These Pistachio Chocolate Chunk Cookies are so delicious and packed with pistachios, dark chocolate chunks and flaky salt. They have the most chewy texture with caramelized crispy edges. The rich buttery undertones from the roasted pistachios pairs so well with the butterscotch flavor coming through the buttery brown sugar cookie dough. This has become one of the most popular recipes on the site and everyone who has made them has had such success! I just know you will love this fun and sophisticated take on a classic chocolate chip cookie.
WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS RECIPE:
- Chewy pistachio cookies - if you like chewy cookies, these are certainly for you!
- Rich butterscotch flavor - these cookies have a deep rich buttery brown sugar flavor that is not overly sweet with underlying notes of natural vanilla.
- Roasted pistachios - these pistachio cookies are packed with pistachio flavor in each bite. The deep green color is natural from both pistachios and a bit of matcha powder.
- Ultimate chocolate chip cookie recipe - if you're looking to switch up your routine on chocolate chip cookies, this is a really sophisticated take on it!
- Deeply golden - they bake with a bakery-worthy golden brown surface which is a testament to their rich caramelized flavor.
- Big size - each cookie is a nice large size to give you that contrast of textures.
- Dark chocolate chunks - puddles of melted dark chocolate chunks instead of chips with a bit of salt takes these to a whole other level!
INGREDIENTS FOR PISTACHIO CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES
Here are some on the key ingredients for this recipe. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Salted butter - this recipe uses butter as the base for the cookie dough You can use unsalted or salted butter, but salted butter really enhances the buttery pistachio flavor. If you use unsalted butter, then double the amount of added salt in the recipe.
- Oil - you need a bit of oil to make a pistachio paste that you mix into the cookie dough. I like to use olive oil, but any vegetable oil will work.
- Roasted salted pistachios (no shell) - the lovely green color of these cookies is naturally coming from the pistachios and a bit of matcha powder. For the most flavor, you should roast the pistachios before grinding them or use these roasted salted pistachios.
- Granulated sugar - this recipe uses a combination of simple white granulated sugar and brown sugar. White sugar helps create the crunchy caramelized edges. I wouldn't recommend reducing the sugar because it will compromise the chewy texture.
- Brown sugar - you can use light or dark brown sugar for this recipe. I prefer light brown sugar so that the molasses doesn't overpower the taste of the pistachios.
- Pure vanilla extract - vanilla is essential to making delicious chocolate cookies. I like this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla extract.
- Almond extract - this is optional, but it adds nice floral notes that complement the pistachio flavor.
- Egg - you'll need one whole egg for this recipe. It's the perfect amount of moisture to make these cookies chewy and not cakey.
- Salt - don't leave out the salt! It really elevates the rich buttery, caramel flavors! It also enhances the pistachio taste and balances the sweetness.
- Matcha powder - this is optional, if you have it or want to try it, but it will really enhance the green color and it also adds a nice earthy taste that complements the pistachios. If you leave it out the cookies will simply have a more earthy brownish green color. I love this ceremonial grade matcha powder that has an intense emerald green color and great health benefits.
- All purpose flour - regular unbleached all-purpose flour makes the best chewy cookies.
- Dark chocolate chunks - this is important! I highly recommend using bar chocolate, that is, chunks that you chop up from a bar of chocolate instead of chocolate chips. Why? That is because chocolate that is made into bars, also known as "tablets" has a higher cocoa butter content and typically melts smoother than chocolate chips to give you puddles of chocolate in the cookies. I love this effect! Chocolate chips will hold their shape and spread less.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
- STEP 1). Make the pistachio paste. Add pistachios to the bowl of a food processor and process until they form fine crumbs. Add the oil and process until it clumps together as a paste.
- STEP 2). Beat together butter and sugar. You can use an electric stand mixer, a hand mixer or do this by hand with a spatula. You want to beat until slightly pale and a bit fluffy, but not overly creamed. It will still look like a thick paste or damp sand and this will leave us with chewy cookies. Over-mixing at this point would make more crisp cookies.
- STEP 2). Beat in egg. Add the egg and extracts and beat until well incorporated and smooth.
- STEP 3). Combine dry ingredients. Blend flour, matcha powder, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl and whisk it to blend evenly. Then, add it to the butter mixture and mix it in until evenly combined.
- STEP 4). Fold in chocolate chunks. I only ever use dark chocolate chunks. Dark chocolate with a higher cocoa content will melt better to give these luxurious pools of chocolate. Chips will hold their shape and won't melt into the cookie. I find milk chocolate too sweet for these cookies and they also don't melt as well due to the high sugar content.
- STEP 5). Refrigerate the cookie dough. This is crucial to developing the chewy texture and rich caramelized flavor and golden color.
