These easy-to-make Chocolate-Dipped Pistachio Nut Cookies are packed with nutty pistachios, a chewy texture, and a rich chocolate finish—ideal for any occasion!
If you're looking for a cookie that offers the perfect blend of crunchy, chewy, and indulgent, then this is a cookie recipe you need to try. The pistachios create a satisfying crunch, while the chocolate dip adds a rich, luxurious touch. These cookies are simple to make but feel like a gourmet treat, making them the perfect addition to your baking repertoire.
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Reasons You WillLove This Recipe
Irresistibly Chewy Texture: The small amount of cornstarch combined with brown sugar creates a soft, chewy center with slightly crisp edges—just the right balance for cookie perfection.
Nutty, Crunchy Goodness: The chopped pistachios add a delicious crunch and an earthy, buttery flavor.
Elegant Presentation: Dipping each cookie in chocolate gives them a classy, bakery-quality finish. It makes them ideal for special occasions or gifts, but they’re easy enough for everyday enjoyment.
Ingredients You Need
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides the structure of the cookies. Flour holds everything together and gives the cookies their body.
- Baking Soda: Acts as a leavening agent, allowing the cookies to rise slightly and giving them a light, airy crumb.
- Cornstarch: This small amount of cornstarch adds tenderness to the cookies, helping to create a soft, chewy texture.
- Salt: Enhances the flavors of all the other ingredients, balancing the sweetness and highlighting the nutty flavor of the pistachios.
- Unsalted Butter: Adds richness and flavor, and its fat content keeps the cookies tender.
- Light Brown Sugar: Adds a deeper, caramel-like sweetness and helps make the cookies chewy. The molasses in brown sugar also keeps the cookies soft.Granulated Sugar: Contributes sweetness and helps the cookies spread just a bit, balancing the texture.
- Egg: Provides structure, binds the ingredients together, and adds moisture, contributing to the chewiness of the cookies.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds warmth and rounds out the flavors.
- Almond Extract: When combined with the vanilla extract the almond extract enhances the flavor.
- Chopped Pistachios: The star ingredient, providing a delicious crunch, a unique nutty flavor.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate: For dipping, adding a rich, indulgent layer of flavor and giving the cookies a beautiful, sophisticated finish.
See recipe card for quantities.
How To Make
Preheat the oven and chop the pistachios
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line your cookie baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat baking mat. Rough chop the pistachio, take ¼ cup of the chopped pistachios and reserve for sprinkling. Next place the butter in a large bowl and melt in the microwave or use a saucepan to melt the butter on the stovetop and transfer the melted butter to a large bowl. Set aside.
Combine the dry ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk (affiliate link) together the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt. Set aside.
Combine the wet ingredients
Add the brown sugar, and granulated sugar to the butter and whisk (affiliate link) until there are no lumps. Add the egg and vanilla extract to the butter mixture and whisk (affiliate link) until well combined. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined.
Fold in the pistachios
Gently fold in the rough chopped pistachios.
Scoop and roll cookie dough
Measure about 2 ounces of cookie dough using a cookie scoop or tablespoon measuring spoon. Roll into a ball and place on the cookie sheet spacing them about 2 inches apart.
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Bake the cookies
Bake for 7 minutes, until the edges are golden but the centers are still soft. They will firm up as they cool. Allow cookies to cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
While the cookies are cooling, melt the chocolate using the double boiler method or in the microwave. (See melting instructions in the recipe card below).
Dip the cookies
Once the cookies are cool, dip the half the cookie into the melted chocolate or use an off-set spatula or back of a spoon to spread half of each cookie with the melted chocolate and place them on the cooling rack placed over parchment paper to catch any drips. Sprinkle some of the reserved chopped pistachios on the chocolate side for extra crunch and decoration.
Set the chocolate
Let the chocolate harden at room temperature, or place the cookies in the refrigerator for faster setting.
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Celeste's Top Recipe Tips
Don’t Overbake: The cookies may look slightly underdone when you pull them out of the oven, but they’ll firm up as they cool. Overbaking can make them too crispy instead of chewy.
Use a Deep Bowl for Chocolate Dipping: When melting the chocolate, use a small, deep bowl for easier dipping. This will allow you to dip half of each cookie evenly without using too much chocolate.
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Serving Suggestions
These cookies pair well with coffee or tea. You can also turn them into ice cream sandwiches by placing a scoop of vanilla, pistachio, or chocolate ice cream between two cookies.
