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Easy gluten-free pistachio pudding cookies with a dairy-free option. Lightly crunchy on the outside and chewy in the middle. If you love pistachio ice cream, you are going to love these cookies!
St. Patrick’s Day Traditions
I come from an Irish family, so St. Patrick’s Day was always a fun holiday to celebrate. We always wore green, ate green eggs and ham for breakfast and celebrated with a dinner of corn beef and cabbage.
Easy Gluten-Free Dessert
This year as St. Patrick’s Day approached I was trying to think of a fun new way to make a new green treat for my kids. My favorite flavor of ice cream is pistachio. I thought a new green cookie flavored like my favorite pistachio ice cream would be easy to make and a fun treat for my kids.
Pistachio Pudding
These gluten-free pistachio pudding cookies are super easy to make. The addition of the pistachio pudding gives the cookies just the right amount of pistachio flavor.
I topped them with white chocolate chips when they came out of the oven to give them that extra sweet and creamy flavor, just like ice cream.
These were a big hit with my kids! These would be a perfect treat to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day!
Looking for another easy cookie to make? Try my Gluten-Free Cookie Recipe Round-Up. For more St. Patrick’s Day recipes, see the Gluten-Free Shepherd’s Pie and the Gluten-Free Irish Soda Bread.
Pistachio Pudding Cookies {Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Option}
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour, I like Pillsbury gluten-free
- 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum, leave out if your flour already has it
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 box 3.5-ounce gluten-free pistachio instant pudding and pie filling mix, I like Jell-O brand
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature. (Dairy-free use Earth Balance or Smart Balance butter)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons milk, dairy-free use coconut, almond or cashew milk
- 1/2 teaspoons gluten-free almond extract
- 1/2 teaspoon gluten-free green food coloring or all natural food coloring, optional
- 1/4 - 1/2 cup chopped pistachios, which all depends on how nutty you want them to be (optional)
- 1/4 cup white chocolate chips (optional), gluten-free and/or dairy-free white chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large bowl beat butter until creamy.
- Add the brown sugar and sugar to the butter and beat until creamy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Beat in the pudding mix, egg, milk, and gluten-free almond extract and mix until fully combined.
- Add gluten-free green food coloring and mix until fully combined.
- In a medium bowl add gluten-free flour, salt, xanthan gum (leave out if your flour already has it), and baking soda and whisk together until fully combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until fully combined.
- Add chopped nuts and mix until fully combined. (optional)
- Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Scoop a heaping tablespoon of the cookie dough and roll into a ball. (I use a small cookie scoop.)
- Place cookie balls onto lined cookie sheets and bake for 10-12 minutes. If you want softer cookies bake the cookies for 10 minutes, for a crunchier outside bake the for cookie 12 minutes.
- The cookies will not spread too much while baking.
- Once cookies are done, press down on the warm cookies to slightly flatten and form crinkles. I even stick a few white chocolate chips into the tops of the warm cookies.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for at least 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Enjoy!
- Stored in an air-tight container.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I just made these cookies to take to my great granddaughters house tomorrow and they are fabulous!!!!
Would sugar-free pudding work?
We haven’t tried that but would love to know your results if you do!
These cookies are so delicious! I didn’t have green food coloring – didn’t matter they still are a pretty shade of green!
I really love these cookies! they are soft and have a wonderful flavor. Thanks so much!
How is this dairy free with the pudding?
Hi Amanda! The Jell-O pudding mix used in this recipe is dairy-free. You can use a dairy-free milk instead of regular milk to make dairy-free pudding. Always check the labels because some of the flavors are not always gluten-free.
Has anyone tried something similar with butterscotch pudding or chocolate pudding?
Hi Kelly! I have not, but that sounds delicious.
I tried this by substituting in Jello chocolate pudding (instead of pistachio), vanilla extract (instead of almond) and adding EnjoyLife mini chips to the mix (3/4 cup) before baking. I also used oat milk to make them dairy free. They were divine!
Hi! In the ingredient list it states almond extract but in the step by step directions it states vanilla extract, just wondering which I should use?
Hi Diane! The recipe uses gluten-free almond extract. I corrected the mistake. Sorry, about that. Thanks for bringing it to my attention! I hope you enjoy the cookies.
I looooooooove pistachio cake!! I cannot wait to try this recipe!!
Thank you so much Porchy! I love anything Pistachio. I hope you enjoy them.