spatula to create a uniform cookie dough.
- Bake: Use a cookie scoop to portion out 14 cookies onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake for 12-13 minutes in the preheated oven. After baking, if needed, round off cookie edges with a large cookie cutter. Let cookies cool on the baking tray for about 5 minutes.
- Make the icing: Combine lemon juice, vegan Greek-style yogurt, and powdered sugar until smooth. Transfer the icing to a piping bag and snip the tip. Once cookies are cooled completely, pipe or drizzle the icing over each cookie. Let the icing set for 10-20 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Note 1: Pistachios can be used with or without skins depending on preference; skins add slight texture and color contrast.
- Note 2: Use block-style vegan butter softened to room temperature for easy mixing and better cookie texture.
- Let the icing set completely before stacking or storing cookies to avoid smudging.
- For a nuttier depth, lightly toast the pistachios before blending, but allow them to cool first.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze for longer preservation.
