These pistachio cookies are your classic vanilla cookies loaded with lots of pistachios and a hint of rose extract for that Middle-Eastern flavor. These have crisp edges with toasted pistachios and soft chewy centers.
Table of Content
Why make these cookies?
- The ingredients are fairly simple your probably already have in your kitchen. What takes it to the next level, are the pistachio nuts and rose extract. If you don't have rose extract, you can also use vanilla or almond extract.
- The recipe is fairly simple and easy to make. The dough is quite soft, so you need to let it chill for at least 30 to 60 minutes. Otherwise, the cookies will spread too much.
- Pistachios are not the cheapeast nuts but if you have some on hand, you must try these cookies because they are absolutely delicious.
- Having said that my mom would make them with cashewnuts becuase those were easily available to her. Be creative, replace pistachios with your favorite nuts and cranberries with your favorite dired fruit.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Unsalted butter - I like to use unsalted butter in all my baking, so I can control the amount of salt. And yet, if you must use salted butter omit the salt in the recipe.
- All-purpose flour - I always use all-purpose flour with great success. You do not need any other flour.
- Pistachios - I'm using pistachios and I know that they can be pricy sometimes. But, you can also use any other nuts you like, such as almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, etc.
- Sugar - I'm using white sugar so I can keep that pretty green color from the pistachios. But, if you want, you can certainly use half brown for a slightly softer textured cookie.
- Rose extract - Pistachio cookies go well with rose extract. And yet, you can also use almond or vanilla extract.
Step by step instructions
Pistachios
- Pulse the pistachios in a food processor until you have almost close to breadcrumb consistency (see video for consistency).
- You want a mixture of some finely ground and some coarsely crushed pistachios.
- Save 50 grams (½ cup) for coating the cookies.
- Use the rest in the cookie dough.
Dough
- Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add egg and egg yolk, one at a time.
- Then, add the vanilla, followed by the flour and salt.
- Finally, add the pulsed pistachios and combine well.
- Chill the cookie dough in the fridge for 30 to 60 minutes or until firm enough to roll into a ball.
Bake
- Preheat the oven at 180 C/ 360 F.
- Take a golf ball size dough (about 2 tbsp) - roll into a ball.
- Coat in the crushed pistachios (that you set aside earlier).
- Place cookies on a baking tray.
- Bake on the center rack for 9 to 10 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden.
- Cool on the baking tray for 5 minutes then on a wire rack before storing in an air-tight container.
Storage
- These cookies will keep in an airtight container for up to 10 days.
- You can freeze the dough for up to a month or freeze the cookies for up to three months.
More holiday cookies
Frequently asked questions
These pistachio cookies will keep in an airtight container for up to 10 days. You can freeze the dough for up to a month or freeze the cookies for up to three months.
These cookies are supposed to spread some, not too much.
However, too much butter or sugar in the recipe can lead to cookies spreading. Too much baking powder or baking soda can also make cookies spread too much.
Place cookies on a cold, not hot baking pan.
And make sure the oven is at the right temperature.
It is always a good practice to refrigerate cookies while the oven is preheating. Chilling cookie dough helps solidify the butter in the cookies. This helps when baking by preventing them from spreading since chilled dough takes longer to melt compared to room temperature fat.
You can add ½ teaspoon cinnamon, cardamom, ground ginger or nutmeg if you want to these pistachio cookies.
These cookies have a good shelf life as dough as well as cookies.
The dough will stay in the fridge for 3 to 4 days before baking. (wrapped well)
The cookie dough can be frozen for up to a month in the freezer.
You can also place the unbaked cookie dough balls in the freezer for up to a month. Bake from frozen. They will take about 14 to 18 minutes to bake from frozen.
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Printable Recipe
Easy Pistachio Cookies
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Video
Conversions Used
1 lb = 453 grams, 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 stick = 113g, 1 tbsp= 15 ml, 1 tsp= 5 ml,
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (170 g) Butter (unsalted, room temperature)
- ½ cup (100 g) Sugar
- 1 Egg (large)
- 1 Egg yolk
- 2 cups (250 g) All-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Vanilla extract (or rose extract)
- 1 cup (120 g) Pistachio (divided)
Instructions
Pistachios
- Pulse the pistachios in a food processor until you have almost close to breadcrumb consistency (see video for consistency).
- You want a mixture of some finely ground and some coarsely crushed pistachios.
- Save 50 grams (½ cup) for coating the cookies.
- Use the rest in the cookie dough.
Dough
- Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add egg and egg yolk, one at a time.
- Then add the vanilla, followed by the flour and salt.
- Finally, add the pulsed pistachios and combine well.
- Chill the cookie dough in the fridge for 30 to 60 minutes or until firm enough to roll into a ball.
Bake
- Preheat the oven at 180 C/ 360 F.
- Take a golf ball size dough (about 2 tbsp) - roll into a ball.
- Coat in the crushed pistachios (that you set aside earlier).
- Place cookies on a baking tray.
- Bake on the center rack for 9 to 10 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden.
- Cool on the baking tray for 5 minutes then on a wire rack before storing in an air-tight container.
Recipe Notes & Tips
Storage
- These cookies will keep in an airtight container for up to 10 days.
- You can freeze the dough for up to a month or
- Freeze the cookies for up to three months.
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
Lisa Huff
I have rose water sitting in my kitchen that I never use. Thank you for the inspiration! These Pistachio Cookies are perfect for it!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Lisa.