Grain-free vegan sea salt pistachio chocolate cookies: chewy chocolate almond cookies dipped in chocolate and finished with chopped pistachios and sea salt. So much flavor in these festive treats!
Baking homemade treats for the holidays is one of my favorite traditions. I remember my grandmother making sweets, my mom continuing the habit, and now I enjoy sharing gluten-free, plant-based goodies with family and friends. It warms my heart to package and give cookies, granola, and chocolate confections to the people I love.
Most of my family and friends don’t have food allergies, but they still adore these treats. You wouldn’t guess these cookies are made without traditional flour, eggs, butter, or refined sugar. They’re rich, chocolatey, and satisfyingly chewy.
For sweetness I use coconut sugar, a natural, lightly caramel-flavored sweetener that brings depth and a brown-sugar-like richness to baked goods. I also rely on almond flour to keep the cookies grain-free and give them that tender, chewy texture. Combine those with high-quality cocoa powder, and you have intensely chocolate cookies. To finish, I dip half of each cookie in dairy-free chocolate and sprinkle chopped toasted pistachios and sea salt flakes on top—an irresistible balance of sweet, salty, crunchy, and creamy.
These cookies make lovely holiday gifts when packed in festive tins. They travel well and look special without much fuss. I enjoy pairing them with other homemade items like granola or chocolate almond bark for teacher gifts and party plates—chocolate and sea salt are a favorite flavor duo in my kitchen.
Homemade gifts don’t need to be elaborate. A simple batch of your best cookies or a jar of granola communicates care and makes the holidays sweeter. These cookies are an easy, crowd-pleasing way to share something delicious and thoughtful.
- Chocolate cookies
- 1 1/2 cups almond flour
- 3/4 cup coconut sugar
- 1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup arrowroot or cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup non-hydrogenated shortening, melted
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Chocolate coating
- 1 cup dairy-free chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon non-hydrogenated shortening
- 1/2 cup chopped roasted pistachios
- 1 tablespoon sea salt flakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, coconut sugar, cocoa powder, arrowroot (or cornstarch), baking powder, and salt.
- Stir in the maple syrup, melted shortening, almond (or coconut) milk, and vanilla until the dough comes together.
- Using a cookie scoop, portion rounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheets and gently flatten each one—these cookies will spread.
- Bake for 11–13 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Once cooled, melt the chocolate chips with 1 teaspoon shortening in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat 30 seconds on medium, stir, then heat an additional 15 seconds if needed. Stir until smooth.
- Line a platter with parchment paper. Dip half of each cookie into the melted chocolate, place on the parchment, and immediately sprinkle with chopped pistachios and sea salt flakes.
- Chill the cookies in the refrigerator for 10–15 minutes to set the chocolate, then store in an airtight container.
This post was sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill. All opinions are my own.
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