Name: Vegan Dubai Chocolate Pistachio Cookies Recipe
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 1 h
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 150g vegan pistachio cream; 100g kunafa pastry; 20ml room temperature water; 2 teaspoons ground flaxseed; 120g dairy-free butter; 150g caster sugar; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste; 240g plain/all purpose flour; 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda; 1 teaspoon cornstarch (cornflour); 100g chopped pistachio nuts; 250g dairy-free dark chocolate; Chopped pistachio nuts (for garnish)

Ingredients

20ml of room temperature water

2 teaspoons of ground flaxseed

120g of dairy-free butter

150g of caster sugar

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract (or 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste)

240g of plain / all purpose flour

1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda

1 teaspoon of cornstarch / cornflour

100g of chopped pistachio nuts

150g of vegan pistachio cream

100g of kunafa pastry

250g of dairy-free dark chocolate

Pistachio nuts (chopped, for garnish)

Instructions

Step 1: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the pistachio cream and kunafa pastry until thick and creamy. If the mixture feels too dry, add more pistachio cream to reach the right consistency.

Step 2: Preheat your oven to 180°C (fan) and line a baking tray with greaseproof paper. This recipe makes enough for two trays, so bake one tray at a time.

Step 3: In a small bowl, mix the room temperature water with ground flaxseed. Set aside for 5 minutes to thicken and form a flax egg.

Step 4: In a medium bowl, whisk together the dairy-free butter, caster sugar, and vanilla until pale and creamy. Add the flax egg and mix well.

Step 5: Sift in the flour, bicarbonate of soda, and cornstarch. Stir until you form a thick cookie dough.

Step 6: Fold in the roughly chopped pistachio nuts evenly into the dough.

Step 7: Scoop the dough into 40g balls using spoons or an ice cream scoop. You can weigh each ball for accuracy.

Step 8: Make a small dent in each dough ball and fill it with some of the pistachio filling. Shape the dough to fully cover the filling, preventing it from oozing during baking.

Step 9: Place the dough balls on the lined baking tray, spaced apart as they will spread slightly while baking. Do not flatten the dough balls.

Step 10: Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes or until the edges turn lightly golden.

Step 11: Once baked, remove the tray and reshape the cookies using a round cookie cutter slightly larger than the cookie to form a neat circle.

Step 12: Let the cookies cool completely on the tray or a cooling rack. They will be soft when hot but will crisp up as they cool.

Step 13: Melt the dairy-free dark chocolate using 30-second increments in the microwave or with a bain-marie until smooth.

Step 14: Let the melted chocolate cool slightly to thicken, which makes coating easier.

Step 15: Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper. Spread some melted chocolate into circles slightly larger than the cookies to form a chocolate base, then place each cookie on top.

Step 16: Spoon and spread melted chocolate over the entire surface and edges of each cookie for full coverage.

Step 17: While the chocolate is still wet, sprinkle chopped pistachio nuts over each cookie.

Step 18: Place the tray in the fridge for 10-20 minutes or until the chocolate is set.

Step 19: Once set, serve your vegan chocolate pistachio cookies and enjoy!

Tips & Variations

Use a cookie scoop or kitchen scale to portion dough evenly for consistent baking.

If kunafa pastry is unavailable, try substituting with shredded phyllo pastry for a similar texture.

For extra crunch, toast the chopped pistachios lightly before adding.

Swap the pistachio cream for almond or hazelnut cream for a different nutty flavor.

Experiment with dairy-free white chocolate for the coating for a sweeter contrast.

FAQs

Can I make these cookies gluten-free?

Yes, substitute the plain/all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend suitable for baking, ensuring the texture stays similar.

How do I prevent the pistachio filling from leaking during baking?

Make sure to completely cover the pistachio filling with cookie dough when shaping the dough balls. This seals the filling inside and prevents oozing.