Sometimes after looking at Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram I will come away with some of the craziest and most intense food cravings. I follow so many food-centric and food-loving folks on all of those places that I am constantly being inspired and also being made hungry! Or maybe that should be called hangry, since most times I find myself wanting something that I can’t easily have within 5 minutes.
The other day, my good friend Margaux posted a photo on Instagram of a batch of cookies she was working on after her adorable brand new baby girl, Stella, had gone to bed. They looked amazing and when I found out what they were, I instantly knew I had to create a gluten-free, dairy-free version over the weekend! I basically made an altered version of my zucchini chocolate chip cookies that I made a little while back. Like those and unlike the original recipe that inspired these, these cookies are not the thin and crispy style cookie that some people love, instead they are a soft-baked style, almost a little cakey, cookie. My favorite, especially if they are still a little warm. Most of that fluffy, cake-ness comes from the psyllium husk, I haven’t made these without it so I cannot say exactly how they would turn out without it, and I also don’t know of a substitution that would do exactly what the psyllium husks do. Feel free to experiment and report back if you do. Additionally, I would imagine by also adding a bit more oil, you would be left with a flatter and crispier cookie. The original recipe calls for a full stick of butter (1/2 cup) versus the 2 tablespoons of coconut oil that I used.
The original recipe, besides being a thinner and crispier looking cookie, was also topped with smoked sea salt, instead of just plain sea salt. If I could have easily gotten my hands on some, you better believe I would have. I just went with regular course sea salt but the minute I come across some smoked sea salt, I will definitely be making these again. I have had smoked sea salt before and it was incredible, wonderful on popcorn, roast chicken and so many other things. Regular sea salt comes in a nice close second and definitely works wonderfully for these cookies. For me there is no better flavor combination that salty and sweet, specifically with a really high quality dark chocolate. I seriously could walk by most sweets on any given day, but the minute you add a little chunky sea salt on top, forget about it, I am all over that like a fly on sh… Sorry I got carried away there.
We left for Chicago this morning and you better believe I packed these babies to go for the road-trip. I also made some pumpkin pie chia pudding (look for that recipe on Sunday) and some quick simple granola (similar to this). We will be gone just under a week so I filled this past weekend before we left with lots of baking and cooking projects, so I would have a couple of recipes to share, some stuff to eat on the road and some meals that I tossed in the freezer so we could have homemade food when we got home. Look at me planning ahead.
I plan to have a couple of posts go live while I am away, so you will likely not even miss me 🙂 Hope you have a great week!
[print_this]Grain-free Pistachio Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sea Salt {Gluten-free + Dairy-free with Vegan Option}
Makes approximately 18 – 24 cookies
Inspired by Joy the Baker
- 1 1/2 cups blanched almond flour, tightly packed
- 1/2 cup arrowroot starch (you could also use tapioca starch or potato starch)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 cup maple sugar, coconut sugar, raw sugar or other granulated sweetener of your choice
- 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil (or olive oil, walnut oil, etc)
- 2 farm fresh brown eggs or 2 flax-seed eggs (2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds mixed with 6 tablespoons water)
- 1 tablespoon psyllium husk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 cup dairy-free gluten-free chocolate chips (dark chocolate is best if you can find them)
- 1 cup shelled pistachios, coarsely chopped
- sea salt for topping (if you can find smoked sea salt as Joy recommends, use it)
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a food processor, combine almond flour, arrowroot starch, salt, baking soda and maple sugar, process until combined. In a small bowl whisk together the melted coconut oil, the eggs, vanilla and psyllium husk. Pour the wet mixture into the food processor with the dry ingredients and pulse into the dough comes together, and pulse a few times more, then take out the blade and stir in the nuts and the chocolate chips by hand.
Scoop dough, one level tablespoon at a time onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Leave about 2 inches in between each cookie, sprinkle with sea salt. Bake in batches, if you need to. Bake for 18-20 minutes until the edges are slightly golden brown and they are fully cooked. Cool for a few minutes on the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool further. Serve.
These can be stored in tightly sealed container for a few days either at room temperature or in the fridge, or you can freeze them and take them out at your leisure.