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Substitutions and Variations
- Pistachios: Use almonds, walnuts, or hazelnuts if you prefer a different nut flavor. Or leave out the pistachios entirely, or replace them with an equal amount of mini chocolate chips for a nut-free cookie.
- Chocolate: If you’re not a big chocolate fan, try white chocolate for dipping.
- Brown Sugar: For a slightly less sweet, caramel-like flavor, substitute brown sugar with coconut sugar. This will also make the cookies refined-sugar-free.
- All-Purpose Flour: For a slightly healthier option, replace half the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour. This will make the cookies a bit denser but still delicious. Use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour to make this recipe gluten-free. Almond flour can also be used, though the texture may be softer.
How To Store Your Leftovers
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5-7 days. Place parchment paper between layers to prevent the chocolate-dipped sides from sticking to each other.
If your kitchen is warm or if you want the chocolate to stay firm, you can store the cookies in the refrigerator. Keep them in an airtight container with parchment between layers. Bring the cookies to room temperature before serving for the best flavor.
I have never frozen these cookies after baking them. I would highly recommend you freeze the cookie dough by scooping it into individual portions and placing them on a baking sheet in the freezer until firm. Once frozen, transfer the dough balls to a freezer-safe bag. When ready to bake, bake directly from frozen, adding 1-2 extra minutes to the baking time.
FAQ
Yes! I recommend you use Bob's Red Mill 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend to make the cookies gluten-free. You might need to adjust the consistency slightly depending on the flour blend, but the recipe should work well.
Absolutely! You can substitute pistachios with other nuts like almonds, walnuts, or hazelnuts. Each will give a slightly different flavor but still work well in this recipe.
Yes! If you prefer, you can skip the chocolate-dipping step. The cookies are still delicious on their own with the pistachio flavor.
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Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1½ teaspoon cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- ¾ cup light brown sugar packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 cup chopped pistachios
- 6 oz about 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate, melted (for spreading)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven and chop the pistachios: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line your cookie baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat. Rough chop the pistachio, reserve and set aside ¼ cup of the chopped pistachios for sprinkling later.
- Melt the butter: Place the butter in a large bowl and melt in the microwave or use a saucepan to melt the butter on the stovetop and transfer the melted butter to a large bowl. Set aside.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk (affiliate link) together the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt. Set aside.
- Combine the butter and sugars: Add the brown sugar, and granulated sugar to the butter and whisk (affiliate link) until there are no lumps. Add the egg and vanilla extract to the butter mixture and whisk (affiliate link) until well combined.Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined.
- Fold in pistachios: Gently fold in the rough chopped pistachios.
- Scoop and roll cookie dough: Measure about 2 ounces of cookie dough using a cookie scoop or tablespoon measuring spoon. Roll into a ball and place on the cookie sheet spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake cookies: Bake for 7 minutes, until the edges are golden but the centers are still soft. They will firm up as they cool. Allow cookies to cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Melt the chocolate: While the cookies are cooling, melt the chocolate using the double boiler method or in the microwave.
- Stovetop double boiler method: Fill a small pot with about 1-2 inches of water and bring it to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Place a heatproof bowl on top of the pot, making sure it doesn't touch the water. Add the semi-sweet chocolate chips. Stir the chocolate continuously as it melts, ensuring it melts evenly and doesn’t overheat. Once smooth and fully melted, remove from heat. Tip: Be careful not to let any water or steam get into the chocolate, as this can cause it to seize and become lumpy.
- Microwave method: Place the semi-sweet chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat the chocolate in 20-30 second intervals on medium power. After each interval, stir the chocolate thoroughly to help distribute heat and avoid burning. Continue microwaving and stirring until the chocolate is smooth and completely melted. Tip: Avoid microwaving for too long at once, as chocolate can easily burn.
- Dip or spread the chocolate: Once the cookies are cool, use an off-set spatula or back of a spoon to spread half of each cookie with the melted chocolate and place them on the cooling rack placed over parchment paper to catch any drips. Sprinkle some of the reserved chopped pistachios on the chocolate side for extra crunch and decoration.
- Set the chocolate: Let the chocolate harden at room temperature, or place the cookies in the refrigerator for faster setting.
Notes
- Store Properly: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. If you’ve dipped them in chocolate, place parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking.
- Preventing Moisture: To keep the cookies fresh and crisp, add a slice of bread or a small piece of paper towel in the container. This helps absorb any excess moisture that might make the cookies soft.
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