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How to make the best Pistachio Apricot Thumbprint Cookies that melt in your mouth. Pistachio shortbread cookies filled with Apricot Jam. Vegan Cookie Recipe, Free of Dairy, egg, corn, soy, yeast. Makes 16 small cookies
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My Dad loves thumbprints or any jam/preserve filled cookies. There are a few things that make his face light up like the a fruit and nut cake made with candied papaya, Gobi Aloo matar , his favorite dals, Butter Paneer which he now loves with tofu (see Butter Seitan recipe in my Book and sub tofu or vegan Paneer from the book which is currently half off on amazon), and simple cookies. And of course, lots of work. He is happiest when he is working on something, something metal, wood, or planning a machine and making it, or spending hours at home depot :).
These thumbprints have raw pistachios to make them buttery, soft and melt in your mouth and apricot preserves filled in their center. Make these with your favorite summer fruit preserve. Easy, all whole grain and addictive. To make these gluten-free, use a gluten-free flour blend or use oat flour like in these Gluten free Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies.
I have a bunch of bean bowl recipes in the draft, but it just felt like a day for some cookies. I need that sweet fix today.
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More cookies from the blog
- Giant Chocolate Chunk Cookies
- Oatmeal Walnut Chocolate Chunk Cookies
- Vegan Gluten free Shortbread Cookies
- Gluten free Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
- egan Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
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In other news, If you haven’t yet heard about Cecil, the majestic lion killed by a hunter by luring him out of a sanctuary, see here.
I was upset the whole day yesterday. When I read the following on Woodstock Farm Sanctuary’s page, I knew what was bothering me.. “We join everyone in their outrage and sadness over the murder of Cecil, who should have lived out his life with his family in safety. But we are also outraged and saddened over the murder of billions who aren’t as valued but who are also murdered for pleasure– the pleasure of eating them or wearing them instead of hunting them. We can only hope that Cecil’s killer is held accountable AND that the compassion that people feel for this lost amazing lion can be also felt for the other animals who exist and rejoice and breathe just as he did…and who also deserve to live. Rest in peace Cecil”. I am upset both at the unnecessary killing of the magnificent Cecil, in the name of Sport (ugh), and of the general disconnect with everything.
In other better news, Gadhimai festival in Nepal, where 500,000 animals were sacrificed every 5 years for more than 200 years, is now indefinitely banned! This might not still deter the people who will still follow the tradition elsewhere in blind faith, but this amazing decision after years of relentless work by the activists, is a great start to the change that will eventually come.
Steps:
Make the cookie dough. Chill, then divide into small balls. Press ball in the center to make a dent. Place on the baking sheet. Fill dent with apricot preserves or other preserves of choice.
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Bake, cool, eat!
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Pistachio Apricot Thumbprint Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour , or spelt flour or whole wheat pastry flour or use a gluten-free flour blend or Oat flour to make gf
- 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp ground raw pistachio
- 1/8 tsp baking soda
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp vegan butter or oil
- 2 tbsp non dairy yogurt or cashew cream, I use So Delicious Plain Coconut milk yogurt
- 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp powdered vegan sugar, use a Tbsp less for less sweet
- 1/4 tsp almond extract
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract, optional
- 3 Tbsp apricot preserves or jam
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the flour, ground pistachio, baking soda and salt. whisk well.
- In another bowl, melt the vegan butter. Add non dairy yogurt, sugar and almond extract and mix until well combined.
- Add the dry to the bowl and mix until combined. The dough should be soft and well formed. Add a tsp or so more flour if too sticky, or a sprinkle of non dairy milk if too dry.
- Chill for 15 to 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 345 degrees F / 170ºc
- Make small balls of the dough and press in the center to make a deep dent. Place on parchment lined baking sheet.
- Take 3 to 4 Tbsp apricot preserves/jam in a small bowl and whisk a bit to make it smooth. Fill the cookies with 1/2 to 3/4 tsp apricot preserves.
- Bake for 15 to 16 minutes. Cool completely and serve or store.
Notes
White whole wheat flour makes lighter color cookies as in the pictures. Spelt or wheat flour will make darker cookies. Nutritional values based on one cookie
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.










I made these cookies but substituted almond for pistachio, coconut oil for vegan butter, and coconut milk for yogurt. Also used homemade peach and habanero jelly. The little bit of spice was amazing.
Awesome!
Made these today (but with black currant preserves) … So yummilicious, they only lasted about 30 minutes. 😀 …
PS – Completely agree with you about Cecil. I had a roommate once who would go to protests to save dolphins from Japan and then come home and order chicken wings. Made me furious and extremely sad 🙁
These remind me of my childhood. Yummy thumbprints with different delicious jam fillings. And apricot is one of my favorites! Love these!
Those look like the perfect sweet fix! Love the pistachio + apricot combo 🙂
Totally awesome and delicious. 🙂
So yummy and so cute 🙂