These Pistachio Lemon Thumbprint Cookies are healthier versions of the classic thumbprint cookies made with no eggs, not dairy, no gluten, but rich in taste and proteins!
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!
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Pistachio Lemon Thumbprint Cookies
These Pistachio Lemon Thumbprint Cookies are healthier versions of the classic thumbprint cookies made with no eggs, not dairy, no gluten, but rich in taste and proteins!
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Servings: 12 cookies
Calories: 170.7 kcal
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup Pistachios - unsalted, pulsed into tiny pieces (note 1)
- 2 cups Almond Flour - (note 2)
- 2 tablespoons Mild-Flavor Olive Oil - (note 3)
- 2 tablespoons Lemon Juice - freshly squeezed, measure without the pulp (note 4)
- 2-3 teaspoons Lemon Zest - adjust to taste (note 5)
- ¼ cup Maple Syrup - (note 6)
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 teaspoon Almond Extract - (note 7)
To fill the cookies
- 1-2 tablespoons Raspberry Jam - (note 8)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Slightly oil with cooking oil spray. Set aside.
- Place the pistachios in the bowl of a small food processor or coffee grinder. Pulse a few times to form a fine pistachio ground. Avoid too large pieces, or your cookie dough will be fragile. You can also use a long, sharp knife and chop on a chopping board, but it takes more time to achieve finely chopped pistachios.
- In a large mixing bowl, add all the ingredients: ground pistachios from earlier, almond flour, oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and almond extract.
- Stir with a spoon at first, then when it starts to look crumbly and dry, use your hands to squeeze all the ingredients together until it forms the cookie dough batter. It should be sticky but easy to roll into a cookie ball, not wet or runny. If it is too wet, add more almond flour 1 tablespoon at a time. If it doesn't stick together, it could be that you didn't pulse the pistachios as fine as needed. Add a bit more maple syrup to help things stick together.
- Form 12 cookie dough balls of the same size – it's about 1 1/2 tablespoons of batter each.
- Lightly oil your hands, and roll the cookie dough in your hand to form a smooth cookie dough ball. Place each cookie dough ball on the prepared cookie sheet, leaving a 1-inch (2cm) space between each cookie ball.
- Grab a 1/2 teaspoon measuring tool, spray oil on the back of the tool, then press in the middle of each cookie dough ball to form a deep, small cavity in the center of each cookie. Re-oil the back of the tool before pressing into the next cookie to prevent the tool from sticking to the cookie dough. Press gently to form a hole in the center of the cookie. The sides of the cookie will crack slightly, and that's ok. Use your fingers to rub around and reshape a little.
- Fill each thumbprint cookie with 1/2 teaspoon jam. It sounds small, but it's the safest option to prevent the jam from overflowing when you bake the cookies. The rule to avoid overflowing is to fill the cavities up to 3/4 of their level, not up to the top.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes until the sides of the cookies are slightly golden brown. They will be soft when you take them out of the oven, and that's fine.
- Cool 10 minutes on the cookie sheet, then refill with a bit more jam in the middle if needed. Slide a spatula under each cookie to transfer to a cooling rack.
Notes
Note 1: You must chop the pistachios ultra-finely or the cookie dough might be crumbly. You can also simply pulse the pistachios a few times in a blender to form a thin crumb in 20 seconds. Other nuts work too, like cashews, almonds, and walnuts. For a nut-free option, try pumpkin seeds.
Note 2: Or cashew flour. Sesame flour should work fine as a nut-free option.
Note 3: Or any low-flavor oil you love. Oil-free option makes the cookies too soft, mushy.
Note 4: Or bottle lemon juice. I squeeze my lemon, drain over a sieve to remove pulp and seeds. Then, I measure the lemon juice and discard the pulp and seeds.
Note 5: This is the key to adding lemon flavor to the cookies! Adjust the amount to taste. If you don’t like lemon zest, swap it for 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract.
Note 6: Or any liquid sweetener you love, like agave syrup.
