It’s the time of the year when kitchens all over the world smell of cookies… If you only make one type of cookies this Christmas, make these pistachio cookies and you will never look back, promise!
These crunchy and chewy pistachio cookies are guaranteed to make all of your family and friends swoon in unison, regardless of whether they are gluten-free or vegan or neither of the above. I am telling you, they are an instant hit with every single person I give them to.
Not only they are absolutely delicious, but these pistachio cookies are also really simple and easy to make. They only require three simple ingredients, plus a fat pinch of table salt and some orange zest if you like – you can skip it if you don’t. They can certainly be made with the help of your 5 year old as shaping them is similar to shaping plasticine balls.
These Italian-inspired pistachio cookies are both crunchy and chewy. You will have to put up a good fight to have any left over, but if you do you can also freeze them. I recommend freezing them after shaping and coating in pistachios but before baking and bake when you need them. So simple and so delicious, I really hope you’ll try this recipe and if you do, I bet you that it will become your annual Christmas staple…
MORE ABOUT THE INGREDIENTS
PISTACHIOS: Pistachios are a key ingredient here although you could use other nuts too (I have made these with almonds and hazelnuts before). You want raw, unsalted and unroasted pistachios for these pistachio cookies as they will get plenty of time in the oven to get roasted whilst the cookies are baking.
ORANGE ZEST Orange zest is optional but it’s a very Christmassy addition so I like to include it. You can also use lemon zest, of course.
SUGAR Sugar is instrumental in not just sweetening these cookies but in keeping them together and in making them crunchy. I have made these with maple syrup before so if you are not keen on using sugar, try that version. In terms of sugar, I used caster sugar, but since it gets ground with pistachios in a food processor anyway, you can use coarser sugar (like granulated) too.
SALT Every good bake needs a little salt and these are no exception. I added about an eighth of a teaspoon.
AQUAFABA Aquafaba is a chickpea (or other legume, but I like using chickpea most) cooking liquid. You can simply use one that comes with a standard can of chickpeas – that’s what I do. If you’d rather try something different use a flax egg instead, see NOTES under the recipe for more guidance.
HOW TO MAKE IT?
1) MAKE PISTACHIO FLOUR
Combine 100 g / 3.5 oz of raw, unsalted pistachios and sugar in your food processor and ground until very fine, using PULSE function if your food processor has it. Stop to check the texture frequently as you don’t want the pistachios to start releasing their natural oils and start turning into a nut butter. Pistachio butter is delicious but not what we are after here…
2) GRIND PISTACHIOS COARSELY
Empty the food processor and add another 100 g / 3.5 oz of pistachios. This time you want your pistachios to be ground a little coarsely, not too coarsely, to add some texture to the cookies.
3) COMBINE INTO A DOUGH
Next, combine both batches of ground pistachios with salt and orange zest in a mixing bowl. Gradually, add in aquafaba – chickpea brine from a tin or a jar of cooked chickpeas – just enough to bring the mixture together. Do it gradually and add just enough so that the mixture clumps together in the palm of your hand.
4) ROLL, COAT AND SHAPE
Chop the rest of your pistachios coarsely. Divide the cookie mixture into 12 equal portions. I used scales and each cookie was about 25 g / 0.9 oz. Roll each cookies between your hands, then flatten a little pressing into roughly chopped pistachios.
5) BAKE
Bake for about 13-15 minutes, the longer you bake these the less chewy they will be. Once baked do not lift them off the tray until cool as they are fragile while warm.
- 250 g / 8.75 oz raw pistachios (unsalted)
- 100 g / ½ cup sugar, I used caster sugar
- 1/8 tsp fine salt
- zest of 1 orange (optional)
- approx. 3 tbsp / 45 ml aquafaba* (from a tin of chickpeas)
- Preheat the oven to 180° C / 355° F (or 160° C fan / 320° F fan) and line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Place 100 g / 3.5 oz of pistachios and all of the sugar in a food processor. Grind pistachios up very finely using the pulse function.
- Empty the food processor into a mixing bowl and add another 100 g / 3.5 oz of pistachios into the food processor. Pulse until chopped coarsely (see photos). Add to the mixing bowl.
- Add salt and orange zest into the pistachios, mix well. Next, add enough aquafaba (start off with 2 tbsp) for the mixture to clump together in the palm of your hand. Add moisture gradually and only as much as needed – if you add too much they will spread too much.
- Chop the remaining 50 g / 1.75 oz pistachios roughly and keep them on the chopping board for coating.
- Divide pistachio cookie mixture into 12 portions (about 25 g / 0.9 oz each), roll each portion between your palms and then press it gently into the chopped pistachios to coat (see photos).
- Arrange on a baking tray, bake for about 13-15 minutes – the longer you bake the less chewy they will be.
- Allow the cookies to cool down before lifting off the tray, store in an air-tight jar.
FREEZING: if you want to freeze these, do so after step 6, defrost naturally and bake on the day (or a day before is fine too).