These pistachio cookies are crispy on the edges, chewy inside, loaded with pistachios and dark chocolate, and finished with flaky salt.
These pistachio chocolate chunk cookies are everything you want in a bakery-style cookie: crispy on the edges, chewy in the center, and packed with flavor.
They start with a classic chocolate chip cookie base, but the mix of chopped pistachios and big melty chocolate chunks takes them to another level.
The toasted pistachios add a nutty crunch, the chocolate melts into rich pockets throughout the cookie, and the extra egg yolk keeps the texture soft and chewy.
They’re simple to make, use basic ingredients, and deliver a perfect balance of sweet, salty, and nutty in every bite.
For more cookie recipes, check out my double chocolate cookies, brown butter chocolate chunk cookies, crème brûlée cookies, and lemon crinkle cookies.
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Why this recipe works
- Flavor– The mix of toasted pistachios, rich chocolate, and vanilla creates a warm, nutty, chocolatey flavor in every bite.
- Perfect chocolate chip cookie texture– Crisp edges with soft, chewy centers make these cookies irresistibly good.
- Freezer-friendly– Both the dough and the baked cookies freeze beautifully, so you can bake fresh cookies anytime.
- Loaded with chocolate and pistachios– Big chocolate chunks and crunchy toasted pistachios make every cookie extra satisfying.
- One-bowl recipe– The dough comes together easily in one bowl, keeping cleanup simple and fast.
Ingredients
Before you start to make this recipe, measure and prepare your ingredients so the cooking process will go smoothly and easily.
Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
Butter– use unsalted, room-temperature butter to create a soft, creamy base for the cookie dough.
Granulated sugar– adds sweetness and helps the cookies bake with light, crisp edges.
Light brown sugar– gives the cookies moisture, chewiness, and a deeper caramel flavor.
Vanilla extract– adds warmth; for even better flavor, use vanilla bean extract if you have it.
Kosher salt– balances the sweetness and brings out the pistachio and chocolate flavors.
Egg + egg yolk– use large, room-temperature eggs. The extra yolk makes the cookies richer and chewier.
Chocolate chips– use semisweet or dark chocolate chips, or chop a chocolate bar for bigger melty pools of chocolate.
Pistachios– toasted, unsalted pistachios add crunch and extra pistachio flavor. Chop them so they mix evenly into the dough.
Flour– all-purpose flour gives the cookies structure while keeping them soft and chewy.
Cornstarch– helps make the cookies thicker, softer, and extra chewy.
Baking soda– helps the cookies rise and spread just the right amount.
Instructions
Into a large mixing bowl, add the room-temperature butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, kosher salt, and vanilla extract.
Cream together with an electric hand mixer for 2–3 minutes, until light, fluffy, and well combined.
Add the egg and egg yolk, and mix again until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
Add the flour, cornstarch, and baking soda, and mix on low speed just until the dough is almost combined.
Fold in the chocolate chunks and chopped pistachios until evenly distributed, making sure not to overmix.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill the dough for at least 1 hour—I prefer chilling it overnight for the best texture and flavor.
Use a large cookie scoop (or about 3 tablespoons of dough) to portion the cookies and place the dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake in a 180°C (350°F) preheated oven for 10–12 minutes, then immediately top with extra chocolate chunks.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Expert Tips
- Line your sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone mat! This step helps the cookies bake evenly and ensures they release easily from the pan.
- Use room-temperature ingredients – Soft butter, eggs blend more easily, creating a smoother dough and better texture.
- Don’t flatten the cookies. Leave the dough balls tall so they stay thick and soft while baking.
- Measure your flour correctly. Too much flour makes cookies dry and puffy. Spoon and level, or use a kitchen scale for accuracy.
- Toast the pistachios. Lightly toasting them brings out their natural flavor and adds extra crunch.
- Use a cookie scoop. Scooping the dough with a cookie scoop helps the cookies bake evenly and stay the same size.
- Chill the dough. Chilling for at least an hour helps the cookies hold their shape, prevents overspreading, and improves flavor.
- Don’t overmix the dough. Once the flour is added, mix only until combined to keep the cookies soft and tender.
- Underbake for a chewy center. Pull the cookies out when the edges are set, but the centers still look soft; they’ll continue setting as they cool.
- Use high-quality chocolate. Chocolate chips or chopped bars (55–70%) create the best melty pockets and rich flavor.
- Add extra chocolate on top. Press a few chocolate chunks onto each cookie as soon as they come out of the oven for a prettier and more chocolatey result.
- Let them cool slightly before moving. They’re delicate right out of the oven, so give them a few minutes before transferring.
Faq's
Cookies often don’t spread because the dough has too much flour, the dough was overmixed, or the butter/oil was too cold. Chilling the dough for too long can also keep cookies from spreading properly.
Cookies often spread too much when the dough contains too little flour, too much oil or butter, or when the dough isn’t chilled.
Warm dough melts faster in the oven, causing the cookies to spread more than they should.
You know your cookies are done when the edges look set and lightly golden, but the centers still look soft and slightly underbaked. They will firm up as they cool, giving you the perfect chewy texture.
