Salted Pistachio Chocolate Chunk Cookies

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, and if you're a purist in search of the perfect chocolate chip cookie, then be sure to try my Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Cookies as well!

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

• 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. For the most flavor, I recommend roasting the pistachios. These salted roasted pistachios are very convenient.
• 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). Mix 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 cream it together 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 3). Mix in egg. Add the egg and extracts and beat until well incorporated and smooth.
• STEP 4). Mix in pistachio paste. Add the pistachio paste and mix it through.
• STEP 5). 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 6). 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 7). Refrigerate the cookie dough. This is crucial to developing the chewy texture and rich caramelized flavor and golden color.
• STEP 8). 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), they 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.
• 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.
• Use a 1.35-oz cookie scoop to evenly portion dough for uniform baking.
• Use a kitchen scale. For best results, weigh your ingredients according to the measurements in the recipe card below using a kitchen scale.

RECIPE FAQ

STORAGE AND FREEZING

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