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    Home » cookie

    Vegan Pistachio Cookie Recipe

    Published: Aug 21, 2021 · Modified: Oct 12, 2021 by Richa 22 Comments

    Jump to Recipe   Print Recipe

    An easy vegan pistachio cookie recipe ideal for cookie swaps and the holidays. These pistachio cookies are made with a mix of flour and nuts and spiced with cardamom and saffron, then topped with slivered almonds! GF option

    side view of a stack of vegan almond pistachio cookies on a wooden board

    Coming at you with a Vegan Pistachio Cookie recipe – because one can never have enough vegan cookie recipes and these are one of the best cookies you will ever try! Well, along with my Pistachio Apricot Thumbprints. Those are pretty amazing as well.

    These almond pistachio cookies are a sweet and simple little treat you can bake all year long but they are also great for the holidays because anything with pistachios in it is automatically festive and special.  A touch of cardamom and saffron takes these to the next level! Try them. Trust me, you will love this pistachio cookie recipe for its simplicity!

    stacked vegan pistachio cookies topped with slivered almonds on a wooden chopping board

    I don’t even bother rolling out the dough and just scoop up 1 tbsp at a time and shape it into a flat disk. The cookies do not have to look perfectly round. They will spread in the oven as they bake and be just perfect.

    The cookie dough is really straightforward. We start by grinding the raw pistachio nuts, sugar and spices in a food processor or blended to make our own pistachio flour.  These are so amazingly good! Bake them 15 minutes for softer cookies and a couple of minutes longer for crunchier. The exact baking time always depends on the oven, size of the cookie etc.

    These cookies are a modified version of Nankhatai(Indian shortbread like cookies). They have vibrant flavors that work really well together , pistachios, cardamom and saffron. You can use just vanilla if you don’t have cardamom or saffron. GF option

    stacked vegan pistachio cookies on a wooden board

    More Cookie Recipes from the blog:

    • Tahini Ginger Cookies
    • PB J thumbprints
    • Coconut Oil Shortbread.
    • Almond Butter Snickerdoodles.
    • Oatmeal Walnut Chocolate Chunk Cookies
    • Almond Butter Oatmeal Cookies. GF oil-free
    • Ginger Molasses Crinkle cookies. GF.
    • Triple Ginger Molasses Soft Cookies
    • Tiramisu Cookies. GF

    Recipe Card

    vegan pistachio cookies stacked on a wooden board
    Print Recipe
    5 from 7 votes

    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 Time25 minutes mins
    Cook Time16 minutes mins
    Total Time41 minutes mins
    Course: Dessert, Snack
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: cookies with pistachios, vegan almond flour cookies, vegan pistachio cookies recipe
    Servings: 20
    Calories: 83kcal
    Author: Vegan Richa

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup (125 g) flour I use all purpose
    • 1/3 cup (40 g) almond flour
    • 1/8 teaspoon salt
    • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1/3 cup (41 g) raw pistachios
    • 1/2 cup (100 g) 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

    • In a bowl, add flour, almond flour, salt, and baking soda and mix well.
    • 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.
    • 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.
    • 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.
    • 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.
    • I like to make these cookies just about 1/4 inch thick. Press either a raw pistachio or some almond silvers on top.
    • 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.
    • Put the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 15-18 minutes. This will depend on your oven, the tray, and other factors.
    • 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.
    • 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

    Nutrition Facts
    Vegan Pistachio Cookies
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 83 Calories from Fat 36
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 4g6%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Sodium 30mg1%
    Potassium 28mg1%
    Carbohydrates 11g4%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 5g6%
    Protein 1g2%
    Vitamin A 9IU0%
    Vitamin C 1mg1%
    Calcium 9mg1%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Ingredients:

    • we use a mix of flour ( I use all-purpose) and almond flour to get that perfect balance of crispy and chewy
    •  salt helps bring out the sweetness
    • baking soda makes these spread in the oven.
    • I used raw pistachios in this recipe
    • sugar sweetens the cookie dough without changing the color
    • 1 or 2 cardamom pods add the perfect amount of spice to these cookies. You can omit if you don’t like cardamom
    • To make these extra special, add 4 saffron strands or, for a budget version, add 2 teaspoons of lemon zest
    • neutral oil adds richness to the cookies and, along with dairy-free milk, helps bring the cookie dough together
    • I like to add press some almond slivers or some extra pistachios on top of each cookie before baking for a pretty presentation

    Tips & Variations:

    • To make these pistachio cookies 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.
    • Note that we are using blanched almond flour in this recipe which is different from ground almonds.
    • 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.

    ingredients for vegan pistachio cookie recipe on a marble kitchen counter

    How to make this Vegan Pistachio Cookie Recipe:

    dry mix for vegan pistachio cookies in a white bowl

    In a bowl, add flour, almond flour, salt, and baking soda and mix well to combine.

