Crispy Pistachio Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

These pistachio chocolate chip cookies are soft and chewy, studded with chopped pistachios and dark chocolate chips, and finished with a light sprinkle of sea salt. Each cookie is filled with a dollop of pistachio cream for a refined bakery-style treat.

These gourmet cookies highlight the delicate, buttery flavor of pistachios. The recipe combines chopped pistachios in the dough with a frozen spoonful of Italian-style pistachio cream tucked into the center of each cookie. Dark chocolate chips complement the nutty pistachio flavor, while a touch of sea salt balances the sweetness.

You’ll love their large, bakery-style size and an irresistibly soft, chewy texture. When broken open warm, a ribbon of pistachio cream oozes from the center for a decadent surprise.

Making Pistachio Chocolate Chip Cookies – Step-by-Step Photos

This dough is made much like a classic chocolate chip cookie, with a few adjustments for texture and the pistachio filling. Freezing small spoonfuls of pistachio cream before assembling makes it easy to enclose the filling without melting during shaping.

Pistachio cream spread (also called pistachio spread or pistachio cream) is an Italian-style spread. Brands vary by region; well-stirred pistachio butter (pure ground pistachios) will work if you don’t have a commercial pistachio cream, though the texture and sweetness may differ.

Begin by spooning 1–2 teaspoon dollops of pistachio cream onto a lined tray and freezing them solid before assembling cookies.

Key Steps for the Dough

1. Chop the pistachios finely. Smaller pieces distribute more flavor and prevent the cookies from baking into irregular shapes.
2. Whisk the dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, cornstarch (cornflour), baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cornstarch helps create a tender, chewy texture.

3. Cream the butter with brown and granulated sugars until light and fluffy.
4. Mix in the egg and vanilla extract.

5. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, starting the mixer on low and increasing to medium until just combined.
6. Fold in the chocolate chips and most of the chopped pistachios. Reserve about 1/4 cup of chocolate chips and some chopped pistachios for topping after baking.

Assembling the Filled Cookie Balls

Keep the frozen pistachio cream dollops in the freezer while you portion the dough so they stay solid during assembly.

1. Scoop about 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough and flatten into a small disc on a lined cookie sheet.
2. Place one frozen pistachio dollop in the center of the dough disc.
3. Wrap dough around the pistachio dollop, pinching the edges so the filling is enclosed. Add a little extra dough if needed so the filling is fully encapsulated, with a small tip of filling just visible at the top.
4. Repeat until all dough is used.

Freeze the assembled dough balls for 15–30 minutes until firm. This prevents spreading and keeps the pistachio cream from escaping during baking. Once firm, you can freeze them in a bag for up to 2 months or bake immediately.

Baking

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Arrange cookies at least 2 inches apart on a lined sheet. Bake frozen dough balls one sheet at a time in the center of the oven for 12–14 minutes, or until the tops are just set. Immediately after removing from the oven, you can gently nudge each cookie into a perfect round using a slightly larger round cutter or cup. Press a few reserved chocolate chips on top and sprinkle with the remaining chopped pistachios.

The result: soft, chewy cookies with crunchy chopped pistachios, melty chocolate chips and a molten pool of pistachio cream in the center—an elegant cookie perfect for pistachio lovers.

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup pistachios (about), chopped
• 1/2 cup pistachio cream spread (about a 200 g jar; some leftover is fine)
• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour (209 g)
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (112 g), cubed
• 1/2 cup brown sugar (105 g), light
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar (67 g)
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips (about 135 g), divided

Equipment

• Cookie sheets

Notes

1. Pistachio Cream Spread: Also labeled pistachio spread or pistachio cream. Well-stirred pistachio butter can be substituted if needed.
2. Pistachios: Start with about 2/3 cup shelled pistachios before chopping. Add roughly 1/3 cup chopped pistachios to the dough and reserve the rest for topping.
3. Chocolate Chips: Use your preferred variety—dark, semi-sweet or a mixture.
4. Storage: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
5. Nutrition: Nutrition shown is an estimate per cookie assuming 15 cookies total.

Nutrition (per cookie, estimate)

Calories: 284 kcal; Carbohydrates: 32 g; Protein: 5 g; Fat: 16 g; Saturated Fat: 6 g; Sugar: 19 g; Sodium: 101 mg.