- STEP 6). Bake. Roll dough into smooth balls, sprinkle with extra pistachios and bake until golden on the edges and still soft in the middle. Do not over-bake as they will continue cooking on the hot baking tray.
EXPERT BAKING TIPS
- Roast your nuts. This is non-negotiable for this recipe. If you do not roast the nuts (or use pre-roasted pistachios), the will be bland and their flavor will be so mild that the caramelization of the cookie dough will over-power the taste.
- Make a pistachio paste. This is the key to getting a rich pistachio flavor right through the cookie dough. The oil will help to carry the flavors so they permeate throughout. ! Just a teaspoon in this recipe is the key to making them stay chewy for days.
- Don't skip the salt. The right amount of salt is so important to enhance the pistachio taste and a bit of flaky salt on top makes the flavors pop!
- Use regular large size eggs. Large eggs weigh 57g. Using an extra large egg will add up to 2 teaspoons more liquid to the cookie dough which can throw off the moisture balance and make the cookies spread too much.
- Refrigerate the cookie dough for at least 2 hours. Refrigerating cookie dough serves several purposes: 1.) Flour hydration - time in the fridge allows the flour to fully hydrate from the moisture of the egg and the water in the butter. If the flour is evenly hydrated, the cookies will be thicker and they will bake more evenly; 2.) Flavor development -as the baking soda becomes more evenly incorporated with the flour hydration, the cookies will brown more evenly which will help them develop flavor more quickly; and, 3.) Chill the butter - butter in the cookie dough will also firm up in the fridge so that the cookies wont be so greasy after they've baked. Chilled fat will also spread less readily during the initial stages of baking so the cookies won't spread uncontrollably.
RECIPE FAQ
Chilling this cookie dough is so important for the best results to get the most flavor and an even spread for these cookies. If you bake them right away, they will not be as golden, as thick or as chewy and flavorful as they could be if you chill the dough.
If your cookies spread a lot, then it could be that the dough wasn't chilled long enough, there was too much oil added (you only need just 1 tablespoon to make the paste), or there was not the right amount of flour added. Too little flour will mean the cookies will not have enough structure to hold their shape and the dough will be too wet. The best way to measure the flour is using a scale to ensure you use the right amount. Too much will make the cookies thick and less chewy, but too little will mean they will be crispy and thin.
For the best results, use dark chocolate with over 60% cocoa solids, and use a high quality block of chocolate that you chop into chunks.
To get melted puddles with irregular shapes like in these photos, use chopped chocolate from a bar with over 70% cocoa solids. The darker the better when it comes to meltiness because the higher the total cocoa content, the more cocoa butter it will have and that high fat content is what makes chocolate melt and spread easier. Also, block chocolate is tempered as a block that you will break up and expose all sorts of jagged edges whereas chips are tempered in a specific shape that will stay in place.
When you chop chocolate from a block you make a variety of different shapes and shards that will get in all the crevices of the cookie dough. So, use your favorite dark chocolate - the kind that you snack on. Using block chocolate instead of chips will also give you better texture in the cookies. Block chocolate has a higher cocoa butter content so it will melt more evenly and readily to create pools of chocolate that will melt into the crevices. It also helps the dough spread. You can also use dark chocolate feves, callets or discs which are often made from couverture chocolate (high cocoa butter chocolate).
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Ingredients
- ½ cup 60g roasted salted pistachios (no shell)
- 1 tablespoon 15ml olive oil
- 7 tablespoon 100g salted butter, softened
- ½ cup 110g packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup 50g granulated sugar
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon pure almond extract
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup plus 2 tbsp 160g all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon matcha powder
- 1 cup 5oz/142g dark chocolate chopped into chunks
- 2 tbsp ground pistachios for topping
Instructions
- Prepare the pistachio paste. Place pistachios in a small food processor and pulse until very finely ground. Add oil and grind until the mixture forms a thick paste. It won’t be smooth like peanut butter, but it will be thick and coarse.
- Prepare the cookie dough. Beat butter with both sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or using an electric hand mixer for 3 minutes on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat in egg and extracts until evenly incorporated and smooth. Mix in pistachio paste.
- Combine flour with matcha powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to blend evenly. Add it to the butter mixture and fold it in. Add chocolate chunks and fold them in until evenly distributed. The dough will be soft and sticky.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Scoop about 2 tablespoons of chilled dough and roll into smooth balls, then place onto prepared baking sheets spacing them at least 2 inches apart since these cookies spread a lot (do not make the dough balls too big). Sprinkle the tops with extra ground pistachios. Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden around the edges. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cookies cool for a minute before transferring individually to the rack to finish cooling.
Sharonne
Whooooa these are so good! Made them twice now and can’t get enough.
christina.marsigliese
Thanks so much Sharonne!
