Sometimes I test or create a cookie or sweet because of a brainstorm over whether or not certain flavors will work well together. I could be in the middle of doing something completely unrelated to cookies and all of the sudden I will have a cookie epiphany. An idea will pop into my head and I immediately have to write it down so I won’t forget it later. I have a folder on my desk whose only purpose is to house the various post-its and random pieces of paper that have ideas written on them for future baking endeavors.
A random brainstorm is how this cookie came to be. I think I may have been on a walk and all of the sudden I started wondering how well lemon zest, orange zest, raw pistachios, and olive oil would taste in a cookie. I think walks allow my brain to wander and apparently, it always wanders to sweets. I guess I can live with that since some lovely cookies have come out of it.
The olive oil may sound a little funny in this cookie but it works really well with the lemon and orange zest. You could make this cookie gluten free by using a gluten free flour mix and you could make it vegan by using agave instead of honey.
Citrus, Pistachio, and Olive Oil Cookies
These are best treated as more of a drop cookie: use a small cookie scoop, drop them on the sheet, and chill them for about 10 minutes prior to baking. I garnished the top of each with a whole pistachio prior to baking, but feel free to do whatever your heart desires. This recipe will make 2 dozen tbsp sized cookies.
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 tbsp arrowroot starch
1/2 tsp fine grain sea salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
2/3 cup honey
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped raw pistachios, plus more whole pistachios for garnish
zest of 1 orange
zest of 1 lemon
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Whisk together the dry ingredients and the pistachios in a medium bowl and set aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the honey and oil until well combined, then whisk in the lemon and orange zest so that it is evenly distributed.
Fold the dry ingredients into the wet until it just comes together into a somewhat stiff dough. Using a cookie scoop (or a spoon, or tbsp measuring spoon), scoop out the dough and place on a lined cookie sheet about 2 inches apart (they will spread!). Press a whole pistachio onto the top of the cookie (optional). If you would like the cookies to not spread as much, you can refrigerate the shaped dough for about 10 to 15 minutes. Otherwise, let the shaped dough sit for a few minutes, then bake for 7 to 9 minutes until the edges and bottoms are just golden. It is best to take these out earlier rather than later as they will dry out easily if over baked. Enjoy!
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