Four-Ingredient Flourless, Sugar-Free Pistachio Cookies
These Four-Ingredient Flourless, Sugar-Free Pistachio Cookies are one of my favorite healthy little cookies for the holidays. But if you’re a pistachio fan, I bet this is a cookie you’ll enjoy any time of year.
PIN the Pistachio Cookies to make them later!
These tiny little Four-Ingredient Flourless, Sugar-Free Pistachio Cookies are made with just ground pistachios, almond meal or flour, sweetener of your choice, and eggs, and they’re delicious and perfect for the holidays. I found the original recipe on a great blog called The Italian Dish, who got it from II Viaggio Di Vetri: A Culinary Journey by Marc Vetri, and apparently the cookies are served in his Philadelphia restaurant, Vetri.
With only four ingredients, this recipe qualifies for my Five Ingredient or Less Index Page, and this pistachio cookie might be the ultimate test of how easy it is to substitute a sweetener like my current favorite Golden Monkfruit Sweetener (affiliate link) for sugar in a recipe, and I was really happy with the results.
If you don’t care about the whole low-carb or low-sugar thing you could substitute brown sugar for some of the sweetener, your choice. And there are some suggestions in the comments from readers who have tried this cookie with other kinds of nuts too if you’d like to improvise.
What ingredients do you need?
- shelled pistachio nuts (I used dry-roasted pistachio kernels from Costco)
- Golden Monkfruit Sweetener (affiliate link), or sweetener of your choice (See notes.)
- Almond Flour (affiliate link)
- eggs
Want more Flourless Cookies to try?
Check out My Favorite Flourless Sugar-Free Cookies to see lots more flourless sugar-free cookies you might want to make!
How to make Four-Ingredient Flourless, Sugar-Free Pistachio Cookies:
(Scroll down for complete printable recipe with nutritional information.)
- After I made these the first time, I realized that almond meal and almond flour are slightly different. I originally used Bob’s Red Mill Almond Meal (affiliate link) which probably gave the cookies a slightly denser texture, but still worked perfectly. Now I’d use Almond Flour (affiliate link) for a finer-textured cookie.
- In Food Processor (affiliate link) or bowl of an Immersion Blender (affiliate link) combine pistachios with sweetener and process.
- Transfer pistachio/sweetener mixture to KitchenAid Stand Mixer (affiliate link) fitted with paddle attachment.
- Add the Almond Flour (affiliate link) and sweetener and mix well.
- Then add eggs and mix until completely blended.
- Remove mixture from food processor or mixer bowl and chill at least 8 hours. (I chilled it overnight.)
- Preheat the oven to 325F and line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Scoop a small spoonfuls of dough and roll between your hands to make a small ball about an inch in diameter. (I used a teaspoon measuring spoon.)
- Put each ball on the parchment, smash down slightly, then press one pistachio into the center.
- Bake cookies until they are lightly browned on the edges, about 12-15 minutes in my toaster oven.
- Let cool for 5 minutes on cookie sheet, then transfer to cooling rack or dish towel and let cool.
More Low-Sugar or Sugar-Free Cookies to Try:
Check out Delicious Sugar-Free (or Low-Sugar) Cookies for more tasty ideas for cookies without sugar!
Four-Ingredient Flourless, Sugar-Free Pistachio Cookies
These Four-Ingredient Flourless, Sugar-Free Pistachio Cookies are one of my favorite healthy little cookies for the holidays.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (4 oz.) shelled pistachio nuts, plus about 50 nuts to garnish top of cookies (I used dry-roasted pistachio kernels from Costco)
- 2 T plus 1 cup Golden Monkfruit Sweetener or sweetener of your choice (See notes.)
- 1 2/3 cup almond flour
- 2 eggs, beaten well
Instructions
- In Food Processor (affiliate link) or bowl of an Immersion Blender (affiliate link) combine pistachios with sweetener and process until the nuts are finely ground.
- If using food processor change to plastic blade, or transfer pistachio/sweetener mixture to KitchenAid Stand Mixer (affiliate link) fitted with paddle attachment.
- Add the Almond Flour (affiliate link) and sweetener and mix until well combined.
- Then add eggs and mix until completely blended into dry ingredients.
- Remove mixture from food processor or mixer bowl and chill at least 8 hours. (I chilled it overnight and baked the cookies the next day.)
- Preheat the oven to 325F and line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Scoop a small spoonfuls of dough and roll between your hands to make a small ball about an inch in diameter. (I used a teaspoon measuring spoon to scoop out the dough.)
- Put each ball on the parchment, smash down slightly, then press one pistachio into the center.
- Bake cookies until they are lightly browned on the edges, about 12-15 minutes in my toaster oven.
- Let cool for 5 minutes on cookie sheet, then transfer to cooling rack or dish towel and let cool.
Notes
My cookies didn’t spread out much. Seems to me this recipe would also be very adaptable to other types of nuts; I’d love to know if anyone tries some variations.
