Dark chocolate chunk pistachio cookies look like something straight out of a bakery and are as delicious as they are beautiful. They're like the adult version of a chocolate chip cookie, with all the classic taste and texture, but including crunchy, earthy pistachio bits. With fresh pistachio pieces and melty dark chocolate mixed into a rich, buttery, and chewy cookie dough, this is a truly special cookie!
what makes these pistachio cookies so great?
Pistachios are really having their moment and I am HERE for it! They're such a delicious ingredient and they pair so well in a ton of different desserts (this one included!) Made with fresh pistachios, dark chocolate, and a hint of cinnamon, these cookies are rich, decadent, and perfectly flavored.
They're soft, chewy and fudgy in the centers with crisp edges, crunchy pistachios, and gooey and melty pools of chocolate. Truly heavenly! Let's take a closer look at what makes these cookies so incredible:
- Pistachios - As if chocolate chip cookies could get any better, adding pistachios into the mix makes them feel extra fancy. It adds a beautiful earthy flavor and color, as well as crispy bites, while still allowing all the other aspects of the cookie to shine.
- Dark chocolate - Not just any chocolate... DARK chocolate. I go into more detail about this later on in the post, but using dark chocolate gives these cookies bakery quality flavor, richness, and texture.
- Melted butter - Melted butter makes the cookies just a little extra dense and fudgy. It also makes the process a bit quicker and easier because you don't need to wait for the butter to soften! The only other ingredient that needs to be room temperature are the eggs. A simple trick to bring the eggs up to room temperature quickly is to submerge them (with the shells on) in some warm water for 5-10 minutes and they should be good to go!
- Dark brown sugar - This adds some extra warm molasses flavor and makes the cookies extra soft and chewy! It also helps the cookies spread perfectly and keeps them moist. We use a little bit of granulated sugar as well to help the cookies crisp around the edges.
- Molasses - The same idea as the dark brown sugar: the molasses adds more moisture, softness, and chewiness. It gives the cookies the PERFECT texture and makes them feel a little fancier and more special!
- Salt - This recipe features slightly more salt than usual to help round out all the richness of the sugar, molasses, and chocolate. It makes for a perfectly balanced flavor.
- Cinnamon - This one's optional, but HIGHLY recommended. Like the molasses, it's not noticeable, but a hint of cinnamon enhances the natural, earthy flavor of the pistachios.
how to make dark chocolate pistachio cookies
These cookies look like something straight from a high end bakery, but they're honestly so easy to make. To ensure they come out with the perfect texture, taste, and appearance, here are a few tips to keep in mind:
- Measuring the flour: For these cookies to spread properly, make sure you measure the flour carefully (because it's an ingredient that's very easy to accidentally overmeasure). Using a food scale is always the most accurate way to measure flour if you have one. If measuring by cups, don't scoop the measuring cup directly into your bag of flour or it may pack in more weight. Instead, use a spoon to lightly fluff up the flour and then spoon the flour into your measuring up.
- Allow the melted butter to cool: Using the butter while it's still hot will melt the sugars and cause the cookie dough to come out sticky and wet. It can also cause the cookies to overspread and bake up greasy. So ensure the butter has cooled before adding in the sugars.
- Use a cool baking sheet: You can use the same baking sheet to bake multiple batches of cookies, but just make sure it cools down to room temperature before adding the next round of cookie dough. A hot baking sheet can cause the cookies to overspread and / or overbake. You can use a second baking sheet if you have one and alternate between the 2.
- Baking the cookies just right: The cookies are ready to come out of the oven when the edges are lightly browned and the cookie has puffed up. The centers may appear a little wet but they'll continue to bake through and set as the cookies cool on the hot tray.
- Fixing mishappen cookies: Straight from the oven, use a round cookie cutter or the rim of a cup to push in any odd edges around the cookies and fix the shape to your liking. This needs to be done while they're still hot because that's when they'll be malleable! It's a simple trick to get perfectly shaped cookies.
best pistachios for cookies
Use unsalted pistachios for the best balance of flavor and so you're able to easily customize the salt to your taste. I personally prefer roasted pistachios for the best flavor and crunch, but unroasted also work, or you can roast your own at home. It's also best to use deshelled pistachios so you don't drive yourself nuts shelling them one by one. Get it? Nuts... Sorry, I had to make that joke.
When it comes to chopping the pistachios, you can make the chunks slightly larger for more texture or finer for a smoother cookie. I personally just chop them by hand and do a little mix of fine and coarse crumbs. You could also pulse them a bit in a food processor to chop them up - just be careful not to let them go for too long or they're release their oil and turn into pistachio butter!
choosing the right chocolate
While regular chocolate chips work just fine, a good quality bar of chocolate will take the taste and texture of these cookies to the next level! And for the best balance of sweetness, look for a dark chocolate bar with at least 70% cocoa. My personal favorite is Lindt 70% cocoa dark chocolate bars. If you like more bitterness, go up in the percent of cocoa.
