Baklava Cookies (Healthy, Gluten-Free)

These Baklava Cookies are delicious soft gluten-free cookies inspired by the filo pastry dessert from the Byzantine cuisine, but in an egg-free, dairy-free, and healthier version to get the full flavors of pistachio and walnuts.

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While the whole recipe is just below, don’t miss all my tips further down, including ingredient swaps, my cooking tips, and step-by-step shots!

Baklava Cookies

These Baklava Cookies are delicious gluten-free cookies inspired by the filo pastry dessert from the Byzantine cuisine, but in an egg-free, dairy-free, and healthier version to get the full flavors of pistachio and walnuts.

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Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 14 minutes mins

Total Time: 24 minutes mins

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Servings: 10 cookies

Calories: 176.9 kcal

Author: Carine Claudepierre

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Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

• ▢ ¾ cup Almond Flour - (note 1)
• ▢ ¼ cup Tapioca Starch - (note 2)
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon Baking Soda
• ▢ ½ teaspoon Cinnamon
• ▢ 3 tablespoons Coconut Oil - (note 4) melted
• ▢ 3 tablespoons Honey - I use vegan honey (note 3)
• ▢ ½ teaspoon Orange Zest - (note 5)
• ▢ ¼ cup Pistachios
• ▢ ¼ cup Walnuts

Orange Honey Syrup

• ▢ 2 tablespoon Orange Juice
• ▢ 3 tablespoons Orange Marmalade - (note 6)
• ▢ 3 tablespoons Honey - I use vegan honey (note 3)
• ▢ ½ teaspoon Cinnamon

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly oil the paper with cooking oil spray. Set aside.
• In a NutriBullet, add the walnuts and pistachios. Pulse 2-3 times for 3 seconds each time, scraping down the sides of the jug. You want a fine ground. It's ok to have a few larger bites, but not too big. Don't over-blend or it will turn into a paste.
• Set aside 2 tablespoons of the walnut/pistachio meal. You will use this to decorate the cookies later.
• In a large mixing bowl, add the remaining pistachio/walnut meal, almond flour, tapioca starch, baking soda, and cinnamon. Stir to combine.
• Add orange zest, coconut oil, and honey.
• Stir with a rubber spatula until a sticky cookie dough forms. If too dry, add a little extra honey. If too wet, add a little more almond flour. It should be sticky but easy to shape into balls.
• Divide into 10 balls of about 1 tablespoon each. Place on the prepared baking sheet, leaving half an inch between the cookies.
• Bake the cookies for 14 minutes at 350°F (180°C) until golden brown on the sides.
• Remove from the oven and keep for 10 minutes on the baking sheet to cool down at room temperature.

Orange Syrup

• Now you have two syrup options. If you don't like orange, warm the honey and cinnamon, and drizzle over the cookies. If you like orange, go to the next step.
• In a non-stick saucepan, add orange juice, orange marmalade, honey, and cinnamon.
• Stir and bring to a boil on medium-high heat. Reduce to medium heat and keep to a simmer for 2 minutes to thicken.
• Remove from the heat.
• Pour a tablespoon of syrup on top of the lukewarm cookies and sprinkle the pistachio/walnut meal you set aside on top of each cookie. Transfer the cookies to a plate and pop it in the fridge to set.

Notes

Note 1: I use ultra-fine, blanched almond flour. You can use almond meal, cashew flour. or sesame flour with similar results.

Note 2: Or arrowroot powder. Other options will change the texture, making the cookies harder, drier less chewy, like with gluten-free all-purpose flour or cornstarch.

Note 3: I use bee-free honey, which is a plant-based honey-like liquid that adds a honey flavor. You can swap for maple syrup or use honey if you use it in your kitchen.

Note 4: Or any low-flavor oil you love, like light olive oil or malted plant-based butter.

Note 5: Optional, skip if you don’t like the tangy flavor of orange zest.

Note 6: Or apricot preserve.

Oven Mode: I use the fan-forced (convection) mode. If you have to use conventional mode, I recommend increasing the temperature by 25°F (15 °C). The baking time should be the same, but it might take a few more minutes.

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Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 176.9kcal | Carbohydrates: 18.6g | Protein: 2.9g | Fat: 11.6g | Saturated Fat: 4.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1.3g | Sodium: 32.3mg | Potassium: 63.6mg | Fiber: 1.6g | Sugar: 12.7g | Vitamin A: 29.5IU | Vitamin C: 3.3mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 0.6mg | Magnesium: 9.4mg | Phosphorus: 27.3mg | Zinc: 0.2mg

Ingredients and Substitutions

You only need a few simple ingredients to make this recipe. Here’s how to pick and swap them.

• Almond Flour – This gives the cookies a tender, moist, and slightly nutty base. You can also use almond meal, cashew flour, or sesame flour for similar results.
• Tapioca Starch – This helps bind the ingredients and creates a chewy texture. Arrowroot powder also works well. Other options like all-purpose gluten-free flour or cornstarch will work but can make the cookies drier and harder.
• Baking Soda – This is a leavening agent that helps the cookies rise and spread slightly, giving them a nice texture.
• Cinnamon – This adds a warm, spicy flavor that is essential to the baklava taste.
• Coconut Oil – This adds moisture and richness to the cookies. Any other mild-flavored oil, such as light olive oil, or melted plant-based butter works as a substitute.
• Honey – This provides sweetness and helps bind the dough. I use a plant-based, bee-free honey, but you can also use maple syrup. If you use honey, a classic baklava flavor will be present.
• Orange Zest – This adds a bright, tangy citrus flavor. It’s optional, so you can skip it if you don’t like it.
• Pistachios and Walnuts – These are the key nuts that give the cookies their authentic baklava flavor and a little bit of crunch.
• Orange Juice – This serves as the liquid base for the orange syrup.
• Orange Marmalade – This provides a sweet and slightly bitter citrus flavor for the syrup. Apricot preserves also work well for a less bitter option.

How to Make Baklava Cookies

This recipe is super simple. Here’s how to make it in a few pictures.

Carine’s Baking Tips

Let me share a few more tips for a perfect cookie.

• Go Nutty – You can customize the flavor by swapping the walnuts for more pistachios or another type of nut that you love.
• Authentic Flavor – For a flavor closer to traditional baklava, try adding a quarter teaspoon of orange blossom water to the cookie dough.
• Citrus Swaps – If you don’t care for orange zest, you can use lemon zest instead. Many baklava variations use lemon, so feel free to experiment with different citrus flavors.
• Simple Syrup – If you don’t want to use the orange-flavored syrup, simply warm some honey with cinnamon and drizzle it over the cookies.
• No Over-Blending – When grinding the nuts in the blender, be careful not to over-blend them. Pulse them in short bursts to get a coarse meal, not a paste.

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