I mean, can anyone really be sick of cookies? They’re so small and popable. One can easily turn into 2…3…5. ESPECIALLY these cookies. You’re going to go nuts over these.
Remember when I was talking about how a gluten free brownie recipe was the bane of my existence for FOREVER because, no matter how hard I’d try, the recipe would never turn out?
Meet my new bane.
Because I feel like I’ve been giving you a lot of cookie recipes recently, so these cookies were supposed to be biscotti. I realize biscotti is still technically a cookie, but they’re a foreign cookie which automatically makes them cooler.
So I found a recipe, made some gluten free/refined sugar-free adaptations, and prayed to my Italian ancestors that the biscotti would emerge from the oven as tasty and crunchy as the ones I’d grew up eating.
The verdict?
Taste Factor: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Crunch Factor: ….
Mark and I LOVED the first batch. They were melt-in-your-mouth chewy, gooey, and delicious, but they definitely weren’t a biscotti. No crunch = no biscotti. They also weren’t pretty, and as we all know, pretty food tastes better.
The second batch? Burned to a crisp. I accidentally set the oven to 425 instead of 350. #facepalm
So…do you remember how I said that I had some time off to dedicate to blog stuff? THREE WHOLE DAYS were dedicated to this recipe. If I had to zest another lemon, I would have cried.
Mark, being the wonderful level-headed boyfriend that he is, suggested that I just make cookies instead. Brilliant man.
We overcame. We emerged victorious. These cookies are the real freakin’ deal, friends.
This cookie recipe is unique in that it’s treated like a pie crust or scone recipe; we’re using frozen coconut oil for our fat of choice! We pulse it together with our dry ingredients, sort of like a pie crust or scone. This method gives these cookies an unbelievable amount of chew that you’re going to love. For real, friends. These cookies are the single chewiest cookie I have ever had the pleasure of devouring. They’re almost like a super rich molasses cookie in that they’re ridiculously moist (sorry). So so good.
We’re also using a chia egg in place of a chicken egg! I’ve only used a chia egg once before, but I love the slightly crunchy texture it gives these cookies! All you have to do is combine 1 Tbsp. chia seeds with 3 Tbsp. water, mix, and wait for 15 minutes. And badaboom – the chia seeds gel and resemble the texture of an egg!
And these flavors! You know I go absolutely nutty for chocolate-peanut butter, but I think lemon-coconut-pistachio is right up there! The tartness of the lemon, the richness of the coconut, the nuttiness of the pistachio – it’s just my favorite thing ever.
Oh I so hope you make this recipe! Nothing quite says “springtime” like the taste of lemon, coconut, and pistachio…oh man, these cookies make me ridiculously happy. Enjoy! ?
PrintChewy Lemon Cookies with Coconut Icing and Pistachios
Ingredients
- FOR THE COOKIES:
- 1 cup + 2 Tbsp. Bob’s Red Mill Almond Flour
- scant 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- pinch salt
- 1 Tbsp. cold coconut oil*
- 1 chia egg (1 Tbsp. chia seeds + 3 Tbsp. water mixed and set aside for 15 minutes)
- 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
- splash pure vanilla extract
- 1 large (or 2 small) lemons, zested
- FOR THE ICING/TOPPING:
- 2 Tbsp. coconut butter
- 1 tsp. coconut oil
- 1 small handful roasted shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
Instructions
- For the cookies: Combine almond flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, and salt in a food processor and pulse until well combined. Add cold coconut oil, and pulse until small balls of the coconut oil remain (as if you were making a pie crust!). Pour out into a large bowl, and set it in the fridge.
- In a separate bowl, add your chia egg, olive oil, vanilla extract, and lemon zest, and mix to combine.
- Remove your dry ingredients from the fridge and add your wet ingredients into your dry. Mix until combined. Place dough in the fridge for 10 minutes.
- Remove dough from fridge and roll into 1 Tbsp.-sized balls. Make sure they’re tall, not completely circular. Freeze 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Bake cookies for 9 minutes. After 9 minutes, remove from oven and flatten your cookies with the back of a measuring cup. Bake for an additional 2-5 minutes**. Allow your cookies to cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes, then place them in the fridge to chill completely.