Georgia
I made these for the second time today and they’re soo delicious and simple to make! I add a 1/2 tsp of almond extract because I love the taste, but otherwise I follow Christina’s exact instructions and they come out perfectly every time!
christina.marsigliese
Twice in 1 day - wow! Thanks so much Georgia.
Matt B
I’ve made a BUNCH of these, probably close to 100 by this point - took them down to my works office when I was visiting and I’ve now become a bit of a cookie man, great introduction to make me want to bake more - thank you!
Rachel
I have a question. How are these without the chocolate? I'm looking for a cookie to make cannoli sandwich cookies. They sound amazing!!
Elaine
I made some without chocolate for my friend who can't eat it. They were good! I enjoyed both
Cindy Plantz
Hi. I'm a bit confused on the quantity of all purpose flour. I bake by weight and 1 cup equals 120g and 2 tblsp does not equal 40g. Can you please clarify? Thanks.
Angie
Would it be okay to sub olive oil for pistachio oil?
christina.marsigliese
Hi Angie, yes absolutely!
Jennifer LeBlanc
These cookies turn out so perfect and are delicious!!! I took them to easter and they didnt even make it until after dinner. Everyone loved them!
christina.marsigliese
Thank you so much Jennifer!
B G
You don’t blend the pistachios with the shells correct ?
Kristen
So excited to taste these!! I just made the dough and am wondering, do you think it would work for me to refrigerate part of the dough and bake in a few days? Thanks!
Nina
Are the shelled pistachios getting ground up in the paste or do they get de-shelled prior?
christina.marsigliese
Hi Nina - shelled means "no shells". So, remove the shells and then grind them.
Saime Munir
Absolutely delicious! No other words! I made it for my daughter’s 26th birthday and they disappeared!!! With my 1.5 inch cookie scoop it yielded 15 cookies of just the right size and I baked them for 12 minutes. Amazing! Make them!
savannah
Hi! Any experience using bread flour here instead of all purpose? I usually make my chocolate chip cookies with half bread flour to make them more chewy & was thinking of trying the same thing with this recipe.
christina.marsigliese
Hi Savannah, yes that would work just fine!
sarah holcomb
Just a friendly heads up you forgot to add eggs and extracts to the recipe above. Can't wait to try them!
christina.marsigliese
Hi Sarah, hmmm I'm not sure what you mean. The recipe is correct. Thank you.
Laurie Yeagley
Hello! I am eager to try this recipe, as the flavor profile is one of my favorites! I wondered what kind of pistachios you recommend buying. The recipe encourages you to roast your own, but I can only find salted, roasted pistachios either in ther shell or shelled. Thank you!?
Laurie
christina.marsigliese
Hi Laurie, purchased salted roasted pistachios are just fine! I say to roast your own only if you can only find raw pistachios.
Pascale Rochon
Just perfect!! So tasty ❤️❤️❤️
christina.marsigliese
Thank you so much!
Ioana
These were delicious. I didn't have matcha powder so I left it out but they still turned out amazing. The perfect chewy and soft texture, and the pistachio flavour was there in just the right amount. Will make them again.
christina.marsigliese
Thanks so much Ioana!
Mariane Turcotte
Most tasty cookie ever!
christina.marsigliese
Thank you so much Mariane!
Daisy
These were delicious!! Love the green matcha colouring and salt on top ??
christina.marsigliese
Thanks so much Daisy!
Sheryl Gaines
There’s honey in the instructions, but not in the ingredient list. Was that an error ?
christina.marsigliese
Hi Sheryl, there's no honey in this recipe. The recipe card at the bottom of the post is correct. Thanks!
Sheetal
Can you share alternate for egg for vegetarian
Emily Calladine
Such scrumptious cookies! Recipe worked perfectly and the cookies came out exactly like the photos - thank you for sharing this!!
christina.marsigliese
Thank you so much Emily!
Madison Lacaprucia
Would a small blender like a nutribullet work to process the pistachios if one doesnt have a food processor?
christina.marsigliese
Hi Madison, yes it's worth a shot because the oil helps to bring it together.
Demetrios
1 teaspoon of cornstarch if you'd like softer cookies. Either way, this recipe is ?!!!
Neelam.
Hi I'm from the UK, what temperature in fan Celsius should I bake them at? I'm so excited to try this recipe!
christina.marsigliese
Hi, I'd suggest 175 C.
Elise
Hi,
If I’m using pre made pistachio paste/cream from a jar how much would I need?
christina.marsigliese
Hi Elise, this will change the texture of the cookies. I would only use up to 2 tbsp.
