These pistachio cookies are soft, chewy drop cookies made with a 3.4 oz box of instant pistachio pudding mix and 1 cup of toasted shelled pistachios. The recipe makes 24 cookies in about an hour, and 30 minutes of that is the dough chilling in the fridge.
The pudding mix gives the pale green color and the pistachio flavor, and it keeps the centers soft for days. The real nuts give the crunch. Chill the dough, bake at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes, and take them out while the middles still look underdone.
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- Makes: 24 cookies, scooped into 1.5 inch balls
- Time: 20 minutes prep, 30 minutes chilling, 10 to 12 minutes baking
- Oven: 350°F (175°C), parchment lined sheets, 2 inches between cookies
- The ratio: one 3.4 oz box of instant pistachio pudding mix to 2 1/2 cups flour and 1 cup butter
- Nuts: 1 cup shelled, lightly toasted pistachios in the dough, plus extra pressed on top
- Keeps: 4 to 5 days airtight at room temperature
Why a Box of Pistachio Pudding Mix Goes in the Dough
The mix goes in dry, straight into the creamed butter, sugars and eggs. Do not make it up with milk first. Instant pudding is mostly sugar and modified starch, and that starch holds on to moisture while the cookies bake and cool. I have tried this dough without it and the cookies dried out fast and tasted only faintly of pistachio.
The mix also gives the cookies their soft green shade. A few drops of green food coloring make it brighter, which is nice on a holiday tray, but it is optional and changes nothing about the taste. One teaspoon of almond extract is optional too, though I always add it. Almond sits right next to pistachio in flavor and makes the nuttiness read stronger.
Whole, Halved or Chopped Pistachios?
Halved is my choice. Whole and halved pistachios give you distinct, crunchy bites through the cookie. Finely chopped ones spread more evenly but go soft after baking, so the crunch disappears. If your pistachios are big, halve them; small ones can stay whole.
Toast the shelled nuts on a sheet at 350°F for 5 to 7 minutes, just until they smell toasty, then let them cool completely. Warm nuts soften the butter in the dough and the cookies spread more. If you only have salted pistachios, cut the salt in the dough from 1/2 teaspoon to 1/4 teaspoon.
Mixing and Baking the Dough
Creaming Butter With Two Sugars
Beat 1 cup of softened butter with 3/4 cup granulated sugar and 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar for 3 to 4 minutes, until it turns pale and fluffy. Softened means a finger leaves a dent without sliding through. Butter that is greasy or shiny is too warm and gives flat cookies.
Granulated sugar helps the edges set and crisp. Brown sugar keeps the middle moist and chewy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, letting each one disappear before the next, then the vanilla and almond extract.
Adding the Pudding Mix and Flour
Beat in the pudding mix and the food coloring if you are using it. Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt in another bowl, then add them in two or three parts and mix only until the last streak of flour is gone. The dough will be soft and thick, a little like play dough. Fold in the pistachios by hand with a sturdy spatula so they stay in pieces.
Chilling, Scooping and Baking at 350°F
Cover the bowl and chill for at least 30 minutes, or overnight. The butter firms up and the flour soaks up moisture, so the cookies hold their height instead of running into thin discs. Dough chilled overnight is stiff; give it 10 minutes on the counter before scooping.
Scoop 1.5 inch balls onto parchment, 2 inches apart, and press a few extra pistachios on top. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. The green dough hides browning, so do not wait for color on top. Pull them when the edges are just turning light gold, the tops have cracked, and the centers look puffy and slightly wet. Leave them on the sheet for 5 minutes to finish setting, then move them to a rack.
Why Pistachio Cookies Spread Flat (and Other Fixes)
- Flat, greasy cookies: the butter was too soft, the dough skipped the chill, or the dough went onto a warm baking sheet. Chill the dough again and let the sheets cool between batches.
- Puffy and cakey: too much flour. Spoon the flour into the cup and level it instead of scooping with the cup.
- Dry and crumbly the next day: overbaked. Take them out at 10 minutes next time, even if the centers look raw.
- Too salty: salted pistachios plus the full 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Halve the salt.
- Pale, dull green: that is the natural color from the mix. Add a few drops of food coloring with the pudding mix if you want it brighter.