The best chocolate for chocolate chip cookies is high-quality semisweet or dark chocolate, ideally 55–70% cocoa.
This range melts beautifully, gives rich flavor, and creates those perfect gooey pockets in every bite.
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-safe bag.
They will keep well for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm in the oven for a few minutes for that fresh-baked taste.
To freeze unbaked cookie dough:
Scoop the dough into balls and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze until firm, then transfer the frozen dough balls to a freezer bag or container. Freeze for up to 2 months.
Bake straight from frozen. Just add 1–2 extra minutes to the baking time.
Substitutions
Gluten-free– Replace the all-purpose flour with a good 1:1 gluten-free baking flour that contains xanthan gum. The cookies may spread slightly less, but will still be chewy and delicious.
Dairy-free– Use vegan butter instead of regular butter, and dairy-free chocolate.
Different nuts– Swap the pistachios with chopped almonds, pecans, or walnuts for a different flavor and crunch. Toast them first for the best taste.
Variations
White chocolate pistachio cookies– Swap the dark chocolate chunks for white chocolate for a sweeter, creamier flavor that pairs beautifully with pistachios.
Pistachio cranberry cookies – Fold in dried cranberries along with the pistachios for a sweet-tart twist that adds chewy pops of flavor.
Dark chocolate sea salt cookies– Use 70% dark chocolate chunks and finish the cookies with extra flaky salt for a rich, bakery-style result.
Matcha pistachio cookies– Add 1–2 teaspoons of matcha powder to the dry ingredients for a subtle earthy flavor that pairs perfectly with pistachios.
Equipment
- Mixing bowl (set of 3).
- Whisk Set (pack of 3) to whisk the ingredients together.
- Baking sheet and rack set (my fave).
- Cookies scoop set of 3.
- Electric hand mixer or stand mixer.
- Measuring cups and spoons.
- Rubber spatula.
- Cutting board + knife (for chopping pistachios).
- Parchment paper.
For more pistachio recipes
Pistachio Muffins- These pistachio muffins are loaded with pistachios, are fluffy and moist and are topped with a pistachio crumble topping.
Pistachio Cheesecake- This pistachio cheesecake is luxurious, rich, creamy, made with plenty of real pistachios, and made without a water bath!
Pistachio Cake- This pistachio cake is made with real pistachios and pistachio paste, full of pistachio flavor, topped and covered with pistachio buttercream frosting, and topped with chopped pistachios.
If you tried this pistachio cookie recipe, don’t forget to leave a rating and a comment below. I love hearing from you.
If you liked this recipe
📖 Recipe
Chewy Pistachio Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup Butter Softened, unsalted
- ½ cup Brown sugar dark or light
- ½ cup Granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 Egg
- 1 Egg yolk
- ½ teaspoon Baking soda
- 1 ½ cup Flour AP
- 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
- ¾ cup Pistachios chopped
- 1 cup Chocolate chunks
Instructions
- Into a large mixing bowl, add the room-temperature butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, kosher salt, and vanilla extract.
- Cream together with an electric hand mixer for 2–3 minutes, until light, fluffy, and well combined.
- Add the egg and egg yolk, and mix again until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Add the flour, cornstarch, and baking soda, and mix on low speed just until the dough is almost combined.
- Fold in the chocolate chunks and chopped pistachios until evenly distributed, making sure not to overmix.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill the dough for at least 1 hour—I prefer chilling it overnight for the best texture and flavor.
- Use a large cookie scoop (or about 3 tablespoons of dough) to portion the cookies and place the dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake in a 180°C (350°F) preheated oven for 10–12 minutes, then immediately top with extra chocolate chunks.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Line your sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone mat! This step helps the cookies bake evenly and ensures they release easily from the pan.
- Use room-temperature ingredients – Soft butter, eggs blend more easily, creating a smoother dough and better texture.
- Don’t flatten the cookies. Leave the dough balls tall so they stay thick and soft while baking.
- Measure your flour correctly. Too much flour makes cookies dry and puffy. Spoon and level, or use a kitchen scale for accuracy.
- Toast the pistachios. Lightly toasting them brings out their natural flavor and adds extra crunch.
- Use a cookie scoop. Scooping the dough with a cookie scoop helps the cookies bake evenly and stay the same size.
- Chill the dough. Chilling for at least an hour helps the cookies hold their shape, prevents overspreading, and improves flavor.
- Don’t overmix the dough. Once the flour is added, mix only until combined to keep the cookies soft and tender.
- Underbake for a chewy center. Pull the cookies out when the edges are set, but the centers still look soft; they’ll continue setting as they cool.
- Use high-quality chocolate. Chocolate chips or chopped bars (55–70%) create the best melty pockets and rich flavor.
- Add extra chocolate on top. Press a few chocolate chunks onto each cookie as soon as they come out of the oven for a prettier and more chocolatey result.
- Let them cool slightly before moving. They’re delicate right out of the oven, so give them a few minutes before transferring.
Danielle says
These cookies are awesome! Great texture and flavor. I would highly recommend and would definitely make these again!