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Vegan Pistachio Cookies

These easy vegan pistachio cookies are spiced with cardamom and saffron, then topped with slivered almonds! Vegan Nankhatai (Indian shortbread cookies) ideal for cookie swaps and the holidays.

Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
41 mins
Servings: 20
Calories: 83 kcal
Course: Dessert , Snacks
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 1 cup flour I use all purpose
  • 1/3 cup almond flour
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/3 cup raw pistachios
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • seeds of 1 or 2 green cardamom pods
  • 4 saffron strands or you can use 2 teaspoons of lemon zest
  • 3 tablespoons neutral oil
  • 2-3 tablespoons non-dairy milk such as almond milk coconut milk, cashew milk, or soy milk
topping
  • almond slivers or pistachios

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. In a bowl, add flour, almond flour, salt, and baking soda and mix well.
  2. In a blender with a grinder blade or spice grinder or food processor which can grind the nuts, add the pistachios, sugar, seeds of the cardamom pods, and saffron strands and grind until the mixture is powdery. If using a blender, grind by pulsing it for 10 seconds at a time so that it doesn't become too nut buttery.
  3. Transfer this ground mixture to the bowl and mix well. Then add in the oil and mix in. Add in 2 tablespoons of non dairy milk and mix and then add in milk 1 teaspoon at a time to make a soft dough. A bit sticky is ok.
  4. Bring the mixture together and knead for 5 seconds so that it's homogenous then put this dough in the fridge to chill for at least 15 minutes.
  5. Preheat the oven to 335 degrees Fahrenheit(170c). Remove the dough from the fridge. Using a cookie scoop or a spoon, take about 1 1/2 inch ball worth of dough and make a flat disc, and press it on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
  6. I like to make these cookies just about 1/4 inch thick. Press either a raw pistachio or some almond silvers on top.
  7. The dough is going to be soft and will have more moisture. If it's too sticky, chill it some more. Also the cookies will spread a lot so keep them at least 2 inches apart from each other.
  8. Put the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 15-18 minutes. This will depend on your oven, the tray, and other factors.
  9. As soon as the cookies are getting a bit golden on the edges, they are done. They might be soft to touch but they will continue to harden outside the oven.
  10. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes. Then transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and let them cool completely.

Notes

  • The cookies can be stored on the counter for at least 2 weeks. For longer shelf life and freshness and flavor, refrigerate them after the first few days. they will last for more than a month refrigerated.
  • To make this gluten-free, you can use a gluten-free flour blend or a mixture of oat flour, almond flour, and potato starch. Use 1/2 cup of oat flour, 1/3 cup almond flour, and 1/4 cup of potato starch to replace the 1 cup of flour.
  • To make this nut-free, since there are 2 nuts in this cookie and they are making up a good volume of the ingredients, the texture will change considerably  if you replace all of them. You can replace one of the nuts with the other nut or you can use different nuts such as cashews, macadamia nuts as a substitute for one or both of the nuts.
  • I have not tried baking them with pumpkin seeds. I think that the flavor and color will be very very different with 2/3 cup of pumpkin seed flour in the mix.

Nutrition Information

Calories 83kcal (4%) Carbohydrates 11g (4%) Protein 1g (2%) Fat 4g (6%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Sodium 30mg (1%) Potassium 28mg (1%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 5g (10%) Vitamin A 9IU (0%) Vitamin C 1mg (1%) Calcium 9mg (1%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 20Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 83

% Daily Value*

Calories 83kcal 4%
Carbohydrates 11g 4%
Protein 1g 2%
Fat 4g 6%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Sodium 30mg 1%
Potassium 28mg 1%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 5g 10%
Vitamin A 9IU 0%
Vitamin C 1mg 1%
Calcium 9mg 1%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.