Pistachio Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Thick, gooey cookies loaded with massive chocolate chunks, buttery pistachios, and flavored with a dash of cardamom are insanely delicious. These three flavors combine to create a cozy vibe in treat form. You’ll definitely want to whip up a batch of these pistachio chocolate chunk cookies soon!
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Sounds Familiar?
If you’re a regular visitor to Bakes & Blunders, this flavor combo may actually sound familiar. Brown butter pistachio biscotti anyone? I loved those twice baked cookies so much, I just had to recreate that flavor profile.
In fact, I love to re-imagine tasty flavors all the time. Whether it’s turning a classic candy bar into Almond Joy Macarons, or taking my go to boba order and turning it into Milk Tea Cupcakes. If you love a flavor, you can enjoy it about a million different ways.
Pistachio Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Per usual, this recipe is based off of my go-to drop cookie recipe. Instead of walnuts and chocolate chips, we’re mixing in pistachios, chocolate chunks, and a bit of cardamom. This dough is the perfect canvas to get creative with your flavors and textures.
Pistachio Notes
Instead of using just chopped pistachios, I did a combo of ground and chopped nuts. Why this choice? Simply because I had ground up some pistachios for something else, and had a bit leftover. But I’m glad it worked out this way. The different sized pistachios really deliver the optimal flavor and texture.
If you can find them, use unsalted pistachios. I was able to find them in the bulk section of my grocery store. You can still use salted nuts, but I would consider reducing the salt in the dough a bit.
Chocolate Chunks vs. Chocolate Chips
You could totes use regular ole chocolate chips in this recipe, but those big chunks of melty, gooey chocolate really make this cookie feel indulgent. Although there is not a massive size difference between the two, it does seem to make a difference.
Or you could just chop chocolate bars into chunks. That might be even better! Be sure to reserve some of your chocolate to top the cookie dough balls. This makes the cookies look good, but it also means each cookie will have a glorious amount of chocolate.
Related Reading: Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies
Cardamom Punch
I adore cardamom. It’s cozy, spicy, and adds a little something extra. The amount in this recipe adds a decent punch of cardamom. While not overpowering, it is part of the party. If, for some reason, you’re not a cardamom fan, reduce it a little, but keep it in there!
Just like my espresso cookies need a dash of cinnamon to tie the flavors together, these pistachio chocolate chunk cookies need cardamom. It takes the flavor and just pulls it all together.
Freeze & Bake Method
I almost always bake my cookie dough from frozen. This is the secret to thick, yummy cookies. I also find that using this method, plus a cookie scoop, my cookies always come out beautifully circular.
Watch this recipe tutorial to learn my entire cookie making process. You can store the cookie dough balls in the freezer for up to 3 months, and they’ll still taste fresh! Heck, they might last longer, but we can’t help but gobble them down.
Top Tips for Drop Cookies
- Use cookie scoops for perfectly portioned cookies.
- Top your drop cookies with any chunky ingredients (like chocolate, nuts, ect.) that are inside the dough.
- Cold dough won’t spread as much in the oven.
- Store cookie dough for up to 3 months in the freezer.
- Bake a test cookie before baking the rest of the batch to determine the best bake time for your oven.
Related Reading: 8 Cookie Tips & Tricks You Need To Know
Take a Bite
The first thing I noticed with these cookies was the gorgeous scent of cozy cardamom. Since it’s cold and we’re heading into the holiday season, it immediately gave me Christmas vibes.
Then when you take a bite, the gooey chocolate and buttery pistachios combine to give your tongue a warm hug. I just wanted to sink into the cookie.
Enjoy!
If you ever whip up a batch of these pistachio chocolate chunk cookies, come on back and leave a review. I’d love to hear what you thought!
Pistachio Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Ingredients
- 9 oz all- purpose flour
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cardamom
- 6 oz unsalted butter softened
- 5.5 oz dark brown sugar
- 1.75 oz sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp vanilla
- 8 oz semi-sweet chocolate chunks plus more for topping
- 2 oz ground pistachios
- 2 oz chopped pistachios plus more for topping
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, and cardamom and set aside.
- In a stand mixer, cream together the butter and both sugars on a low speed until combined. Scrape the bowl down once or twice as needed. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Scrape the bowl down as needed.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix on low until just combined. Add the chocolate chunks and pistachios (ground and chopped). Mix on low until combined. It should just take a few seconds.
- Use a large cookie scoop to portion the dough onto a tray or baking sheet lined with wax paper. Then top each scoop with extra chocolate chunks and chopped pistachios.
- Place the trays in the freezer for at least one hour. Transfer the frozen cookie dough balls to a freezer bag or airtight container. Freeze for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight.
- When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325°F. Place frozen cookie dough balls on a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Bake for 20 - 22 minutes or until lightly golden brown.
- Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5- 10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
Notes
- It's best to use a room temperature egg. If you forget to take it out in advance, place it in a glass and cover in warm water while you prepare the rest of your ingredients.
- Use unsalted pistachios if you can find them. If you can't, you may want to reduce the salt in the recipe slightly.
My Favorite Products For This Recipe
Colleen
Hi there! I’m Colleen, a novice baker with a passion for learning and improving my bakes… and blunders. On Bakes and Blunders, you can find all sorts of tasty recipes that range in difficulty, but most importantly, I’ll try to explain the reason behind important steps. If you know why a recipe works, you can tweak and adapt it to suit your unique tastes, and you’ll be able to reliably produce some very delicious treats. If you love baking and want to expand and grow your skills, or if you are a casual baker and just need some pointers, my blog is right up your alley! Join me on my baking journey and we’ll learn how to make more impressive recipes together.
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