Chocolate Pistachio Cookies Recipe
It’s hard to go wrong with dark chocolate and nuts, and Chocolate Pistachio Cookies prove exactly why that combo works so well—chewy, nutty, and layered with flavor.
Servings: 36 cookies
Calories: 182kcal
Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup pistachio butter*
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste OR extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup pistachios roasted, chopped
- 2 cup chocolate chopped (I used a mix of semisweet and bittersweet)
- sea salt optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Line the baking sheets with parchment paper or baking mats; set aside.
- Place 1 stick of butter in a small saucepan and set over medium heat. Heat the butter until it melts, then bubbles, and eventually begins to smell nutty. Whisk and swirl every few seconds until you start to see browned bits (or flecks) at the bottom; remove immediately.
- In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, add the remaining butter and pour the hot browned butter over top. Add the pistachio butter and sugars; beat for 2–3 minutes until light and smooth. With the mixing speed on low, add the eggs one at a time until incorporated, then add the vanilla.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Turn the mixing speed to low and gradually add in the dry ingredients. Beat until just combined or until a soft dough forms. Fold in the pistachios and chocolate chunks with a spatula. Now you can either bake the dough straight away, chill for 3 hours and bake, store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or freeze it.
- To bake the cookies, use a standard-size cookie scoop (approximately 1.5 tbsp.) to form balls of dough. Place the cookie dough balls onto the prepared sheets, leaving at least 2 inches in between.
- Place in the oven and bake for 8–10 minutes. Remove from the oven when the cookies are golden brown around the edges. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Let the cookies cool on the pan for 3–4 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
*I used a 6 oz. bag of roasted salted pistachios—half went into the pistachio butter, the rest into the cookies. I pulsed the pistachios in my food processor for about 2 minutes, added 1 teaspoon of melted coconut oil, then pulsed for another 3–4 minutes until smooth.
-Making homemade pistachio butter might sound like extra work, but it’s totally worth it. If you're short on time, use 1 cup (2 sticks) of unsalted butter at room temperature, skip the pistachio butter, and stick with vanilla extract. The cookies still turn out delicious as long as you add chopped pistachios, dark chocolate, and a little salt on top (kosher or sea salt both work well).
These Pistachio Chocolate Chunk Cookies will stay fresh at room temperature in an airtight container for 4–5 days. To keep them longer, STORE the baked cookies in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
If you're working ahead, you can FREEZE the dough balls instead—freeze on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius) for 1–2 extra minutes. To REHEAT baked cookies, warm them in the microwave for about 10–15 seconds for that soft, melty texture.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 182kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 111mg | Potassium: 81mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 142IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg
