These pistachio chocolate chip cookies are thick, chewy, and loaded with toasted pistachios, with a gooey pistachio cream center hidden inside every cookie.
Pistachio and chocolate are a classic pairing, but this recipe takes it one step further with a frozen pistachio cream filling.
A buttery cookie dough with an extra egg yolk is wrapped around a dollop of pistachio cream, so the outside bakes up golden and chewy while the middle stays soft, creamy, and nutty.
Toasted pistachios and chocolate chips folded into the dough add crunch and melty chocolate in every bite.
They are big, bakery-style cookies that look impressive on a holiday cookie tray or as a gift, but the method is simple, and the dough can be made a day ahead.
One reader, Martha, commented: “These are so good!! The pistachio cream in the middle is a chef's kiss! ★★★★★”
Looking for more cookie ideas? Try my double chocolate cookies, brown butter chocolate chunk cookies, crème brûlée cookies, and lemon crinkle cookies.
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Pistachio Cookies at a Glance
- Yield: 18 large stuffed cookies
- Prep time: 30 minutes, plus at least 1 hour chilling
- Bake: 12 to 15 minutes at 180°C (350°F)
- Texture: Golden, chewy outside with a soft, gooey pistachio center
- What makes them different: A frozen pistachio cream filling in every cookie
Why this recipe works
- Stuffed Center: A frozen dollop of pistachio cream turns soft and gooey as the cookie bakes.
- Thick and Chewy: Creamed butter, brown sugar, and an extra egg yolk keep the cookies tall with a dense, chewy bite.
- Cornstarch for Softness: A little cornstarch keeps the centers tender and helps the cookies hold their shape around the filling.
- Toasted Pistachios: Toasting brings out the pistachios' natural sweetness and gives them extra crunch.
- Make Ahead Friendly: The dough balls and the pistachio cream can both be prepped a day in advance.
Ingredients
Before starting, measure and prepare your ingredients so the baking process goes smoothly. You can find the exact measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
The cookie dough
Unsalted Butter: Softened to room temperature so it creams smoothly with the sugars. If using salted butter, remove the salt from the recipe.
Granulated Sugar and Light Brown Sugar: White sugar crisps the edges, and brown sugar adds moisture and a caramel flavor.
Vanilla Extract and Kosher Salt: Vanilla rounds out the flavor, and salt brings out the nuttiness of the pistachios.
Egg and Egg Yolk: Large and at room temperature. The extra yolk makes the cookies richer and chewier.
All-Purpose Flour: Spoon it into the cup and level it off, or weigh it, so the dough is firm enough to wrap around the filling.
Cornstarch: Keeps the centers soft and tender.
Baking Soda: Helps the cookies rise and brown.
Pistachios: Unsalted, toasted, and roughly chopped.
Chocolate Chips: Semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips both pair well with pistachio.
The filling
Pistachio Cream: A sweet, spreadable pistachio cream, about 1 teaspoon per cookie. See the guide below for the best type to use.
Choosing the Pistachio Filling
Not every pistachio product works the same inside a cookie.
- Pistachio Cream (Best): Sweet and spreadable, like a pistachio version of Nutella. It freezes firm and bakes up gooey.
- Pistachio Butter: Unsweetened ground pistachios. It works, but the center will taste less sweet and more savory.
- Pistachio Paste: Very thick and concentrated, made for pastry. Use a little less and mix it with a spoonful of powdered sugar.
- Runny Pistachio Spreads: Freeze them in a flat layer and cut into squares instead of scooping dollops.
Step by Step Instructions
Make the dough
1. Toast the Pistachios: Spread the pistachios on a baking sheet and toast at 180°C (350°F) for 6 to 8 minutes, until fragrant. Let them cool, then roughly chop.
2. Cream: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, and vanilla extract with an electric hand mixer for 2 to 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
3. Eggs: Add the egg and egg yolk and mix until creamy.
4. Mix-Ins: Mix in the chopped pistachios and chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
5. Dry Ingredients: Add the flour, cornstarch, and baking soda and mix just until no dry flour remains.
6. Scoop and Chill: Scoop the dough into 3 tablespoon balls, place them on a parchment-lined plate, cover, and chill for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
Prepare the pistachio filling
7. Freeze the Cream: While the dough chills, scoop 18 small dollops of pistachio cream, about 1 teaspoon each, onto a parchment-lined plate. Freeze for 1 to 2 hours, until completely solid.
8. Runny Cream: Spread it into a thick layer on a parchment-lined tray, freeze until firm, then cut it into small squares.
Stuff and bake
9. Stuff: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Flatten each chilled dough ball, place a frozen piece of pistachio cream in the center, and wrap the dough around it, pinching to seal completely. Roll into a smooth ball.
10. Bake: Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and the centers look just set.
11. Cool: Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then move them to a wire rack. They are best enjoyed slightly warm, when the center is at its gooiest.
How to Tell When They're Done
The edges should be golden and set, while the tops look puffy and slightly underbaked. Because the centers are filled, they will always look a little soft. Pull them out at this stage and let them finish setting on the hot baking sheet.
Expert Tips
- Seal the Seams Well: Pinch the dough completely closed around the filling. Any gap lets the pistachio cream leak out while baking.
- Keep the Filling Frozen: Work with a few pieces at a time and keep the rest in the freezer so they don't soften.
- Stuff Cold Dough: Chilled dough is firmer and easier to wrap around the filling.
- Top With Extra Pistachios: Press a few chopped pistachios and chocolate chips onto the tops before baking for a bakery look.
- Warm Leftovers: Microwave a cookie for 8 to 10 seconds to make the center gooey again.
Troubleshooting
Why did the pistachio filling leak out?
The seam wasn't fully sealed, or the filling had started to soften. Pinch the dough closed all the way around and stuff the cookies straight from the freezer.
Why did my cookies spread too much?
The dough was too warm. Chill the stuffed dough balls for 15 minutes before baking if your kitchen is warm.
Why is the center dry instead of gooey?
The cookies were overbaked. Take them out while the tops still look soft, and enjoy them slightly warm.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Skip the filling and bake the dough balls as they are for classic pistachio chocolate chip cookies. Reduce the bake time by 1 to 2 minutes.
Yes. Nutella, Biscoff spread, or any thick nut butter works. Freeze the dollops until solid, the same way as the pistachio cream.
Frozen filling holds its shape while you wrap the dough around it and melts slowly in the oven, so it stays gooey in the center instead of leaking out.
Storing
Store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 4-5 days.
Freezing
To freeze baked cookies:
Let the cookies cool completely, then place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for 1 hour. Once solid, transfer them to an airtight container or freezer bag.
They will stay fresh for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm in the oven for a few minutes.
To freeze unbaked cookie dough:
After stuffing and shaping the cookie dough balls, freeze them on a baking sheet until firm. Move the frozen dough balls to a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 2 months.
Bake straight from frozen, adding 1–2 extra minutes to the baking time.
Make It Ahead Of Time
Prep the dough up to 2 days early: Scoop the dough balls, cover them, and keep them in the fridge. The longer rest deepens the brown sugar flavor and makes the cookies even chewier.
Freeze the filling in advance: Scoop and freeze the pistachio cream dollops up to 1 week ahead. Once solid, move them to a small airtight container so they’re ready to stuff.
Stuff the night before: For the fastest bake day, stuff and seal the cookies, then cover and refrigerate them overnight. Bake them straight from the fridge, adding about 1 extra minute.
Substitutions
Pistachios: Use toasted hazelnuts or almonds in the dough.
Chocolate: White chocolate chips pair beautifully with pistachio.
Gluten Free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend.
Variations
White Chocolate Raspberry: Swap the chocolate chips for white chocolate and add a few freeze-dried raspberries.
Pistachio Drizzle: Warm a spoonful of pistachio cream and drizzle it over the cooled cookies.
Salted: Sprinkle flaky sea salt over the cookies right out of the oven.
Unstuffed: Skip the filling and make smaller 1½ tablespoon cookies. Bake them for 10 to 12 minutes.
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Electric hand mixer
- Large cookie scoop (3 tablespoons)
- Baking sheet and parchment paper
- Wire rack
More Pistachio Recipes
Love pistachio desserts? Try my pistachio cheesecake, pistachio cake, and pistachio baklava!
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📖 Recipe
Pistachio Chocolate Chip Cookies w/ Pistachio Cream
Ingredients
- 1 cup Butter unsalted, room temperature
- ⅔ cup Granulated sugar
- 1 ⅓ cups Brown sugar light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 Egg large
- 1 Egg yolk large
- 1 ½ cups Chocolate chips
- ½ cup Pistachios toasted and chopped, unsalted
- 2 ½ cups Flour AP, plain
- 2 teaspoon Cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda
- 18 teaspoon Pistachio cream
Instructions
Make the dough
- Toast the Pistachios: Spread the pistachios on a baking sheet and toast at 180°C (350°F) for 6 to 8 minutes, until fragrant. Let them cool, then roughly chop.
- Cream: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, and vanilla extract with an electric hand mixer for 2 to 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Eggs: Add the egg and egg yolk and mix until creamy.
- Mix-Ins: Mix in the chopped pistachios and chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
- Dry Ingredients: Add the flour, cornstarch, and baking soda and mix just until no dry flour remains.
- Scoop and Chill: Scoop the dough into 3 tablespoon balls, place them on a parchment-lined plate, cover, and chill for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
Prepare the pistachio filling
- Freeze the Cream: While the dough chills, scoop 18 small dollops of pistachio cream, about 1 teaspoon each, onto a parchment-lined plate. Freeze for 1 to 2 hours, until completely solid.
- Runny Cream: Spread it into a thick layer on a parchment-lined tray, freeze until firm, then cut it into small squares.
Stuff and bake
- Stuff: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Flatten each chilled dough ball, place a frozen piece of pistachio cream in the center, and wrap the dough around it, pinching to seal completely. Roll into a smooth ball.
- Bake: Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and the centers look just set.
- Cool: Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then move them to a wire rack. Enjoy slightly warm for the gooiest center.
Notes
- Best Filling: A sweet, spreadable pistachio cream gives the gooiest center. Pistachio butter works but tastes less sweet, and thick pistachio paste should be mixed with a spoonful of powdered sugar first.
- Freeze the Filling Solid: The pistachio cream must be completely frozen before stuffing. Soft filling is hard to wrap and can leak out while baking.
- Seal Completely: Pinch the dough closed all the way around the filling, then roll it into a smooth ball. Any small gap lets the cream escape in the oven.
- Toasted, Unsalted Pistachios: Toasting brings out their flavor and crunch. If you only have salted pistachios, reduce the kosher salt to ¼ teaspoon.
- Measure the Flour Correctly: Spoon and level the flour or weigh it. Too little flour makes a soft dough that won’t hold the filling; too much makes dry cookies.
- Don’t Overbake: Take the cookies out when the edges are golden and the tops still look puffy. Filled cookies always look slightly soft in the center.
- Warm Kitchen: If the dough softens while stuffing, chill the stuffed balls for 15 minutes before baking.
- No Filling Option: Skip the pistachio cream and bake the dough balls as they are, reducing the bake time by 1 to 2 minutes.
- Serving: These are best slightly warm. Reheat a cooled cookie in the microwave for 8 to 10 seconds to make the center gooey again.
- Storage: Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Martha says
These are so good!! The pistachio cream in the middle is a chef's kiss