Description
These Chocolate Pistachio Cookies are fudgy, bakery-style treats featuring a luscious pistachio cream center encased in rich cocoa-flavored cookie dough. With a glossy crackly top, a molten center, and crunchy pistachio and chocolate chunk coating, they offer a delightful combination of textures and flavors perfect for pistachio and chocolate lovers.
Ingredients
Filling
- ¾ cup pistachio cream (sweetened pistachio spread, like Nutella)
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 oz semisweet baking chocolate (55% cacao)
- ½ cup salted butter
Assembly & Topping
- ½ cup chocolate chunks
- ¼ cup chopped pistachios
Instructions
- Filling Preparation: Place the jar of pistachio cream in the fridge for 30–60 minutes until it thickens slightly, becoming firm and scoopable but not runny.
- Freeze Pistachio Mounds: Line a tray with parchment paper. Scoop 12 rounded mounds of 1 tablespoon (20g) pistachio cream each onto the tray and freeze until solid.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, Dutch-process cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Melt Chocolate and Butter: Melt semisweet baking chocolate and salted butter together in a heatproof bowl using a microwave or double boiler. Let cool to room temperature until glossy and pourable, similar to melted Nutella.
- Whisk Eggs and Sugars: In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar on high speed for 8-10 minutes until pale and thickened to the ribbon stage, where the mixture falls back forming ribbons that hold for 4-6 seconds.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: Slowly whisk in the cooled melted chocolate mixture and vanilla extract into the egg and sugar mixture, mixing until just combined to keep the batter aerated.
- Fold in Dry Ingredients: Gently fold the dry ingredient mixture into the wet mixture using a spatula until no streaks remain, resulting in a thick, sticky, glossy batter that is not scoopable like regular cookie dough.
- Chill Dough: Spread the cookie dough thinly along the sides of the bowl, forming an even layer. Chill for 30 minutes until it firms up and is easier to shape.
- Preheat Oven: Set the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Shape Cookies: Scoop 12 balls of dough, each weighing about 3½ tablespoons (70 g). Flatten 3 tablespoons (55 g) to form the cookie base and ½ tablespoon (15 g) for the cookie cap.
- Assemble Cookies: Place one frozen pistachio cream mound on each dough base, cover with the dough cap, pinch the seams closed, and roll gently into a smooth ball.
- Add Toppings: Roll each cookie ball in chopped pistachios and press some chocolate chunks or chips onto the surface, positioning them slightly off-center near the outer half so they remain visible after baking.
- Bake Cookies: Arrange the balls on the parchment-lined tray, spacing them 3-4 inches (7.5-10 cm) apart. Bake on the middle oven rack for 11-13 minutes until edges are set and matte, centers puffed with a slight wobble, and tops develop fine crackles.
- Cooling: Leave the cookies on the tray for 10 minutes to cool and settle, allowing them to flatten naturally and develop their signature crinkled texture before transferring to a cooling rack.
Notes
- Make sure the pistachio cream is firm and scoopable before freezing to prevent it from melting into the dough during baking.
- Whisking the egg and sugar mixture to the ribbon stage is crucial for achieving the crackly cookie tops.
- Do not overmix once the melted chocolate is added to keep the batter aerated for the perfect fudgy texture.
- Chill the dough well before shaping to ensure easier handling and better cookie shape retention during baking.
- Watch baking time carefully; pulling cookies too early or late affects texture and appearance.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 13 minutes
- Category: Dessert, Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
