Pistachio Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pistachio chocolate chip cookies have a secret – they are made with brown butter, dark chocolate, and stuffed with creamy pistachio butter!

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These cookies are not as simple as they sound and I mean that in the best way. Not to be confused with my pistachio toffee chocolate chip cookies or pistachio Oreo stuffed double chocolate chip cookies, I wanted to named them “Pistachio Butter Stuffed Brown Butter Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies” but Google SEO was not having it. Evidently “Pistachio Chocolate Chip Cookies” was better, even if it doesn’t give you the full picture.

When I started this blog of mine back in 2010, SEO was not on my radar (evidently it came into existence in 1996). For most of the life of this blog, it has not been optimized for the Googles. Even after I still cook what I want and not what Google tells me I should. I would find no joy in that (and probably why I still have a day job- ha). Instead I just try to be flexible with naming the things. Honestly, most of the time it’s helpful but today feels like I’ve been cheated because it just doesn’t tell the whole story.

Did I consider throwing SEO out the window and still calling these stuffed pistachio butter cookies by their longer name? Absolutely. But then in an effort to help more people find these insanely delicious (but not-descriptively-named) pistachio chocolate chip cookies, I caved. Although, if you came here looking for simple pistachio chocolate chip cookies, these are not it!

What you need to make Pistachio Chocolate Chip Cookies.

• Unsalted butter, browned (or melted is fine, I guess)
• Pistachio Butter (optional but strongly suggested)
• Dark chocolate chips (or preferred chocolate)
• Shelled pistachios
• All-purpose flour
• Brown sugar
• Granulated white sugar
• Vanilla extract
• Eggs
• Baking soda
• Salt

Don’t want to brown butter? Then just melt it. Don’t have dark chocolate chips? Use semi-sweet or whatever kind you have. Don’t have the patience to freeze blobs of pistachio butter to then stuff inside the cookie dough? Skip it completely. The remaining ingredients are non-negotiable and even stripped down to their base, these pistachio chocolate chip cookies are still wonderful. But if you’re looking for something extra special that people will rave about, go for those extra steps.

No matter which adventure you choose, don’t forget the extra sprinkle of coarse sea salt on top – because what good is a pistachio cookie without salt?

PISTACHIO CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

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Yield: Approximately 2 dozen Prep Time: 3 Hours Cooking Time: 10 Minutes 10 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 2 cups pistachio butter
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg + 1 yolk, room temperature
• 2 cups dark chocolate chips
• 1 cup shelled roasted and salted pistachios, chopped
• Coarse sea salt, optional

Directions

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Dollop tablespoon-sized mounds of pistachio butter onto the baking sheet (about 2 dozen total) and pop in the freezer until firm, at least 2 hours.
2. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Continue to cook until butter turns to an amber/light brown color, and remove from heat immediately. Pour into a large bowl and set aside to cool to room temperature.
3. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
4. Once the butter has cooled, cream together the butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended (1-2 minutes). Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients in three batches until just blended. Fold in the chocolate chips and pistachios by hand.
5. Using a medium cookie scoop (about 2 tablespoons), portion the dough into balls. Working with one ball at a time, use your thumb to create a well in the center of the ball. Add a dollop of frozen pistachio butter to the well then seal the cookie dough around it so it's completely enclosed. Repeat with all of the dough and pistachio butter. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
6. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line cookie sheets with silicone baking mats (or parchment paper); set aside.
7. Place cookie dough onto the prepared cookie sheets, about 2 inches apart.
8. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until edges are barely golden (will look under-baked). Immediately sprinkle with coarse sea salt, if using. Cool on baking sheets for 10 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.

Source: Adapted from my Pistachio Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies and Nutella-Stuffed Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies.