Pistachio Cookies

4 1/3 cups / 500 g raw pistachios from Bronte
1 cup / 200 g granulated sugar
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 tablespoons freshly grated lemon zest

scant 1/2 cup egg whites / 3 1/2 oz - from 3 large eggs

1 cup confectioners' sugar, for coating cookies

Preheat the oven to 350F / 180C.

Pulse the pistachios in a food processor with 1/2 cup / 100 g of the granulated sugar until the nuts are finely chopped. (Heidi note: I pulsed the nuts until they were the texture of chunky, gravelly sand / lightly pebbled.)

Combine the ground pistachio-sugar mixture with the honey, vanilla, and lemon zest in a large mixing bowl. Slowly add the egg white, mixing until the dough is well combined and soft. At this point, add the rest of the granulated sugar and mix gently.

Form the dough into small balls, 16 g / 12 oz, and roll them in the confectioners' sugar to coat well. Transfer the balls to cookies sheets lined with parchment paper, leaving at least an inch between each cookie.

Bake for 15-18 minutes, until the edges of each cookie are golden.

These cookies can be stores in a sealed container for up to 2 weeks.

Makes about 50 cookies.