Sweet & Salty Pistachio Cream Chocolate Chip Cookies with Homemade Pistachio Filling | No white chocolate needed
If you love pistachios and chocolate, these cookies are a must-try! Each bite is packed with rich, nutty flavor from a homemade creamy pistachio filling, balanced with melty semisweet chocolate and a hint of salt for the perfect sweet-and-savory combo. The dough bakes up soft and chewy, while the pistachio filling adds a smooth, nutty surprise in the center for the perfect texture. These cookies come together with simple ingredients and an easy-to-follow process—just mix, fill, bake, and enjoy!
Equipment
- Food processor
- Parchment paper
- Baking sheet
- 2 Medium mixing bowls
- Electric hand or stand mixer
Ingredients
Homemade Creamy Pistachio Filling
- 1 cup roasted, salted pistachios (shelled)
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Pistachio Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough:
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup softened butter
- ⅓ cup coconut oil
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup white sugar
- 1 room temperature egg
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup roughly chopped semisweet chocolate bar (about 5-6 oz chocolate bar or more chips can be substituted here as well)
- 1 cup chopped roasted salted pistachios
Instructions
Homemade creamy Pistachio Filling
- Pulse: Add 1 cup roasted, salted pistachios to a food processor. Pulse about 10 times, then run the food processor on low, slowly building up to a high for 1-2 minutes. If the pistachios start sticking to the sides of the bowl, stop the food processor, and scrape down the sides then continue blending. Repeat as needed until the pistachios become small chopped pieces.
- Add remaining ingredients: Add 2 tablespoons melted butter to the chopped pistachios in the food processor and pulse a few times to mix in. Then add 2 tablespoons heavy cream, 1/4 cup white sugar, and 1 teaspoon cornstarch. Mix on high until it all forms a dense creamy pistachio mixture. It should be smooth and thick enough for you to be able to roll it into a ball.Note: If the butter starts separating, you can chill the mixture in the freezer for a few minutes and then mix briefly again so it all incorporates well.
- Roll: Use a tablespoon to scoop the creamy pistachio filling and roll into balls. Place them on a parchment paper lined pan or plate about an inch apart and store in the fridge or freezer to chill while you work on the cookie dough. The intention is for the pistachio cream balls to be cold but not frozen.
Pistachio Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough:
- Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roughly chop the semisweet chocolate bar, enough to make 1 cup and set aside.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and ¼ teaspoon salt until well combined. Set aside.
- Cream together: In a separate mixing bowl, add ½ cup softened butter, ⅓ cup coconut oil, 1/2 cup brown sugar, ½ cup white sugar and cream together until well light and fluffy. Add 1 room temperature egg and 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, mix again until fully combined.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, about ½ cup at a time, mixing well after each addition to form a smooth cookie dough.
- Add the Chocolate & Pistachios: Fold in 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, 1 cup roughly chopped semisweet chocolate bar, and 1 cup chopped roasted salted pistachios. Mix until evenly distributed.
- Assemble the Cookies: Using a 1.5” cookie scoop, scoop out a portion of dough and flatten slightly to create a small dip in the center. Place a chilled scoop of pistachio cream into the dip.Scoop a second portion of dough and press it gently over the pistachio cream ball, sealing the edges to form one large dough ball. Repeat until all the dough and pistachio cream are used.
- Bake: Once all the cookies are assembled, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper leaving 3 inches between each dough ball. Place the baking tray on the middle rack of the preheated oven and bake at 350F for about 12 minutes. The cookies should start to brown at the edges but look underdone (shiny) in the middle.As oven temperatures vary, I recommend testing two cookies first to get a better idea for how long these cookies take to bake in your oven, or check on them starting at 8-10 minutes to ensure they don't overbake. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.
- Optional step: Once the cookies are out of the oven and still hot (please be careful), but before transferring them to a wire rack, use a 4" cake ring (or similar circular object) to swirl around each cookie. This will help each cookie be perfectly round.
- Serve and Enjoy: Allow the cookies to cool completely before serving to ensure they set properly. Trust us, the chewy texture is worth the wait!
