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Gluten-Free Pistachio Croissant Cookie
A delicate, gluten-free pistachio treat with the buttery essence of a croissant
This spring I found myself wanting a cookie that felt like a warm summer picnic. I wanted something nutty and buttery with a filling that was rich and satisfying. That is what I got from this delightful green pistachio cookie.
The star of the show is the ground pistachios and the pistachio extract. Don’t skip out on the pistachio extract even if it can be tricky to find. It is more than worth it in the end.
I am a sucker for filled cookies. I know that they are overused in today’s baking world but it’s for good reason. The filling adds a sense of richness that doesn’t come into play otherwise. I am always trying to find something to stuff a cookie with and these are no exception.
For any cookie, I am aiming for that New York Style texture and size. Because of this, you want to start out with cold butter, not softened. When you cream the sugar into the cold butter, the sugar crystals can cut larger air pockets into the butter and create a more chewy, satisfying cookie that spreads less.
I hope you enjoy these cookies, I think they might be the prettiest ones of the spring.
pistachio
Gluten-Free Pistachio Croissant Cookies
This buttery, sweet, nutty cookie was made for spring days spent wandering through the local woods. Take a bite and watch the world go by.
Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 12-15 minutes Total Time: 45 minutes Yield: 12 Cookies
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
Wet Ingredients
- Butter: 7 tbsp (100g)
- Granulated Sugar: 50g
- Brown Sugar: 70g
- Vanilla Extract: ½ tsp
- Pistachio Extract: ¼ tsp
- Egg Yolk: 1 large (about 15g)
- Egg: 1 large
Dry Ingredients
- 50g total flour blend
- 60g white rice flour
- 30g brown rice flour
- 24g potato starch
- 20g tapioca starch
- 16g pistachio flour (finely ground pistachios work here)
- 1g xanthan gum
- Cornstarch: ½ tsp
- Baking Soda: ¼ tsp
- Baking Powder: ½ tsp
- Salt: ¼ tsp
- Optional: Milk or Cream: 1 tbsp (for moisture if needed)
- Optional: 2 tbsp finely chopped pistachios (for extra crunch in the dough)
Filling
- Pistachio Flour: 38g (finely ground pistachios replace almond flour)
- Granulated Sugar: 1 tbsp + 1 tsp
- Egg: 10g
- Melted Butter: 1 tbsp (8g)
- Pistachio Extract: ¼ tsp
- Milk or Cream: 1 tsp (optional, to adjust consistency)
- Optional: 1-2 tsp crushed pistachios (for texture in the filling)
Instructions
Cookie Dough:
- Cream the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and pistachio extract; mix until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour blend (white rice flour, brown rice flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, pistachio flour, xanthan gum), cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. If the dough feels too dry, add the optional milk or cream. Fold in chopped pistachios if using.
- Chill the dough for 4-12 hours to firm it up (helps with develop flavor and reduced spreading, the longer the better)
Almond Filling:
- Mix the pistachio flour, sugar, egg, melted butter, and pistachio extract until smooth. Add milk or cream if it’s too thick. Stir in crushed pistachios if desired for a bit of crunch.
- Separate into 12 parts, put in freezer overnight
Assembling:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Scoop about 1.5 tbsp of dough, flatten it slightly, add a small dollop (about 1 tsp) of pistachio filling in the center, then fold or top with another small piece of dough to encase the filling. (You can also roll into balls and press a thumbprint for filling if you prefer a simpler shape.)
- Space cookies 2 inches apart on the sheet
Baking:
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are golden and slightly crisp but the centers remain soft for that chewy texture.
- Cool on the tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack
- If cookies spread too much, get a jar lid and shape them by swirling them around in the circle.
Optional Finishing Touch:
- Dust with powdered sugar or drizzle with a simple glaze (powdered sugar + a drop of pistachio extract + milk) and sprinkle with chopped pistachios.