Pistachio Cookies on a Christmas Cookie Tray
The soft green looks good next to red and white cookies, and these hold up well in a tin. I like them beside cranberry pistachio shortbread cookies for a crisp and chewy pair, or with lemon and pistachio crinkle cookies for something bright.
For chocolate lovers, chocolate pistachio cookies and pistachio chocolate chip cookies are the next bakes, and pistachio chocolate sandwich cookies make a smart addition to a gift box.
Storing and Freezing Pistachio Cookie Dough
Baked cookies keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 4 to 5 days and stay soft the whole time. To freeze baked cookies, cool them completely, freeze in a single layer, then move them to a freezer bag. Thaw them on the counter, still in the bag.
You can also freeze the dough. Scoop the balls, freeze them on a tray until hard, then bag them. Bake straight from frozen and add 1 to 2 minutes, pressing the extra pistachios on top before they go in.
Pistachio Cookie Questions
Can I make pistachio cookies without pudding mix?
Not with this recipe; the mix is what keeps them soft and green. For a version without it, try these pistachio ricotta cookies.
Are these the same as pistachio biscuits?
In the UK a biscuit is usually crisp. These are soft and chewy. For a crunchy pistachio biscuit, bake pistachio biscotti.
Can I use sugar-free pistachio pudding mix?
It works, but the cookies come out a little less sweet, because the regular mix adds sugar to the dough.
Pistachio Cookies Recipe
These pistachio cookies are soft, chewy drop cookies made with instant pistachio pudding mix, butter, brown sugar, almond extract and 1 cup of toasted shelled pistachios. The recipe makes 24 cookies in about 1 hour, including 30 minutes of chilling and 10 to 12 minutes at 350°F. One 3.4 oz box of pudding mix goes into the dough dry, which keeps the centers moist for days and gives these pistachio pudding cookies their pale green color and pistachio flavor. Bake them for Christmas cookie trays, holiday gift boxes, bake sales or a coffee break. Add green food coloring for a brighter shade; they keep 4 to 5 days airtight and freeze well.
Ingredients
- FOR THE COOKIES
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract (optional but highly recommended)
- 1 (3.4 oz) box instant pistachio pudding mix
- A few drops of green food coloring (optional, for a brighter green)
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup shelled pistachios (lightly toasted)
- Extra pistachios for pressing into the tops
Instructions
PREPARE THE DOUGH: Cream the softened butter with both sugars in a large bowl using a stand mixer or hand mixer. Beat until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale in color, which takes about 3-4 minutes.
ADD WET INGREDIENTS: Beat in the eggs one at a time, making sure each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next. Stir in the vanilla and almond extracts to enhance the nutty flavor.
ADD THE PISTACHIO PUDDING: Mix the instant pistachio pudding mix into the wet ingredients. For a brighter green color, add a few drops of food coloring at this stage and mix until evenly distributed.
COMBINE DRY INGREDIENTS: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add this dry mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined to avoid overmixing and ensure tender cookies.
FOLD IN THE PISTACHIOS: Gently fold in the shelled pistachios, keeping them whole or halved to create satisfying nutty bites in each cookie.
CHILL THE DOUGH: Cover the dough and chill it for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight. Chilling allows the flavors to develop and helps control spreading during baking.
SHAPE AND BAKE: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop the dough into 1.5-inch balls and place them 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Press extra pistachios into the tops for an attractive finish. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and the centers appear slightly underbaked.
COOL AND ENJOY: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This resting period helps maintain their soft, chewy centers.
Notes
Chilling the dough for at least 30 minutes is important to prevent excessive spreading; dough chilled overnight needs about 10 minutes at room temperature before scooping. Toast the shelled pistachios at 350°F for 5 to 7 minutes and let them cool before folding them in. If your pistachios are salted, reduce the salt to 1/4 teaspoon. Take the cookies out when the edges are just light gold and the centers still look soft; the green dough hides browning. Store airtight at room temperature for 4 to 5 days. Freeze baked cookies, or freeze scooped dough balls and bake from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes.
Nutrition Information
Yield
24Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 102Total Fat 2gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 1gCholesterol 17mgSodium 118mgCarbohydrates 20gFiber 0gSugar 9gProtein 2g
