stack of chocolate chunk pistachio cookies on two white plates on wooden board

Then I found myself in a quandary. What type of gluten-free cookie should I create (How great is life when the type of quandary I have revolves around cookies?!)? Something fruity? Or something oatmealy? Maybe something coconutty? After several days of trying to decide, I finally chose to put a decadent spin on an old classic: The PB Chocolate Chip Cookie. But how about a pistachio butter cookie with dark chocolate chunks?

broken vegan pistachio cookies with chocolate with stack of cookies in background

I’m a big fan of making my own nut butters. In fact, I don’t remember the last jar of nut butter that I actually bought! I’ve made all kinds but have always wanted to try pistachio. The cost of pistachio nuts tend to be a little on the high side, but I figured for this special occasion, it was worth it. For just under $10, I made a pretty big jar of pistachio butter. To make these pistachio cookies, you don’t need as much pistachio butter as I made, so I’ve cut it down in the recipe below to reflect that.

The Beauty of Pistachio Butter

Pistachio butter has a less nutty, but more sweet and buttery taste than normal peanut butter. It pairs wonderfully with ultra-dark chocolate chunks. I would be lying if I said I didn’t dip a few of those chocolate chunks in my jar of pistachio butter. It’s pretty euphoric. However, as good as that little treat was, these vegan pistachio cookies are so much better! It would be silly not to try these at least once in your life, though if you opted for regular old peanut butter, you would still be in for a treat. And they’re gluten free (though the gluten-free flour could just as easily be replaced with all-purpose flour) so even Richa can have some while she’s on the mend.

Pistachio Cookies Ingredients:

Oat Flour
Brown Rice Flour
Tapioca Starch
Baking Soda
Sea Salt
Pistachio Butter – more on this in a bit!
Maple Syrup
Coconut Sugar
Coconut Oil
Flax Meal
Vanilla Extract
High Quality Dark Chocolate

pistachio butter in glass jar, stack of pistachio cookies, dark chocolate chunks

How To Make Pistachio Butter

Pour the pistachios into the bowl of a food processor. Process until completely smooth and very soft, scraping the sides as necessary. This will take awhile- plan on them being in there for about 10-15 minutes. Trust me, it will get super smooth, soft, and drippy. Remove from the food processor and store, unrefrigerated, in an airtight container until ready to use.

Note, if you attempt this pistachio butter for the pistachio cookie recipe, keep in mind that it may take longer than most nut butters and you may have to scrape the sides a few more times than normal (if you make it in a food processor. If you make it in a high-speed blender, like a Vitamix or Blendtec, it may not be as difficult). Be patient with it and soon you will have ultra-creamy, rich and decadent pistachio butter.

How to Make Pistachio Cookies with Dark Chocolate Chunks

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients, from the oat flour to sea salt, until combined.
Then, in a large bowl, mix together the remaining wet ingredients. In three batches, stir in the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Use a hand mixer if the pistachio cookie dough becomes too tough. It will be crumbly, but that’s okay!
Fold in the chocolate chunks. Use a tablespoon to scoop heavy spoonfuls of the dough. Roll into a ball and place on the baking sheets. Create a criss-cross pattern with a fork, if you’d like.
Bake for 9-11 minutes, until golden brown around the edges, but still soft in the center. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!