Pine nut, pistachio & date butter cookies w/ lemon & thyme

These cookies are special. I'm pretty proud of these beauties. They are rich, fragrant and a departure from your everyday cookie. This recipe is gluten and refined sugar free though honestly you'd NEVER know it. It's lacking for nothing. The texture is akin to traditional shortbread. I love pistachios at the moment and after eating lots of healthy treats of the chocolate and coconut persuasion I was craving something different. 

I'm a butter lover but you could easily make this dairy free also by using coconut oil in place of butter.

Share these with a friend - over a cup of tea. They are the perfect delicate treat to enjoy while catching up with a pal.

I hope the start to the year is treating you well. I'm feeling grateful and positive and ready to tackle some of my big goals. I'm determined to hold onto that post holiday clarity and peace!

Have a wonderful weekend. x

2 1/4 cups ground almonds / almond meal

75 grams butter - chopped. ( you could use coconut oil to make vegan )

1/2 cup finely chopped dates

3 Tbsp honey - warmed or melted

1/2 cup pistachios

1/4 cup pine nuts

2 pinches sea salt

zest of one lemon

3/4 tsp fresh thyme leaves - plus some extra leaves for decorating.

Preheat your oven to 150 degrees celsius.

Place 1 1/2 cups of the ground almonds and all of the butter into a food processor. Whiz until it's the consistency of rough breadcrumbs.

Add the dates, pistachios, lemon zest, honey and sea salt. Process until well combined. You still want chucks of pistachio and dates. Do not over blend.

Add the remaining ground almonds, the thyme leaves and half the pine nuts. Process gently until well combined.

Use heaped teaspoons of dough to form discs of about 2 cm thickness. Place them on a lined cookie try. This recipes makes approx 20 cookies.

Using the remaining pine nuts, lightly press 3-5 pine nuts into the top of each cookie. You can also place a couple of thyme leaves on top (optional)

Bake for 10-15 until lightly golden. DO NOT handle until the cookies are completely cooled. They are very delicate until then.

Enjoy! x