Donna
I am going to make these cookies and I was wondering if you could use pistachio cream spread in place of making it from scratch.
christina.marsigliese
Hi Donna, pistachio cream will have more oil and make make these cookies spread more and be more crispy. It may still be delicious though.
Emma
These look fabulous! Do you have to use matcha or is there a substitute?
Farrah
I have the same question!
Emma
Forgot to leave a rating on my previous comment, 5/5 stars, delicious!
Debbie Selouk
Have you made these without matcha? Is it crucial?
I’m not such a fan, but love everything else about these cookies
christina.marsigliese
Hi Debbie! It is totally optional. It adds a nice earthy taste and enhances the green color.
Sheri
These cookies are soooo good! I love the nutty flavor and soft texture!
christina.marsigliese
Thanks Sheri! I couldn't agree more.
Maggie
I have a high-quality pistachio extract that I've baked with successfully before. Do you think it overpower the cookie if I sub it out for the almond extract?
These look so amazing I don't want to screw them up!
christina.marsigliese
Hi Maggie, if you like that pistachio extract then I say go for it! Sounds delicious.
Tasha
We made these twice, separately, and each time they came out really cake-y, with minimal spreading, and were not chewy, like shown in the video and photos. :-/ Any idea what could have gone wrong? We made sure to follow the recipe, exactly as typed above, both times. The flavor profile was great (!!), but a shame about the texture.
christina.marsigliese
Hi Tasha, did you weigh your ingredients or use measuring cups?
Tasha
I did not. That could have been it. Will try that next time!
Susie Lorenz
Absolutely incredible!! The recipe caught my eye on instagram! They actually were pretty easy to make too, had most of the ingredients at home and now have extra pistachios to snack on. My fiancé loved them too.
christina.marsigliese
Thank you so much Susie!
Rene
Nutrition facts?
Allison
UNBELIEVABLE! These cookies are out of this world and everyone should make them
Sabrina
These are amazing cookies. I have made a batch 3 times in 4 days, sharing some of course 😉
Corina
I just left my "I screwed up" comment on the Pecan Pie Bars, After making this recipe, I found the batter to be a bit dry and crumbly (despite noting your comment about it being a sticky batter). Batter is in the fridge chilling. I then found a random room temperature egg on my island. I can only assume I never put the egg in this recipe so, after two hours of chilling, I added an egg! Fingers crossed they turn out. After a day of baking this recipe was for me!!! I should know better than to try new recipes and try to do too much on xmas eve!
Mel
Hahaha I can relate in so many ways. I just finished making my dough. I started doubling the recipe then forgot halfway through that I was doubling it! I methodically fixed my mistake and now the dough is chilling overnight so I can bake fresh tomorrow. I’m certain they’ll be delicious. Baking last minute on Xmas eve can be quite adventurous!
corina
OMG these were delish! I still have no idea if I made the recipe with 1 egg or 2 - but I need to make them again. I wanted some variety in my cookie platter, so I used a little baby scoop and they are the perfect little mouth-sized treat. Definitely making these again.
DEBBIE
Wow these are awesome—we added a dash of cinnamon to compliment the nutty flavor. Highly recommend!
Sasha
I made these last weekend and they turned out amazing. Thank you!
Joanne
Can you use gf flour & coconut sugar?
christina.marsigliese
Hi Joanne, I haven't tested this and coconut sugar has a lower density than cane sugar so it will change the proportions. The cookies also won't caramelize up the same way but it's worth a shot if you measure gram for gram.
Taylor
These taste just as good as they look! We included them in our Christmas cookie box. I’d reduce the almond extract a touch next time to really let the pistachios shine.
Megan Laidlaw
Wonderful Recipe to try, I recommend this to anyone! Step by step instructions are easy to follow and the end results are wonderful.
christina.marsigliese
Thanks so much Megan!
Julie Reed
I made the dough this morning
Waiting in the fridge for baking. I don’t see directions for adding the matcha powder, so I am hoping it’s supposed to be in the cookies as I added with the flour!!
christina.marsigliese
Hi Julie! Yes, you add it with the flour! Can't wait for you to bake them off!
Shar
These are absolutely, unbelievably, outrageously delicious.
Julie Reed
Thanks for confirming that! Cookies were deemed best chocolate chip ever by family judges
christina.marsigliese
Hi Julie, wow! Thanks so much!
Edward Lawless
Looks and sounds amazing I can’t wait to make these ?❤️
Dan
Hi - your notes recommend dark brown sugar but the recipe says light - any final ruling?
These look and sound amazing, btw!
Linda
I’ve been waiting for this one and they are amazing! I’ll make them again over the holidays.
Deanna M De Paolis
hiiii is it a teaspoon or tablespoon (of the olive oil?).. says both in different parts of the recipe... thanks!
Mariana
How do I roast the pistachios?