Description
Delight in these vegan pistachio cookies featuring finely ground pistachios blended with vegan butter and Greek-style yogurt to create a rich, tender texture. Lightly infused with vanilla, almond, and fresh lemon juice, these cookies are baked to perfection and topped with a smooth vegan icing for a sweet, nutty treat perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookies
- 100 g raw shelled pistachios (with or without skins)
- 200 g granulated sugar
- 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)
- 200 g all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
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 it’s ready for baking the cookies evenly.
- Blend the nuts and sugar: Add the pistachios and granulated sugar to a food processor or blender and blitz until finely ground to create a smooth nutty-sugar base. Transfer this mixture to a large mixing bowl.
- Mix the wet ingredients: To the pistachio-sugar mixture, add the softened vegan butter and whisk using an electric mixer or stand mixer for 2 minutes until combined and creamy. Then add the vegan Greek-style yogurt, vanilla extract, almond extract, and freshly squeezed lemon juice, whisking again until fully integrated.
- Mix the dry ingredients: Add the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt into the wet mixture. Gently fold everything together with a spatula until just combined, taking care not to overmix.
- Bake: Use a cookie scoop to divide the dough into 14 even cookies and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, keeping around 2 inches apart. Bake for 12-13 minutes until set. Remove from oven, and if necessary, shape edges with a large cookie cutter. Allow cookies to cool on the tray for about 5 minutes.
- Make the icing: In a small bowl, mix together lemon juice, vegan Greek-style yogurt, and powdered sugar until smooth. Transfer the icing to a piping bag, snip off the tip, and pipe or drizzle over the cooled cookies. Let the icing set for 10-20 minutes before serving to enjoy perfectly finished cookies.
Notes
- If using pistachios with skins, the flavor will be more rustic, but skins can be removed for a brighter look.
- Soften the vegan butter by leaving it at room temperature to ensure easy mixing; avoid melting it.
- Vegan Greek-style yogurt can be substituted with vegan skyr, sour cream, or coconut yogurt depending on your preference.
- Allow the icing sufficient time to set so it doesn’t slide off the cookies.
