Meatless Monday: Lemon Pistachio Shortbread Cookies

Lately I’ve been trying to drastically reduce or cut out completely the amount of oil in my diet. Unfortunately when it comes to baked goods, they really are much better with some oil. I’ve tried various websites and bloggers recipes that do no oil, and I haven’t found too many recipes yet that I adore. But I’m willing to continue experimenting with no-oil baking for me and my dad.

When it comes to my cooking classes though, I’m fine with a little oil if it’s going to taste amazing and convert these lovely meat and potato Texans. So I cut the oil down in the baked goods, but I don’t use it pretty much anywhere else. I’m teaching people how to cook without oil and make dressings, sauces, etc sans oil.

I think one of my greatest abilities is to take something very oily and fattening and make a healthier delicious version of it. For instance, shortbread cookies are just butter, sugar, and flour. So I made a healthier version and tossed in some lemon zest and juice for a little zing and pistachios for a little crunch. Feel free to leave these out if you want to make it even lower in fat.

I had the pleasure of making these for Gene Baur when he was in town and he loved them! Enjoy!

Lemon Pistachio Shortbread Cookies
Makes about 2 dozens

1 1/3+ cups barley flour
1 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup oat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup coconut palm sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla flavoring
2 tablespoons lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup pistachios, finely chopped

Directions:
Whisk together the first 5 dry ingredients until well combined. In a separate small bowl whisk together the oil maple sugar and vanilla until thick. Whisk in the lemon juice and zest. Pour wet ingredients into to dry and blend until well combined and forms a dough ball. Add a little flour as needed if the dough is sticking to your hands. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Take dough out of fridge and cut in the pistachios throughout the dough. Roll back into a ball and cut the ball in half. Place one ball in-between two sheets of parchment paper. Roll dough until about a half-inch thickness. Remove top piece of parchment and cut into desired shapes. Place on a cookie sheet covered in parchment paper.

Take the scraps and roll into a ball. Place parchment on top and repeat steps above until all the dough is gone. Do the same with the other ball of dough. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool on rack.

Have you had much luck with no-oil baking?? What are your favorites resources for no/low-oil cooking??