Vegan Coconut Pistachio Cookies

I set out to make homemade Oreo cookies with a twist (pistachio cream in place of the classic vanilla filling) and ended up with these decadent vegan sandwich cookies. For the chewy chocolate cookies, I adapted my favorite vegan cookie recipe – Ovenly’s “secretly vegan” salted chocolate chip cookies – adding cocoa powder, eliminating the chocolate chips, and using coconut oil as the fat. The filling, adapted from a buttercream recipe by Sweet & Savory, is a simple variation on pistachio buttercream, featuring coconut oil and pistachios ground to the consistency of peanut butter.

Vegan Coconut Pistachio Cookies

Cookies

1 1/2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour

½ cup cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar

1/2 cup (110 grams) packed light or dark brown sugar 

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon coconut oil

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon water

Coarse or flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

Pistachio Filling

1 cup coconut oil, at room temperature

1 cup shelled, roasted pistachio nuts, peels removed

2 cups powdered sugar 

¼ teaspoon sea salt 

1. Prepare the cookie dough: In a large bowl, cream together coconut oil and sugars. Add water, stirring until smooth, around 2 minutes. Add salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir in cocoa powder. Add flour, mixing until just combined. Shape into a disc and refrigerate, ideally overnight.
2. Prepare the filling: Place pistachios in the bowl of a food processor and grind until a paste forms; the pistachio paste should be the consistency of chunky peanut butter. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream together coconut oil, sea salt, and powdered sugar until fluffy. Add pistachio paste and stir until thoroughly combined.
3. Bake and assemble the cookies: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Roll out dough until around 1/8-1/4 inch thick, then cut into circles with an approximately 2-inch round cookie cutter. Place on prepared baking sheets. Bake for 12-13 minutes, until cookies are just set. Be careful not to overbake. Let cool. Form sandwich cookies, turning half the cookies upside down, spreading on a generous layer of pistachio filling, and then topping with remaining cookies. Store at room temperature.