I originally made these cookies with Splenda, and then with Stevia-in-the-Raw Granulated Sweetener. But now I prefer Golden Monkfruit Sweetener (affiliate link) for sugar-free baking. Sweetener is calculated as zero net carbs for nutritional information.
Recipe adapted from II Viaggio Di Vetri: A Culinary Journey, found via The Italian Dish.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
20Serving Size:
2 cookiesAmount Per Serving: Calories: 66Total Fat: 5.2gSaturated Fat: .5gUnsaturated Fat: 4.4gCholesterol: 19mgSodium: 7.3mgCarbohydrates: 3.2gFiber: 1.2gSugar: 1.3gProtein: 2.6g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.
Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
Four-Ingredient Flourless, Sugar-Free Pistachio Cookies would be great for traditional low-carb or Keto diet plans when made with approved sweetener. South Beach limits nut flours for Phase One, but these would be suitable for phase 2 or 3 of the South Beach Diet. However, these are very calorie-dense cookies, so keep that in mind if you’re trying to lose (or not gain!) weight during the holidays.
Find More Recipes Like This One:
Check out Dessert Recipes to find more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.
Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This recipe was first posted in 2008. It was last updated with more information in 2022.
55 Comments on “Four-Ingredient Flourless, Sugar-Free Pistachio Cookies”
Hi – are these cookies crisp? or are they soft/chewy? i’ve made flourless cookies before and they are always soft, not crisp/hard like a proper cookie. Thanks
They are somewhat crisp but probably not as crisp as a cookie made with flour and butter.
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The recipe says this: “In food processor or bowl of immersion blender, combine pistachios with 2 T Splenda or Stevia-in-the-Raw Granulated Sweetener and process until the nuts are finely ground. If using food processor change to plastic blade, or transfer pistachio/sweetener mixture to stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add the almond meal and cup of sweetener and mix until well combined.”
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These are boss af. I made one change – I replaced the pistachio garnish with a spoonful of fig jam, and it balanced out the extreme nuttiness without overpowering the pistachio flavor.
That sounds good to me!
So, your recipe calls for 2 eggs. What about the 1/2 egg precision on the Italian Dish site?
I'm not a baker so maybe I committed a major sin here, but I ignored that and used two eggs and it worked fine for me!
I have PLENTY of almond meal left over from making almond milk, so this is fantastic! And i love the variations from the commenters. Thanks, all!
Great, hope you enjoy the cookies!
Wow – only four ingredients?? Impressive! There are few things I love more than pistachios… Wonderful idea – thanks!
Jeanne, I'm a big pistachio fan too. Hope you try them!
A healthy little cookie for the holidays sounds perfect to me!!! Can't believe these only require 4 ingredients. . I love recipes like this and I LOVE almond flour!!
Thanks Alice. I'm a huge almond flour fan myself, and the Honeyville Factory Store is in Salt Lake, so I can drive over there and stock up.
Hi Kayln, I was thinking of making this with hazelnut flour. Could you estimate the volume or weight of your pistachio flour after it was finely ground? Thanks.
Truthfully I have no idea; I haven't made these for a few years. But don't you think the weight would be the same, just the volume would be different?
Five ingredient Fridays — what a fun idea!
Thanks Lydia! I was getting bored with only Phase One recipes on Friday and December seemed like a perfect time to start this!
Thanks so much, will correct that right now!
Jennifer, go ahead and have a couple, but I do need to tell you that no kind of flour (even nut flour) is really allowed for phase one. (The almond "flour" doesn't contain flour, it's just called that because the almonds are so finely ground.) I was mixed up about that for quite a while though, and it didn't seem to hurt me. (I think it's not allowed because nuts are so calorie dense, that when they're ground into flour it's easy to eat more than the allowed amount.)
Kalyn–
I only chilled this for about 3 hours and before I chilled it, I formed the ball into a log wrapped in wax paper and when it came time to bake them I just sliced the number of cookies I wanted off the log and put the rest in the fridge for another time.
This is my last day of phase 1 of South Beach and I'm going to have one (or two) of these without reservation. I simply ground up my own almonds so I'm thinking this makes them acceptable since no flour was added to my almond meal.
Thanks so much!!
Jennifer
I've never used a cookie press so I can't answer that. I wouldn't eat more than one or two of these cookies at a time if you're actively trying to lose weight.
I'm so glad to discover your site, as I'm just starting the southbeach diet. Great looking recipes! Two questions on this cooking recipe:
1. Do you think this dough would work in a cookie press?
2. How many of these cookies do you think = a dessert serving for Phase 1? I haven't a clue how it all balances out, and want something different than the various forms of ricotta desserts that are recommended with dinner.
Lovely cookies. I can imagine the flavour,taste and crunch….YUM. This would be a great item to share with friends during coffee morning or afternoon tea.
