Pistachio Lemon Thumbprint Cookies

Don't worry, ads are not going to appear on your printed document!

5 from 7 votes

Scan this to go to the recipe!

www.theconsciousplantkitchen.com

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!

You can find the full recipe, including tips, step-by-step photos, video, storage instructions, detailed allergy swaps, FAQ, and save at: https://www.theconsciousplantkitchen.com/pistachio-lemon-thumbprint-cookies/ or scan the QR code here ➡️

Prep Time15

Cook Time12

Total Time27

Servings: cookies

Calories: 170.7kcal

Author: Carine Claudepierre

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)

US Customary - Metric

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.

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.

Nutrition