Chocolate Chip Pistachio Cookies

The Food Blogger Cookie Swap is a fundraiser with all of the proceeds going to Cookies For Kids' Cancer. I try to take part in as much charity work as I can, so this cookie swap allows me the opportunity to tie in two of my other passions: my blog and baking. For my second year in the cookie swap, I decided to keep things slightly old school with a mild twist.

I love this recipe because it's got the sweet and salty thing going on. The sea salt heightens the chocolate and pistachio flavor in such a great way.

You will love these Chocolate Chip Pistachio Cookies

You will love my Chocolate Chip Pistachio Cookies recipe! These cookies are:

• The perfect combination of sweet and salty, featuring rich chocolate chips and crunchy pistachios baked into a soft, buttery dough.
• The nutty flavor of pistachios adds a delightful twist to classic chocolate chip cookies, making them irresistibly delicious and a hit for any occasion.
• Whether you enjoy them with a glass of milk or as a sweet snack, these cookies are sure to become a new favorite!

Ingredients for Salted Pistachio Chocolate Chunk Cookies

• Unsalted cold butter
• Granulated sugar
• Brown sugar
• Large egg
• Vanilla extract
• All-purpose flour
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Dark chocolate chips
• Freshly shelled roasted pistachios
• Sea Salt

How to make Pistachio Chocolate Chip Cookies

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugars together until pale and fluffy.
3. Add the egg and beat in for about a minute. Lastly, add vanilla extract and beat til blended.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the mixture all at once to the butter mixture. Beat on low speed until just incorporated. Finally mix in the chocolate chips and nuts.
5. Scoop cookies onto prepared baking sheets. Leave about an inch and a half of room between each cookie. Sprinkle with sea salt.
6. I like my cookies chewy and soft, so I baked them for 14 minutes, you can bake them for a bit longer until golden brown if you prefer.
7. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the pan for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Storing Chocolate Pistachio Cookies

Unbaked cookie dough storage

I'm a big fan of making a big batch of cookie dough and freezing the bulk of the dough in order to have fresh baked cookies whenever I want. This is my process for freezing cookie dough:

1. Using your ice cream scoop, scoop out your cookie dough onto a parchment lined cookie sheet.
2. Chill the scooped cookie dough balls in the freezer for 20 minutes.
3. Remove the cookie dough from the freezer and place the cold cookie dough balls into a freezer safe zip-top bag.
4. Place the freeze cookie dough for up to 2 months.
5. When it’s time to bake the cookies, bake them for two minutes longer since the dough is frozen.

Baked cookie storage

To store your baked cookies, as soon as the cookies are cool place them in a tightly closed plastic container or resealable bag. They will stay fresh for 3-5 days.

Dark Chocolate Pistachio Cookies Variations and Substitutions

Substitutions:

1. Dark Chocolate:
   • Substitute semi-sweet or milk chocolate for a sweeter flavor.
   • Use white chocolate chips for a creamier, less intense chocolate experience.
   • For a dairy-free option, use vegan dark chocolate or dairy-free chocolate chips.
2. Pistachios:
   • Swap pistachios for other nuts like almonds, walnuts, or pecans for a different nutty crunch.
   • For a nut-free version, replace pistachios with sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds.
3. Flour:
   • Use gluten-free flour to make the cookies gluten-free.
   • For a healthier twist, substitute part of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour or almond flour.
4. Sugar:
   • Use a sugar substitute like monk fruit sweetener or coconut sugar for a lower-sugar option.

Variations:

1. Add Dried Fruit:
   • Incorporate dried cranberries, chopped dates, or raisins for added sweetness and texture.
2. Spice it Up:
   • Add a pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, or cardamom for a warm, spiced flavor.
   • A dash of espresso powder can enhance the chocolate flavor.
3. Citrus Twist:
   • Add orange zest or a few drops of orange extract to complement the dark chocolate and pistachios with a bright, citrusy note.

These substitutions and variations allow you to customize your Dark Chocolate Chip Pistachio Cookies to fit your preferences or dietary needs!

Check out these other cookie recipes

Print Recipe

5 from 22 votes

Pistachio Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Cookies filled with dark chocolate and pistachios then sprinkled with sea salt.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time12 minutes mins

Total Time22 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 40 cookies

Calories: 93kcal

Author: Cari

Ingredients

• ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ cups dark chocolate chips I used Ghirardelli's 60% cocoa dark chocolate chips
• 1 heaping cup of freshly shelled pistachios lightly salted
• Sea Salt for topping Preferably Maldon

Instructions

• -Place rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
• -In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugars together until pale and fluffy. Add the egg and beat in for about a minute. Lastly, add vanilla extract and beat til blended.
• -In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the mixture all at once to the butter mixture. Beat on low speed until just incorporated. Finally mix in the chocolate chips and nuts.
• -For this recipe, I scooped cookies 1 tablespoonful onto prepared baking sheets. Leave about an inch and a half of room between each cookie. Sprinkle with sea salt.
• Place the cookies in the refrigerator for 15 minutes
• -I like my cookies chewy and soft, so I baked them for 14 minutes, you can bake them for a bit longer until golden brown if you prefer. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the pan for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Storing Chocolate Pistachio Cookies

Unbaked cookie dough storage

I'm a big fan of making a big batch of cookie dough and freezing the bulk of the dough in order to have fresh baked cookies whenever I want. This is my process for freezing cookie dough:

1. Using your ice cream scoop, scoop out your cookie dough onto a parchment lined cookie sheet.
2. Chill the scooped cookie dough balls in the freezer for 20 minutes.
3. Remove the cookie dough from the freezer and place the cold cookie dough balls into a freezer safe zip-top bag.
4. Place the freeze cookie dough for up to 2 months.
5. When it’s time to bake the cookies, bake them for two minutes longer since the dough is frozen.

Baked cookie storage

To store your baked cookies, as soon as the cookies are cool place them in a tightly closed plastic container or resealable bag. They will stay fresh for 3-5 days.

Dark Chocolate Pistachio Cookies Variations and Substitutions

Substitutions:

1. Dark Chocolate:
   • Substitute semi-sweet or milk chocolate for a sweeter flavor.
   • Use white chocolate chips for a creamier, less intense chocolate experience.
   • For a dairy-free option, use vegan dark chocolate or dairy-free chocolate chips.
2. Pistachios:
   • Swap pistachios for other nuts like almonds, walnuts, or pecans for a different nutty crunch.
   • For a nut-free version, replace pistachios with sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds.
3. Flour:
   • Use gluten-free flour to make the cookies gluten-free.
   • For a healthier twist, substitute part of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour or almond flour.
4. Sugar:
   • Use a sugar substitute like monk fruit sweetener or coconut sugar for a lower-sugar option.

Variations:

1. Add Dried Fruit:
   • Incorporate dried cranberries, chopped dates, or raisins for added sweetness and texture.
2. Spice it Up:
   • Add a pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, or cardamom for a warm, spiced flavor.
   • A dash of espresso powder can enhance the chocolate flavor.
3. Citrus Twist:
   • Add orange zest or a few drops of orange extract to complement the dark chocolate and pistachios with a bright, citrusy note.

These substitutions and variations allow you to customize your Dark Chocolate Chip Pistachio Cookies to fit your preferences or dietary needs!