Note 7: Optional, but this adds a lovely almond flavor that goes well with the lemon and pistachios.
Note 8: Any jam works. I am using raspberry preserve, which has no sugar added.
Storage: Store the cookies in the fridge in an airtight cookie box for up to 4 days. You can freeze the cookies and thaw them in the fridge the day before serving.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 170.7kcal | Carbohydrates: 10.9g | Protein: 4.7g | Fat: 13.1g | Saturated Fat: 1.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2.5g | Sodium: 1.3mg | Potassium: 55.5mg | Fiber: 2.4g | Sugar: 5.9g | Vitamin A: 14.5IU | Vitamin C: 1.7mg | Calcium: 51.1mg | Iron: 0.9mg | Magnesium: 5.9mg | Phosphorus: 17.3mg | Zinc: 0.1mg
Ingredients and Substitutions
This paragraph gives you all my tips about picking the right ingredients. For the full recipe with measurements, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post!Go to Full Recipe
You only need a few simple ingredients to make this recipe. Here’s how to pick and swap them.
- Pistachios – These bring a vibrant green color and a nutty crunch to the cookie dough. Cashews, walnuts, or pumpkin seeds (for a nut-free version) work well here too.
- Almond Flour – This creates the base of the cookies, providing a soft texture and plenty of healthy fats. Cashew flour, sesame flour, or sunflower seed flour are great alternatives.
- Mild-Flavor Olive Oil – This adds moisture and helps the dough hold together without overpowering the delicate lemon flavor. Avocado oil or refined coconut oil are also excellent choices.
- Lemon Juice – This adds acidity and brightness to the flavor profile. Bottled lemon juice is fine to use if you do not have fresh lemons on hand.
- Lemon Zest – This infuses the dough with intense citrus oils and fragrance. You can use 1/2 teaspoon of lemon extract instead if you prefer a smoother texture.
- Maple Syrup – This sweetens the cookies naturally and acts as a sticky binder for the dough. Agave syrup, coconut nectar, or brown rice syrup fit perfectly here as well.
- Vanilla Extract – This enhances the overall sweetness and warms up the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Almond Extract – This complements the pistachios and lemon beautifully, though it is optional.
- Raspberry Jam – This creates the sweet, fruity center of the thumbprint. Strawberry, blueberry, or apricot preserves work just as well.
How to Make Pistachio Lemon Thumbprint Cookies (in Pictures)
Carine’s Baking Tips
Let me share a few more tips for perfect thumbprint cookies!
- Avoid Overfilling – Fill the cavity only up to 3/4 of the way to prevent the jam from bubbling over and burning on the baking sheet.
- Adjust Lemon Intensity – Swap the lemon zest for 1/2 teaspoon of lemon extract if you dislike the texture or slight bitterness of fresh zest.
- Vary Jam Flavors – Try different fruit preserves like strawberry or blueberry, as they all pair wonderfully with the lemon and pistachio base.
- Fix Cracks – Pat the sides of the cookies gently with your fingers to reshape them if they crack while you press down the center.
- Chop Pistachios Finely – Pulse the nuts into a fine crumb because large pieces make the dough crumbly and difficult to roll into balls.
- Adjust Dough Texture – Squeeze the dough firmly to bring it together, adding a splash more maple syrup if it feels too dry or a sprinkle of almond flour if it feels too wet.
Delicious for sure!! ❤️
Thank you!
Thank you for sharing this recipe! Easy, delicious and healthier! Will make again
Thank you for baking my recipes.
These are so yummy! Thank you very much for this recipe! Do yourself a favor and make yourself a double batch when making! My husband and I gobbled these up!
Thank you so much for this lovely feedback!
These are so yummy! Very quick to put together the second time around too! Do yourself a favor and make a double batch the first time!❤️
Thank you so much for this lovely review! It makes me so happy.
How do you use raw or roasted pistachios?
Raw, unsalted. But you can use roasted pistachios too, it adds even more flavors to the cookies.