Every time we go to Anderson’s speech therapy appointment, we end up in the panaderia next door. It’s not optional. He loves that place, and a trip to therapy isn’t complete without going in.
The tricky part is that Anderson is gluten-free and dairy-free, so there’s really nothing in a panaderia that he can eat. Most days he picks out a drink from the cooler and we leave it at that.
Then one day he spotted the pistachio cookies and wanted to try one.
I couldn’t buy him that cookie, but I could promise him something else. I told him we’d go home and make pistachio cookies that he could eat. So we did, and we had so much fun making them together. They were delicious too.
These cookies are soft and chewy, with a little crunch from the pistachios. They use just a handful of ingredients and come together in one bowl, which makes them a great recipe to bake with kids.
Why you’ll love these
- They’re gluten-free and dairy-free
- They take only 10 minutes to prep
- They’re made in one bowl with simple ingredients
- They’re easy for little hands to help with
Prep time: 10 minutes
Bake time: 10–12 minutes
Makes: 12 cookies
Ingredients
- 1½ cups blanched almond flour
- ¼ cup finely chopped pistachios, plus extra for topping
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, mix the almond flour, chopped pistachios, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the maple syrup, melted coconut oil, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Stir until a dough forms.
- Roll the dough into 12 small balls and place them on the baking sheet. Gently flatten each one.
- Sprinkle extra chopped pistachios on top.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes. They firm up as they cool.
Optional bakery-style topping
For a little panaderia magic, drizzle the cooled cookies with melted dairy-free white chocolate and sprinkle on more chopped pistachios.
Tips
- Let the cookies cool completely before moving them for the best texture.
- For a stronger pistachio flavor, add an extra tablespoon or two of finely chopped pistachios.
- Check your labels to make sure every ingredient is gluten-free and dairy-free.