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20 Responses
I love how soft these cookies look – great healthy snack for a trip. I’d love to try smoked sea salt on top just to see what it tastes like.
Thanks Jeanette, I cannot wait to try them with the smoked sea salt. 😉
Hey, I don’t know if you have access to a Trader Joe’s, but they have smoked sea salt in a grinder! Probably not the most foodie quality, but my husband and I like ours, AND it is easy to get, or would fit in your suitcase in Chicago if you don’t have a TJ near home. Hope you have a great time in the Windy City! Lots of great vegan restaurant choices there! Southport Grocery & Cafe is a cute little breakfast or foodie shopping stop, and last time I was there they had vegan muffins and huge portions of yummy granola, if you like that sort of thing. It is not strictly vegan or whole foods, but may be worth looking up in case it tickles your fancy. Have a fun trip!
Sharon thanks for the tips, I may have to hit a Trader Joes when we are in Chicago if I have some time. Thanks for the restaurant suggestion, too.
Give me a chocolate chip cookie any time of day and I’m a happy girl! I love the idea of using pistachios. Thinking I’m going to have to adapt these using quinoa flour, they look so good!! Oh, and salt on top of cookies? Yes, please! I just made some salted peanut butter cookies – out of this world. Definitely my new thing.
Alyssa, I am with you girl, a good chocolate chip cookie makes the world go ’round. Ooh please let me know if you are adapt it with quinoa flour. Is your peanut butter cookie recipe on the site? I’d love to try them. Thanks for stopping by!
Oh, I love the look and sound of these cookies, Beth! Thank you so much for converting them so that all of us can enjoy your version. 🙂 Soon …
Safe and delicious travels! xo,
Shirley
Thanks Shirley, these are quite yummy. So happy to have these on the road with me 😉
I’m curious with all your food know-how what you think of freezing cookie dough vs. freezing baked cookies. I try to avoid having a full batch of baked ones out and about for my own safety and well-being 😉
I’ll be totally honest Nuria, my cookies almost never make it long enough to freeze and I don’t have enough will power to freeze dough. My instincts with this dough would be that freezing the finished cookies will yield better results.
These look awesome! Chocolate, pistachio, salt…mmmm….
How necessary is that psyllium husk? Could it be left out or replaced?
Hi Tracy, thanks! I actually address the psyllium husk up in the body of the post. Basically psyllium husk is great for making gluten-free baked goods doughy and chewy. It also helps with the moisture and with binding. I haven’t made these without it so I cannot say how it will do without it. If you try it without, please report back, I’d love to hear how they come out. Thanks.
This looks good! Although, I tend to pin all the desserts and never actually make them. I’ll be sure to check out your main dishes, as I do make those. I love how you have your pages set to the seasons. That’s awesome!
Hi Jenilyn, I was always like that with desserts, I finally started to enjoy making the last year sometime, I still prefer main dishes and other savory items a bit more though. Thanks for all of your lovely compliments and thanks for stopping by.
This is my kind of cookie Beth! Holy moly. I so need to get my hands on some smoked sea salt, I can’t wait to try it. Have a blast in Chicago. Your pics are gorgeous.
Made these Saturday and packed them up when we went to the Texans game Sunday. They were a welcome treat on the way home from the game. I love how the psyllium husk holds the dough together. Great recipe!
Anne, I am so glad you loved these, we took them on the road this week too and they were perfect in the car. Thanks so much for stopping by.
They sound great. Wondering though, did you use shelled pistachios? They usually come
salted where I am. Too much salt? Thanks! I make many of your recipes. My cycling buddies
are always happy! Even though they give me s… about no gluten. Keep on baking. My yoga
studio loves your goodies as well.
Hi Lorie, yes I used already shelled pistachios that I bought in bulk, if they were salted it was VERY little, so it didn’t make for an overly salty cookie. I would say if you do use salted pistachios, just leave off the sea salt on top.
Thanks for your lovely compliments, means so much to me. Glad you and your yoga studio are enjoying 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
Could you replace almond flour with pistachio flour?