Congratulations on being featured in Oprah.com! Your cookies look sensational. It's not easy to maintain pistachio's lovely green when baking, but you've pulled it off. Festive and delicious.
Now I want to make more cookies, but they really are good!
Jayne, would love to hear how it works using stevia or agave if you try it.
I'd like to try these cookies with stevia or agave sweeteners, instead of splenda. I'll let you know how they turn out. The conversions are not straight forward, but this is a simple recipe and I love pistachios. I have a reaction to artificial sweeteners, even splenda.
I've never had pistachio cookies, but I love pistachios and I'm sure these are great. And flourless to boot? So excited to try them.
Yay! I'm always a fan of anything flourless!
Kalyn, congratulations on being featured on Oprah.com! You deserve it! These cookies sound as though they would be very satisfying, but without the guilt of too many holiday treats.
Deborah, I'm not an expert on diabetes, but I think these should be great for it.
Gwen, thanks so much! It's exciting.
Kalyn, well deserved congrats on the Oprah.com mention. You have proven that you are the go-to gal on how to get control of your weight, and still enjoy food. So happy for you!
This sounds like an amazing recipe-perfect for my husband who is diabetic,but still loves cookies.
I made these but used macadamia nuts, and they turned out quite nice!
Yum! These are great for Passover, where baking soda/powder and flour are a no-no. I did a trial run this week in preparation for the holiday, and they came out great! I didn’t chill the dough more than 4 hours because I didn’t get to that part in the recipe until it was sort of too late. I baked a tray yesterday and continued to chill the rest–I’ll bake them now and see how they turn out!
Anonymous, now I want to try that version!
Kalyn, I didn’t have pistachios, so I decided to play with the recipe a little. I used almond meal, pre-packaged crushed walnuts, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice (these ingredients were all leftover from your pumpkin pie cheesecake recipe!), a little vanilla, and a pinch of salt. I put slivered almonds on top of the cookies and baked. Very, very good. Thanks for this great recipe. I can’t wait to try the real one!
Marsha, so glad to hear that. (And now I’m wondering why I didn’t think of using a hand mixer, duh. Great idea.)
My cookies looked exactly like yours! I used Bob’s Red Mill, roasted nuts, and used a hand mixer. Delicious…thanks for the recipe!
Marsha, I did use roasted pistachios. The package I have says “dry roasted pistachio kernels.” Maybe I better clarify that in the recipe, thanks!
Being diabetic, this recipe fits my diet very well! One question…what do you think would happen if you used roasted rather than raw pistachios?
Baking with almond meal is so much fun. I love the addition of pistachios. Sounds delicious!
Hi Kalyn, Trader Joe’s has a ground almond meal that I’ve used in place of flour with great success. I’ve not tried Bob’s Red Mill but will soon as a comparison. I’ll bet these cute little cookies satisfy a sugar craving. Thanks for sharing them.
A while ago I got away from using Splenda and went back to small amounts of sugar. Well, my body told me in no uncertain terms that Sugar was definitely on its no-no list, so I’m back to Splenda, sparingly, and am much happier.
wow! that is so cool! thanks for sharing! i’m sure one of my brothers would love them 🙂
Italian Dish. that’s very interesting because Bob’s Red Mill is exactly the brand I used too! No idea why our batter looked so different, but maybe it’s just that I mixed it with a food processor. Great recipe though, thanks, and I love your blog!
Raquel, I don’t really know. I’ve never cooked with soy flour. I doubt it though, as the almond meal is much heavier. If you try it, let us know how it works. Maybe part soy flour and part almond meal would work, for a lighter cookie.
Well, dang! I would like to try these as a sugar free version, myself! Just to clarify, what I use at home and in my recipe is Bob’s Red Mill Almond Meal/Flour. That’s how it’s labeled. The only ingredient is finely ground almonds. That’s what I use to bake anything that calls for Almond Flour. Don’t know about any ofo the other products, but that’s what I keep on hand. I love it that you made the sugar free version, Kalyn, because I never know if substituting Splenda works and I try to watch my sugar, too. Thanks!
could you use soy flour instead of almond meal??
These do sound like something I would enjoy! I can eat flour, but I do like alternative cookie recipes.
Talita, glad you like the look of them.
Maria, thanks.
Glad it was useful.
Rikki, I decided I haven’t used almond flour either after I read that. I think it might be an Italian product, whereas in the U.S. we only get almond meal. Of course after I read that I wanted to get some almond flour so I could try it!
I can tell just by reading the ingredients that these would be delish! I love pistachios in just about anything. And thanks for the link to the sugar-free sugar cookies–just baked up a batch last week (so much fun to roll cookies!). PS Never knew about the difference between almond meal and flour–I guess I’ve only seen meal around here.
What a great wheat free cookie! My youngest can’t eat wheat, but loves to bake … so this will be a great treat for her especially with Christmas around the corner. Thanks for posting!
The cookies look great! Very festive too!