We present for your culinary pleasure a plant-based recipe from Ashley, a talented local home cook and baker. Ashley began experimenting with veganism after struggling with eczema. Finding success with her new diet, Ashley started challenging herself to make vegan baked goods that tasted like their non-vegan counterparts. Undeterred by early failures, she arrived at a delicious blueberry cobbler, and the proof, as they say, was in the pudding. Newly emboldened by success, Ashley kept at it and eventually started her own food blog.

Today, we are featuring Ashley’s recipe for vegan and gluten-free chocolate pistachio cookies. These beauties are easy to make and worth every calorie. Thanks, Ashley! If you enjoy this recipe, give her blog a follow for more vegan and gluten-free baking goodness.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup gluten free flour
• 1/4 cup crushed salted pistachios
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 flax seed egg (1 TBSP flaxseed meal + 3 TBSP water)
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 2 TBSP lemon juice
• 2 TBSP dark chocolate chunks
• 2 TBSP salted pistachios
• 1/2 tsp matcha powder (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and prepare cookie sheet with baking spray and/or parchment paper.
2. Prepare flaxseed egg by adding 1 TBSP of flaxseed to 3 TBSP water, mix and allow sitting for 10 – 15 minutes.
3. Using a blender or nut grinder, pulse the pistachios until you have a fine meal texture (it’s ok if you a few larger bits but the smaller the better) – set aside.
4. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine olive oil, sugar, matcha powder and flaxseed egg – mix until you have a smooth lump-free mixture.
5. Next, add the gluten free flour, pistachio meal, baking powder, baking soda, salt and lemon juice mix until you have a cohesive and slightly sticky dough.
6. Lastly, add in your chocolate chunks and pistachios, be sure these mix-ins are evenly distributed throughout cookie dough.
7. Using a cookie scoop or TBSP measuring spoon scoop cookies onto baking sheet leaving room in between for spreading while baking.
8. Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes.
9. Initially out of the oven cookies will be very soft, allow cooling for 3-5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

If you liked this recipe, give some of Ashley’s other recipes a try! You’ll be supporting a local content creator and making delicious treats at the same time.