These chewy melt in your mouth vegan cranberry cookies with pistachios are the perfect holiday cookie. Made with almond flour, almond butter, and maple syrup they’re a gluten-free, and oil-free cookie you’ll make again and again this holiday season.
This time of year I love to get out my gingham apron and get down to baking! It brings back happy memories of the laughter and joy I shared with my mom when I was a girl.
She was Armenian and would bake Armenian butter cookies during the holidays. They were so simple, yet so delicious as they melted in your mouth!
Now that I’m vegan, satisfying my sweet tooth during the holidays has become more challenging. I’ve searched and tested many almond flour recipes, and these hit the spot!
These vegan cranberry cookies remind me of those melt in your mouth deletable treats I had as a kid, only they are a healthier plant-based dessert.
If you’re looking for another special holiday treat try my Christmas Chocolate Bark Ornaments!
Why I think You’ll Love these Vegan Cranberry Cookies…
- Vegan and gluten-free
- Refined sugar free
- Chewy and moist texture
- Pistachios add a nice crunch
- You can take them to cookie exchange parties
- Bring them to your next holiday party
- Make a great holiday gift
I’ve had some hits and misses when it comes to gluten free and vegan cookies. It’s challenging to find a cookie recipes that covers both dietary needs. Almond flour recipes are great for their versatility. Many gluten free baking recipes include eggs, and dairy, while many vegan cookie recipes include bleached white or wheat flour. After numerous trials and errors, I wanted to bake something just as delicious as the traditional cookies of my childhood while staying true to the healthy habits I’ve developed. Not only did these cookies hit the spot for me, they were a fan favorite at home with my husband and kids as well.
When I first made them last winter I delivered them to friends and family as a holiday gift. They weren’t necessarily vegan or gluten-free, but they loved these cookies! I’ve been asked to make them for cookie exchanges, and holiday parties.
Ingredients You’ll Need for Vegan Cranberry Cookies
- Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Almond Flour.
- Raw organic almond butter,
- Wonderful No Shell Pistachios
- Sugar Free Cranberries
- Maple Syrup
- Coconut Sugar
- Salt
- Vanilla Extract
Raw almond butter works well in this recipe as it doesn’t over power the cranberry and pistachio flavor. I had a hard time finding pistachios already shelled in my grocery store, but but found the ones on Amazon which helped save time when I started churning out batches of these.
Tools You’ll Need to Make Vegan Cranberry Cookies
A great set of mixing bowls are a must for any baker. I love these ceramic mixing bowls that come in various sizes for all my baking needs. They’re also beautiful and easy to clean. I also find that using a spatula is the best tool to use to mix the ingredients as this dough can get rather sticky.
When I scoop the batter I use a tablespoon scoop to get uniform round balls. When it comes to cookie sheets, I’ve been getting away from non-stick teflon pots and pans due to their chemical constitution. Although you use parchment paper with these cookies, a fantastic cookie sheet can’t be beat for baking uniform crispy cookies. This non-toxic stainless steel cookie set with cooling racks is all you’ll need for your cookie baking needs.
How to Make Vegan Cranberry Cookies – Step by Step
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl mix together the almond flour, coconut sugar, baking soda, and salt.
Step 2: In a large bowl mix together the almond butter, maple syrup, almond milk, and vanilla.
Step 3: Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Dough will be very sticky.
Step 4: Fold in cranberries and pistachios.
Step 5: Using a tablespoon scooper or spoon, scoop out about 1 tablespoon of dough and place on parchment lined cookie sheets about 2 inches apart.
Step 6: Bake for 10 minutes until golden brown. Allow to sit on cookie sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Recipe
Vegan Cranberry Cookies with Pistachios
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups blanched Almond Flour
- ½ cup coconut or date sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup Raw Almond Butter
- â…“ cup Organic Pure Maple Syrup
- ½ cup Unsweetened Original Almond Milk
- 2 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- ½ cup Dried Cranberries reduced sugar
- ½ cup Pistachios shelled and chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl mix together the almond flour, coconut sugar, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large bowl mix together the almond butter, maple syrup, almond milk, and vanilla.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Dough will be very sticky.
- Fold in cranberries and pistachios.
- Using a tablespoon scooper or spoon, scoop out about 1 tablespoon of dough and place on parchment lined cookie sheets about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 10 minutes until golden brown. Allow to sit on cookie sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
Check out these other warm holiday recipes!
If you’ve tried my vegan cranberry cookies, please rate them and let me know how they turned out. You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest for more plant-based family recipes your whole family will enjoy!
Janet Kenworthy
I made 2 versions of this cookie today. First of all, if you use almond meal and not blanched almond flour, your cookies will be very dark. The first batch was as written and I found the baking time quite short. I needed 15 minutes to get a crispy cookie that didn’t fall apart. That said, they are delicious. The second batch was an experiment with almond pulp, the leftovers from making almond milk. I used 1.5 cups almond meal and 1 cup of almond pulp (moist, not dry). I pulled back about 1 Tablespoon on the syrup, almond butter and almond milk because of the extra moisture. I also added 1 T each flax meal and hemp hearts to put back some fats that are extracted in the milk making process. The dough was less sticky and held together well. It acted more like a mounded drop cookie, but it was also delicious.
Ellen Fife
Hello, I was wondering about coconut sugar and if it is healthy and whether the date sugar is better. I have turbinado sugar. Would that work? Thank you Ellen
Alison Corey
Any type of sugar isn’t exactly healthy, it’s more which is better than the other. Refined white sugar is the least healthy since it has been through the most processing along with artificial sugars or sugar substitutes. Natural sugars such as those in fruit are the most healthy because they are in their most natural form. Coconut sugar and trubinado sugar are better than refined sugar since they are more natural. I think turbinado sugar would work just as well as coconut sugar in this recipe.
Gina Rosenberg
I have had a very hard time finding sugar free cranberries. Any suggestion? Brand?
Alison Corey
It’s challenging to find sugar free cranberries in the grocery store. I buy mine online from Amazon. I use the rand Honestly Cranberry. Their dried cranberries don’t have any sugar or added oils, just the dried fruit itself.
Tonje
So excited for cranberry season. These look delicious, pinning for later!
Heidy L. McCallum
These look perfect for our holiday cookie exchange! I am going to do a test run on them this week and fingers crossed they will come out perfect! They look so delish that I could eat 4 right now!! Saving this recipe. Super excited to let you know how they come out.
Dannii
Cranberry and pistachio is such a delicious combo. I can’t wait to try these.
Michelle
Cranberry and pistachio is such a great combo, can’t wait to make these! They’ll make great holiday gifts too!
Demeter
I love getting that pop of lavor from the cranberries. These cookies were a huge hit!