- For the icing: Combine coconut butter and coconut oil and melt either in the microwave or on the stove. Set aside.
- To assemble***: Spoon icing over cooled cookies. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios.
Notes
*I stick my coconut oil in the freezer for about a half hour to firm up before I start this recipe!
**I baked my cookies for an additional 2 minutes, and they were super chewy and soft. It was hard to pick them up unless they were chilled. If you’d prefer them a little harder, bake them for longer.
***Assemble right before serving. Store cookies in the fridge. Icing will harden in the fridge.
In other super-exciting news, I paired up with some of my favorite blogging chicas to bring you some bright and beautiful citrus recipes, perfect for spring! We have…
Orange Grapefruit Chia Seed Marmalade from Exsloth
Rosemary Orange Galette with Chamomile Maple Syrup [not gluten free] from Love Me Feed Me
Blood Orange Quinoa Salad from Emilie Eats
Key Lime Pie Cookies from The Coconut Diaries
And, of course, my Chewy Lemon Cookies with Coconut Icing and Pistachios!
A very special thank you goes to Bob’s Red Mill for sponsoring this post and for supplying me with some of their delicious products that I love for this recipe! All opinions are my own.
Ohhhh I actually have some almond flour so I’m definitely going to have to try this one! I love anything with lemon. And I love cookies. Can’t go wrong there!
Yay! Definitely use that almond flour here. Seriously, lemon is so yummy this time of year!
They really do look so chewy and like my kind of cookie!! I’m drooling over imagining them in my face.
Oh they’re chewy to the MAX. I hope you get to try them, Kim!
I love baked goods including citrus it makes them so refreshing and light. I love all the replacements you used as well! I had no idea you could make a chia egg until now!
I totally agree! Citrus is the best, especially this time of year!
Gorgeous photos Alexa!! I could never be sick of cookie so keep ’em comin’!! ;) Especially that coconut icing. OMG.
Thank you so much, Marina!! I will absolutely keep the cookies coming – just for you ;)
You are the GF cookie queen! These look absolutely perfect! and that icing <3
haha why thank you, Rachel! That icing is DE-LISH.
I’m in love with these little bites of joy <3 I wholeheartedly agree that there is no such thing as too many cookies ;)
haha thanks, Leah! “Too many cookies” isn’t even in my vocabulary.
Mmmmm these sounds DELICIOUS! Nope, not sick of cookies yet. Keep ’em coming:)
Thanks so much, Lucia! I will definitely keep busting out some cookie recipes!
Pistachios are like my favorite nut ever, so I’m in love with these cookies! I’ll meet you at Big Dog for a big box of these bad boys and I’ll get you a turmeric tea :)
So, I actually hated pistachios until about a year ago – now I can’t get enough! And let’s ABSOLUTELY do that. I will gladly whip up a batch for you!
The “chew” you know that’s all I want!
Ahh the chew…the ONLY way to enjoy a cookie!
I’m very excited about this recipe because I was given a jar of coconut butter and I haven’t had any ideas of how to use it.
Ahh perfect! Coconut butter is my absolute fav. I have a peanut butter fudge recipe on the blog that uses it, too!
I’ve been loving the lemon pistachio combo lately!! I bet adding coconut reeeeally takes it to the next level. I’m glad you finally found a winner with this recipe…I’ll take a chewy cookie over something crispy any day!!
Lemon-pistachio is bliss <3 And a cookie MUST be chewy if it's worth eating at all!
Off to buy some almond flour because damnnnn I need these in my life <3
p.s. I love how you apologized for using the word moist. Made me actually laugh out loud.
p.p.s. Hope you have an amazing anniversary celebration :D
haha thank you so much, Giselle!! :) I hope you get a chance to make these!
Hey, so … Where’s the sign up sheet for getting in on some of these cookies?! lol!
hahaha you’re on the list! ;)
Nope, I don’t think one could ever get sick of cookies! These sound amazing – pistachio is a HUGE favorite of mine!
I seriously agree – cookies are awesome all the time ;)
I just made these. They are SO delicious!
Oh that makes me so happy, Mariah! :) They are one of my all-time favorite cookies!