    In a blender with a grinder blade or spice grinder or in a food processor that is powerful enough to grind the nuts, add the pistachios, sugar, seeds of the cardamom pods, and saffron strands. Grind everything until the mixture is powdery. If using a blender, make sure to only pulse in intervals of 10 seconds at a time so that it doesn’t become too buttery.

    vegan pistachio cookie batter in a white bowl

    Transfer this ground mixture from your food processor back to the bowl and mix well. Add in the oil and mix in. Then, add in 2 tablespoons of non dairy milk and mix and then add in the rest of the milk 1 teaspoon at a time to make a soft dough. A bit sticky is ok.


    Bring the cookie dough 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.

    freshly baked vegan pistachio cookies on a lined sheet pan

    In the meantime, preheat the oven to 335 degrees Fahrenheit(170c) Remove the cookie 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.

    I like to make these cookies just about 1/4 inch thick

    Press either raw pistachio or some almond silvers on top.

    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.

    Put the tray in the oven and bake for 15-18 minutes. This will depend on your oven, the tray, and other factors.

    vegan pistachio cookies decorated with almond slivers on a wooden board

    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. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the pistachio cookies cool for 10 minutes. Then transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and let them cool completely. We do this so that they crisp up nicely.

    Storage:

    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.

    stacked vegan almond flour pistachio cookies topped with slivered almonds on a wooden chopping board

     

     

     

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    ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If you Love the Recipe, Please consider rating it using stars in comments! It helps readers and helps more people find the recipe online! I love hearing from you all! ⭐⭐⭐⭐

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    1. Ferri Jalali

      May 24, 2023 at 11:46 pm

      5 stars
      Very easy makes

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        May 26, 2023 at 5:47 am

        🙂

        Reply
    2. Sital

      March 13, 2023 at 2:53 am

      5 stars
      These turned out so delicious…will definitely make again…very easy recipe to follow. Will add more cardamom next time.

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        March 15, 2023 at 8:17 pm

        yum! thank you for commenting!

        Reply
    3. Adriana

      November 27, 2022 at 10:10 am

      5 stars
      Amazing. Easy to make, delicious with great texture. Even my fussy husband devoured these and asked me to make them again. Mine look way more green than the ones in the picture though.

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        November 30, 2022 at 11:05 am

        I’m glad everyone enjoys the recipe.

        Reply
    4. Fondue

      February 11, 2022 at 7:33 am

      5 stars
      It was really delicious! I made it with lemon zest. Mine didn’t spread at all — I wonder why. It was tasty regardless.

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        February 13, 2022 at 6:17 pm

        hmmmm – did you press them down to make a 1/4″ flat disc?

        Reply
        • Fondue

          February 16, 2022 at 12:41 pm

          I did. And I also found my cookies turned too hard and crunchy after cooling 🙁 Loved them better when they first came out from oven.

          Reply
          • Richa

            February 16, 2022 at 7:15 pm

            I think the dough might have needed more moisture, your baking soda might be ok’d so add more baking soda .

            Reply
    5. Mira

      January 06, 2022 at 2:30 am

      Made these today and substituted oil with nut butter, all purpose flour with wholemeal and sugar with coconut sugar. Definitely one of the best cookies I’ve ever made! Thanks for the recipe 🙂

      Reply
      • Richa

        January 06, 2022 at 4:01 pm

        Aweskme

        Reply
    6. Divisha

      December 02, 2021 at 4:18 pm

      Hi Richa
      How are you ? Would love to try out these pistachio cookies. Can I know what is neutral oil ? Can we use any cooking oil like soyabean / canola oil fir this recipe ?
      Awaiting your reply
      Thank you

      Reply
      • Richa

        December 02, 2021 at 7:54 pm

        Yea canola or safflower

        Reply
    7. Sue C.

      August 27, 2021 at 8:34 am

      Could I substitute coconut sugar for the regular sugar? If so, would you recommend the same measurement?

      Reply
      • Richa

        August 27, 2021 at 9:19 pm

        Yea same amount

        Reply
    8. Sonali

      August 23, 2021 at 8:30 am

      Hi Richa, can we use pistachio flour instead of almond flour?

      Reply
      • Richa

        August 23, 2021 at 2:56 pm

        Yes

        Reply
    9. Emily

      August 22, 2021 at 9:34 pm

      5 stars
      Made these the other day with cardamom. They are so decadent and festive! I know what I am making in the holidays!

      Reply
      • Richa

        August 23, 2021 at 12:57 am

        Awesome

        Reply
    10. Georgina

      August 22, 2021 at 7:33 am

      5 stars
      These are amazing cookies, love them and thank for the recipe, reminded me of nankatais , canada

      ***** love them from canada ex. Bangalore gal.

      Reply
      • Richa

        August 23, 2021 at 12:59 am

        Awesome! Thanks!

        Reply

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