Pistachio fans will go nuts for these chunky Pistachio & White Chocolate Cookies - they're packed with white chocolate chips and chopped pistachios, plus a hidden centre of irresistible pistachio cream spread! The filling is optional, but I highly recommend it. These easy cookies are so simple and quick to make, and packed with delicious flavour.
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Ingredient Tips & Equipment Information
- Make sure all your ingredients (particularly the butter and egg) are at room temperature before you start baking.
- I prefer to use unsalted butter for this recipe, but you can also use a baking spread.
- I recommend using light brown soft sugar for delicious flavour and a more gooey cookie, but you can replace it with caster sugar if you can't get hold of light brown soft sugar.
- The pistachio cream spread I used is from Black Milk. You can use any similar spread, Amazon sell various options, you can also buy it from Costco.
- You can use either white chocolate chips or a chopped up white chocolate bar for the cookies.
- Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50) .
- For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.
For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.
How to make Pistachio & White Chocolate Cookies
Mix the caster sugar, light brown soft sugar and butter together in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment for about 3-5 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix until combined. Add the plain flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt and mix in. Then add the white chocolate chips and chopped pistachios, and mix briefly to combine.
Divide the mixture into portions and roll into balls with your hands. Flatten out each cookie dough ball in your hand. Place a teaspoon (around 7-10g) of the pistachio cream spread in the centre, and fold the dough over, sealing it together by pinching it with your fingertips. Roll it back into a ball shape. Place on a lined baking tray and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
When ready to bake, arrange on a lined baking tray with space in between the dough balls. Bake for 12 minutes, leave to cool for 10 minutes before moving to a cooling rack (or eating!)
For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.
Where do you get the pistachio cream filling from?
The spread I used for the filling is from Black Milk. You can use any similar spread, Amazon sell various options, you can also buy it from Costco.
Do you have to freeze the cookie dough before baking?
I highly recommend freezing them before baking, otherwise the cookies spread too much and the filling leaks out. For thicker and more gooey cookies, definitely freeze them before baking. If you are not using the filling, I recommend chilling the cookie dough balls in the fridge for 30 minutes before baking them.
How do you get perfectly round cookies?
As soon as they come out of the oven get a round cookie cutter, or a glass held upside down, that is larger than the cookies and put it over each cookie. Move it in a circular motion, pressing against the sides of the cookies gently to adjust any irregularities. This is called "scooting" or "hula hooping" the cookies.
How should the cookies be stored and can they be frozen?
You can keep the balls of unbaked cookie dough in the freezer for up to 3 months, and you can bake them straight from frozen whenever you fancy a fresh cookie. The baked cookies will last for 3-4 days in an airtight container in a cool place. You can freeze the baked cookies too, wrap them well or store in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Put a square of baking paper between each one to stop them from sticking together.
Do you need any electric mixer to make this recipe?
While an electric mixer is helpful in making these cookies and will give the best results, you don't need one to make them. You can absolutely make the cookies by hand with a wooden spoon and some elbow grease. If you have an electric stand mixer, then you can use the paddle attachment to make these cookies.
Can this recipe be made gluten free?
For gluten free you can replace the plain flour with a gluten free plain flour blend. You may also like to add ¼ tsp xanthan gum for better texture. Please check the labels of everything you use if serving to someone with an allergy or intolerance.
Can this recipe be made dairy free?
For a dairy free version, use a dairy free baking spread instead of butter for the cookies. You will also need to use dairy free white chocolate chips. Please do check the labels of everything you use if serving to someone with an allergy or intolerance.
More tips for making the Pistachio & White Chocolate Cookies:
- Make sure to leave space between the balls of cookie dough on the baking trays as they will spread when baking, about 2" should ensure they don't stick together. If you make bigger cookies, you will need to leave more space.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking tray for at least 5 minutes (nearer to 10 minutes is ideal) before trying to move them onto a cooling rack. Otherwise they will be too soft and will break or stick to the baking paper.
- You could also decorate these cookies with a drizzle of melted white chocolate, or some pistachio cream spread.
Troubleshooting
My number one tip for getting the best results is to read through this whole page of tips and recommendations before starting, and follow the recipe exactly. If you have any questions about this recipe, or if something went wrong and you need help, please use the comment form below and I will get back to you. You can also get in touch with me on my Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. I'd love to hear from you!
Recommended equipment & ingredients
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring spoons
- Baking trays
- Cooling rack
- Kitchen scales
- Stand mixer
- Round cutters
- White chocolate
- Black Milk Pistachio cream
- Pistachio cream spread
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Pistachio & White Chocolate Cookies
Ingredients
For the cookies
- 125 g Butter unsalted, softened
- 125 g Caster sugar
- 75 g Light brown soft sugar
- 1 Egg large
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 250 g Plain flour also known as all purpose flour
- ½ tsp Baking powder
- ¼ tsp Bicarbonate of soda
- ¼ tsp Salt
- 200 g White chocolate chips
- 150 g Pistachios chopped up
For the filling (optional)
- 125 g Pistachio cream spread I used Black Milk
Instructions
- Ideally using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix the butter, caster sugar and light brown soft sugar together until fluffy and paler in colour. This will take 3-5 minutes in an electric mixer (I use speed 3)
- Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix in
- Add the plain flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt and mix them in until just combined
- Mix in the white chocolate chips and chopped pistachios briefly, just to evenly distribute them
- Divide the dough into 12 portions, use scales for accuracy if you like. Roll each portion into a ball using the palms of your hands, then flatten the dough out into your hand. Place a teaspoon (around 7-10g) of the pistachio cream spread into the centre of the flattened out piece of dough. Fold the dough around the pistachio cream spread and pinch the dough together to seal the pistachio cream spread inside the dough. Roll it back into a ball shape
- Do the same with all of the dough until it is used up. Then put all of them into the freezer for 30 minutes. You can either place the balls of filled cookie dough onto a lined baking tray, or into a tupperware container lined with baking paper
- Meanwhile, pre-heat your oven to 180C Fan/200C/400F/Gas Mark 6. After the 30 minutes is up and your oven is pre-heated, place the frozen dough balls onto lined baking trays, leaving space (at least 2") between them to spread. If you don't have enough baking trays, keep the dough in the freezer and bake the cookies in batches
- Bake for 12-14 minutes, remove from the oven and leave the cookies to cool for at least 10 minutes on the baking trays before moving to a cooling rack
- Enjoy warm, or leave to cool fully. Store leftovers in an airtight container and eat within 3 days
Video
Notes
- Make sure all your ingredients (particularly the butter and egg) are at room temperature before you start baking.
- I prefer to use unsalted butter for this recipe, but you can also use a baking spread.
- I recommend using light brown soft sugar for delicious flavour and a more gooey cookie, but you can replace it with caster sugar if you can't get hold of light brown soft sugar.
- The pistachio cream spread I used is from Black Milk. You can use any similar spread, Amazon sell various options, you can also buy it from Costco.
- You can use either white chocolate chips or a chopped up white chocolate bar for the cookies.
- Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50) .
- For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.
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