Using a bar of dark chocolate as opposed to chocolate chips will make these cookies better in 3 different ways:
- Texture - Depending on the brand of chocolate chips you use, they typically are designed to hold their shape and won't create the same level of gooiness that a bar will. Chocolate bars (and especially chocolate with a higher percentage of cocoa) will melt into a beautiful puddle of chocolate. This adds an amazing gooey quality and it also allows the cookies to spread properly. You'll notice that cookies made with chocolate chips or with chocolate that has a lower percent of cocoa will bake up thicker.
- Taste - At the end of the day, chocolate is delicious in any form, but a good quality bar of chocolate really does taste extra special when compared to chocolate chips. It's distinctly richer, creamier, and perfectly bitter. So if you're going to splurge on an ingredient, I would choose the chocolate!
- Appearance - You won't get those melty puddles of chocolate with regular ole' chocolate chips! And again, chocolate chips will impact the spread of the cookies.
FAQs
Can you swap out the dark brown sugar?
Dark brown sugar contributes to the taste and texture of these cookies, so I really don't recommend swapping it out!
Can I leave out the molasses?
It also contributes to the taste and texture of these cookies, so (again) make sure to include it!
Can you use other nuts?
Yes! Pecans, walnuts, peanuts, or anything similar can be used to make different varieties of cookies.
Can you use chocolate chips?
You could, but they won't be as melty as a dark chocolate bar. The cookies will also bake up thicker (again, because the chocolate won't be as fluid and melty).
How long do these cookies last?
Keep these cookies covered tightly so they stay soft and chewy. They'll keep for up to 1 week at room temperature.
Can you freeze this cookie dough?
Absolutely! Arrange scoops of cookie dough on a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze until solid (about 1 hour). Once firm, transfer the dough balls into a freezer bag in a single layer, push out the air, and seal. Keep stored in the freezer for 2-3 months. You can bake the cookies frozen, just do so at a slightly lower oven temperature (350F) and add 2-3 minutes to the bake time to account for defrosting).
check out these other recipes!
• Pistachio Cake
• Pistachio Snowball Cookies
• Chocolate Mousse Cake
• Chocolate Chip Cookie Brownies
• Iced Butter Pecan Cookie Bars
• Giant Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookie
Lastly, if you made this or any of my recipes, be sure to leave a comment and review below! I love hearing your thoughts! Also tag me on Instagram @eatsdelightfulblog so I can see what you're making.
Print
Dark Chocolate Chunk Pistachio Cookies
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 16-18 cookies
Description
With fresh pistachio pieces and melty dark chocolate mixed into a rich, buttery, and chewy cookie dough, this is a truly special cookie!
Ingredients
- 3 cups (385g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¾ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon (optional) *SEE NOTES
- 1 cup (225g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 cup (200g) dark brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tbsp unsulphered molasses
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (135g) unsalted roasted pistachios, finely chopped
- 6oz 70% dark chocolate bar, roughly chopped **SEE NOTES
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- In a separate large bowl, combine butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar.
- Vigorously whisk the butter and sugars together until the butter stops separating around the edges and the mixture thickens (about 1-2 minutes).
- Whisk in the eggs, molasses, and vanilla to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix together until you have a streak free cookie dough. Finally, fold in the pistachios and chocolate chunks.
- Use a large 2oz cookie scoop to portion out 5-6 balls of dough onto your parchment lined baking sheet. Make sure to leave at least 3" of space between each cookie. If you'd like, wedge a few extra pieces of chocolate into the tops.
- Bake the cookies in the center of your preheated oven for 9-12 minutes or until puffed and lightly browned around the edges. The centers might appear slightly underdone but they'll continue to set as the cookies cool.
- Cool the cookies for about 5 minutes on the baking sheet then transfer onto a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Continue baking the cookies in batches until all the dough is used up. If you want to use the same baking sheet for each batch, allow it to cool completely before adding the next round of cookie dough scoops.
- Sprinkle some more chopped pistachios on the cookies then enjoy!
Notes
* The cinnamon is optional, but it pairs so well with the pistachios and draws out their earthy flavor. There's not a lot, so the taste isn't very noticeable, but it adds another layer of something special!
** When choosing dark chocolate for these cookies, pick something with at least 70% cocoa. I used 1 ½ bars of Lindt 70% dark chocolate and it's my personal favorite. Keep in mind that the higher the percent of cocoa, the more the cookies will spread.
Enjoy!
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