Crisp on the outside and chewy in the middle these Pistachio Chocolate Chip Cookies are the perfect balance with melty pools of chocolate and chopped pistachios in every bite.
These pistachio Chocolate Chip Cookies are absolute perfection! They feature a delightful combination of nutty pistachios and pools of dark chocolate chunks, creating a flavor balance that’s truly irresistible.
With a soft and chewy texture, a buttery base, and plenty of nutty crunch, these cookies are perfect for any occasion and a great twist on classic chocolate chip cookies!
For more cookie recipes try my butterscotch chocolate chip cookies , lemon blueberry cookies and milk chocolate toffee cookies
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Why you will love these pistachio Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Perfect Sweet & Salty Combo: The rich sweetness of chocolate chips pairs perfectly with the salty, nutty flavor of pistachios, making each bite absolutely delicious.
- Texture Heaven: These cookies are soft and chewy with just the right amount of crunch from the pistachios, creating a satisfying bite every time.
- Simple & Quick: With just a few simple ingredients and steps, these cookies come together quickly, making them perfect for any time you’re craving a sweet treat.
- Elevated Flavors: The addition of pistachios brings a gourmet twist to the classic chocolate chip cookie, perfect for impressing guests or indulging yourself.
Ingredient Notes
- All Purpose Flour: All-purpose flour provides the base for the cookie dough.
- Butter: I like to use unsalted high butterfat European butter.
- Sugars: This recipe uses a combination of both light brown and regular granulated white sugar. Light brown sugar has molasses added to it which gives a wonderful texture to these cookies along with the sweetness. The extra moisture from the molasses is what gives these cookies chewiness. White sugar is what these cookies a wonderful crispy edges.
- Eggs: Use large eggs at room temperature for even mixing.
- Chocolate: Use high-quality dark or semi-sweet chocolate bars and chop them into generous chunks for gooey pockets of chocolate in every bite.
- Pistachios: I like to use unsalted shelled blanched pistachios.You could also use shelled lightly salted pistachios for a sweet and salty cookie.
- Pistachio Flour/Ground Pistachios: You can use store bought or homemade. To make your own simply place a few pistachios in a food processor or coffee grinder and pulse until you get a fine powder making sure not to over blend otherwise it would turn into pistachio butter.
- Baking Soda: This leavening agent helps the cookies rise and develop a soft, chewy texture.
- Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla extract enhances the flavor profile of the cookies.
- Salt: A pinch of salt balances the sweetness and brings out the other flavors.
Step By Step Instructions
Here is how to make and bake these pistachio chocolate chip cookies. You can use a stand mixer or a hand held electric mixer.Pre-heat the oven to 175C (350 F) and line four large baking trays with parchment paper.
Step 1. Brown the Butter: Heat the cubed butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. The butter will melt and bubble vigorously which is normal. After about 8 minutes, the top will be completely covered in foam. Stir the butter continuously at this point so you can see when the butter has browned. After another 2 minutes, the bottom of the butter should be speckled with amber-brown bits. Take the pan off the heat and pour the butter into a large bowl.
Step 2. Whisk the dry Ingredients: In a small bowl whisk together flour, ground pistachios, baking soda and salt.
Step 3. Beat the wet ingredients: In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or using a hand mixer, beat browned butter and sugars until pale for 2-3 mins. Add the egg and egg yolks one at a time beating well with each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract.
Step 4. Mix the wet into dry. To the butter mixture stir in the flour mixture, dark chocolate chunks and chopped pistachios until just combined.
Step 5. Scoop and refrigerate the dough. Using a large cookie scoop, roll out as many cookie balls out of the dough as possible and place on a cookie sheet. wrap the cookie sheet with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for an hour.
Step 6. Bake the cookies. When ready to bake place the dough balls evenly amongst the prepared baking trays and bake for 10-12 mins until golden.Optionally top each cookie with a few extra chocolate chunks and pistachios before baking
Let the cookies cool on the pan for about 5 mins. Remove from pan and cool completely on cooling rack.
Expert Baking Tips
- Use a kitchen scale: Baking with a scale is faster, easier, and overall much more accurate than cup measurements.
- Use room temperature ingredients: Using room temperature ingredients creates a smooth, fully blended batter that will result in a uniform texture and even baking.
- Chill the Dough: Chilling the dough for at least 30 minutes before baking helps prevent excessive spreading in the oven, resulting in thicker cookies.
- Underbake the cookies: You should remove them from the oven when the edges are just set and slightly brown with the centers still undercooked.
- Baking times may vary: All ovens are different, and your cookies may bake quicker or take longer than the indicated baking time. I recommend checking on them occasionally!
FAQ’s
This has to do with the flour. The flour needs to be spooned and leveled. If you scoop using the measuring cup directly into the flour, it will be compacted. Compacted flour means no spread with your cookies.
Yes! I know it sounds hard to wait on baking these cookies but its essential to chill these. Chilling would allow the butter to solidify and the flour to rehydrate. If you bake these immediately the cookies will spread way too much.
While the flavor profile will be different, you can certainly experiment with dark chocolate if you prefer. Adjust the quantity to your taste
While you can use salted pistachios, it’s recommended to use unsalted ones to control the overall saltiness of the cookies.
While chocolate chunks provide larger pockets of chocolate in the cookies, you can certainly substitute them with chocolate chips if desired.You can even use a chopped up dark chocolate bar
Yes, but you’ll miss out on the rich, nutty aroma and flavor that browned butter brings to these cookies. If you’re short on time, regular melted butter works too, but the flavor will be a bit more traditional.
Storage & freezing
Store these chocolate chip pistachio cookies in an airtight container for 3-4 days at room temperature.
FREEZING
Freeze the baked cookies in an airtight container up to 30 days. Thaw for 1 hour on the counter or overnight in the refrigerator.
Wrap the raw cookie dough balls in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container. Freeze up to 30 days.
The frozen cookie dough balls can be baked straight from the freezer. Just add an extra few minutes of bake time.
More cookie recipes to try
If you tried this or any other recipe on my website, please let me know how it went in the comments below, I love hearing from you! Also, please leave a star rating while you’re there! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!
Pistachio Chocolate Chip Cookies
Equipment
- Electric Mixer
- 4 cookie sheets
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated white sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- ¾ cup ground pistachios
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chunks
- 1 cup unsalted pistachios chopped
Instructions
- In a heavy bottom sauce pan heat your butter carefully until it is browned stirring continuously. Once browned take it off the heat and let it come to room temperature for an hour or so.
- In a bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, ground pistachios and salt.
- In a bowl of your stand mixer or using a hand mixer, beat browned butter and sugars until pale for 2-3 mins.Add the eggs one at a time beating well with each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract.
- To the butter mixture stir in the flour mixture, chopped pistachios and chocolate chunks until just combined.
- Cover the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour .When ready to bake, Pre-heat the oven to 175C (350 F). Line four large baking trays with non-stick parchment paper. Set aside.
- Using a large cookie scoop, roll out as many cookie balls out of the dough as possible. Arrange the balls evenly amongst baking trays and bake for 10-11 mins until golden.
- Let the cookies cool on the pan for about 5 mins.Remove from pan and cool completely on wire racks.Enjoy!
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