Pistachio Snowball Cookies (Gluten-Free Dairy-Free)
These super soft, gluten-free, dairy-free pistachio snowball cookies are tender, crumbly, and cloudlike. Reminiscent of classic snowball cookies, they offer a delicate, melt-in-your-mouth texture that pairs perfectly with their nutty pistachio flavor.
Tips on how to make this gluten-free dairy-free pistachio snowball cookie recipe:
- Use roasted pistachios that are salted and shelled. This will make your life much easier and will ensure the cookies turnout. The pistachios give the cookies such a rich, decadent flavor!
- Make sure to let dough chill in the refrigerator so that the flavors have time to develop and the dry ingredients absorb moisture. Ultimately, this step helps mitigate that crumbly, sandy texture that most gluten-free cookies often have.
- Food coloring is optional. By no means do you need to use food coloring to dye the cookies, however, without a few drops of yellow and blue, the cookies will appear a yellow-ish brown color due tot he roasted pistachios.
- This dough is much stickier than typical cookie dough.
- When storing, layer the cookies with powdered sugar in an airtight container. You’ll need about another cup of powdered sugar.
- These cookies taste better each day they sit in the fridge. For whatever reason, the flavor develops and the texture becomes sort of dense, and, just, SO decadent (you’ll have to try them to know what I mean).
- Use the flour blend listed in the recipe. This recipe calls for Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour (the blue bag) and has not been tested with other gluten-free flours. For best results, I recommend using this flour.
What you need to make these super soft gluten-free pistachio cookies:
Equipment
- 1 Large Airtight Container (for storing)
- 1 Electric mixer (wooden spoon works too)
- Small Blender or Food Processor (to pulse the pistachios)
- 1 Large Bowl
- 1 Medium Bowl
- Measuring Cups
- Tablespoon & Teaspoon Measurements
- Parchment Paper
- 2 Large baking sheets
- #110 Cookie Scoop
Ingredients
- 1½ Cup Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour
- 1 Cup Roasted Salted Pistachios (shelled)
- ¼ Cup Granulated Sugar
- ¾ Cup + 1 Tbsp Softened Vegan Butter (salted)
- 1 Large Egg (room temperature)
- 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
- 3 Drops Yellow Food Colors (optional)
- 1 Drop Blue Food Coloring (optional)
- 1 Tsp Baking Powder
- ½ Tsp Baking Soda
- 1 Cup Powdered Sugar (for dusting)
- 1½ Cup Powdered Sugar (for storing)
How to make these soft, crumbly gluten-free pistachio snowball cookies:
Grind Pistachios & Gather Dry Ingredients
In a small blender or single-serving blender, grind the roasted and salted pistachios by pressing the pulse button incrementally. Continue pulsing until they reach a fine texture, slightly coarser than flour.
In a medium bowl, combine the ground pistachios, gluten-free flour, baking soda, and baking powder. If your pistachios are unsalted, add ½ teaspoon of kosher salt. Set aside.
Make the Dough
Then add the food coloring, one drop at a time until the mixture resembles a light, bright, yellow-ish green.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar until evenly combined.
Add the egg and vanilla extract, mixing until fully incorporated.
Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the large bowl with wet ingredients until a smooth dough forms. (This dough is stickier than typical cookie dough).
Cover the dough and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350℉ and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Once chilled, scoop 2–3 teaspoons of dough into balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Gently press down the center of each ball with your thumb. These cookies won’t spread, so you can place them closer together.
Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until the edges are set and the tops look dry.
Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5–10 minutes, then generously cover in sifted powdered sugar.
Once completely cool, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When stacking the cookies, sprinkle powdered sugar on the bottom of the container and between each layer to keep them from sticking.
Enjoy!! (they’re amazing with tea)
Equipment
- 1 Large Airtight Container (for storing)
- 1 Electric mixer (wooden spoon works too)
- Small Blender or Food Processor (to pulse the pistachios)
- #110 Cookie Scoop
- Sifter
Ingredients
- 1½ Cup Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour
- 1 Cup Roasted Salted Pistachios (shelled)
- ¼ Cup Granulated Sugar
- ¾ Cup + 1 Tbsp Softened Vegan Butter (salted)
- 1 Large Egg (room temperature)
- 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
- 3 Drops Yellow Food Colors (optional)
- 1 Drop Blue Food Coloring (optional)
- 1 Tsp Baking Powder
- ½ Tsp Baking Soda
Topping
- 1 Cup Powdered Sugar (for dusting)
Storing
- 1½ Cup Powdered Sugar (For Storing)
Instructions
Grind Pistachios & Gather Dry Ingredients
- In a small blender or single-serving blender, grind the roasted and salted pistachios by pressing the pulse button incrementally. Continue pulsing until they reach a fine texture, slightly coarser than flour.
- In a medium bowl, combine the ground pistachios, gluten-free flour, baking soda, and baking powder. If your pistachios are unsalted, add ½ teaspoon of kosher salt. Set aside.
Make the Dough
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar until evenly combined.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract, mixing until fully incorporated.
- Then add the food coloring, one drop at a time until the mixture resembles a light, bright, yellow-ish green.
- Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the large bowl with wet ingredients until a smooth dough forms. (This dough is stickier than typical cookie dough)
- Cover the dough and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350℉ and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Once chilled, scoop 2–3 teaspoons of dough into balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Gently press down the center of each ball with your thumb. These cookies won’t spread, so you can place them closer together.
- Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until the edges are set and the tops look dry.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5–10 minutes, then generously cover in sifted powdered sugar.
- Once completely cool, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When stacking the cookies, sprinkle powdered sugar on the bottom of the container and between each layer to keep them from sticking.
- Enjoy!!
Notes
Nutrition
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