Pin it
Bite into pillowy soft cookies packed with chunks of fancy chocolate and a gooey pistachio cream surprise inside. Each mouthful mixes nutty and sweet with a gentle salty kick. Heating them up gives you a melty middle nobody can forget. They won me over after a wild baking weekend—I made a batch on a whim, and they've been a must-bake ever since.
I gave these cookies a shot after spotting pistachio cream at a gourmet shop. My family crowded the counter as the first ones came out, and their faces after tasting the warm cookies told the whole story. They kept coming back for more and now these are in regular dessert rotation at our house.
Gorgeous Ingredients
- Pistachio cream spread: This is the gooey center, so get a nice thick one—cheap, runny versions get soaked up by the dough or melt away.
- All-purpose flour: Gives you sturdiness while still keeping things soft.
- Cornstarch: The trick for extra tenderness—it loosens up the dough so it can't turn tough.
- Baking powder and baking soda: Working together, they help your cookies puff up and spread out just right.
- Salt: Pops all the flavors and keeps things from getting too sweet.
- Unsalted butter: You'll want it melted and cooled, which makes mixing easier and gives richer flavor.
- Brown sugar: Brings in moisture and chew with a little bit of caramel flavor.
- Granulated sugar: Adds sweetness and those golden crisp edges.
- Egg: Holds everything together and makes the cookies rich.
- Vanilla extract: Boosts all the rest of the flavors.
- Semi-sweet or dark chocolate: Go with legit chocolate bars for the best melty texture.
- Unsalted pistachios: Chopped up for great crunch in every bite.
- Flaky salt: Sprinkle this on top to finish and bring out all the flavors.
Cookie-Making Adventure
- Let Cookies Cool:
- After baking, don’t rush! Leave them on the tray to cool off, then gently move to a wire rack.
- Add that Final Sprinkle:
- As soon as cookies come out, dust them with a little flaky salt.
- Bake 'Em Just Right:
- Toss into the oven until you see gold edges but the middle looks a bit gooey.
- Form the Cookies:
- Grab some dough and wrap it around a frozen pistachio cream blob—make sure it's sealed tight.
- Toss in Add-ins:
- Stir chocolate pieces and pistachios into your dough.
- Mix It All Together:
- Fold your dry stuff into the wet until you can’t see any powdery spots.
- Pour in Wet Goodies:
- Put your egg and some vanilla in and mix till smooth.
- Make the Cookie Base:
- Mix your melted butter with both sugars until creamy.
- Stir Up Dry Stuff:
- Whisk flour, cornstarch, both leaveners, and salt in a bowl.
- Freeze Pistachio Cream Blobs:
- Make little scoops of pistachio cream and pop them in the freezer for half an hour on a lined plate.
Pin it
Pistachios were my go-to snack when I was a kid. My grandma always brought them at family get-togethers, and I'd spend ages at the table cracking open shells with everyone.
Serving Ideas
These cookies steal the show at the end of any meal. Serve them warm if you want gooey middles, or sandwich ice cream between two for a killer dessert—vanilla and pistachio gelato are both awesome choices.
Fun Twists
Swap in white chocolate chunks if you're craving a sweeter bite. For parties, you could toss in dried cranberries for color and a tart zing. Nut allergies? Try sunflower seed butter for the filling instead.
Make 'Em Last
Set cooled cookies in one flat layer in a sealed container on your counter. Want to keep them even longer? Freeze the cooled cookies, then move them to zip bags. To get back that gooey center, warm up gently in a 300°F oven.
Pin it
These cookies turn simple kitchen staples into crowd-pleasers. That oozy filling makes every batch totally worth it.
Frequently Asked Questions
- → What's pistachio cream and where can I buy it?
- Pistachio cream is a nutty spread kind of like peanut butter but with pistachios. Check Italian shops, specialty grocers, or order it online. Pick a thick variety for stuffing the cookies—it holds up best in the oven.
- → Why do you freeze the pistachio cream?
- If you don't freeze it, the filling gets messy and melts out while baking. Frozen pistachio cream is easy to handle when stuffing and turns perfectly gooey instead of soaking into the dough.
- → Can I prep them in advance?
- Totally! Shape and stuff the cookies ahead—keep them in the fridge for up to three days. They also freeze great as dough balls, just tack on a couple of minutes when baking from frozen.
- → How can I tell if they're done?
- Pull them out while they're still a little underbaked in the middle. You'll want set edges but a soft, gooey center—they'll keep baking from the heat of the tray. If you bake until the center's firm, you'll miss out on the goo!
- → Can I use milk chocolate chips?
- Sure thing! If you like it sweeter, go for milk chocolate. Just remember it might cover up the nutty pistachio flavor more than dark or semi-sweet does.
- → How long will these stay tasty?
- They're good for three days in a sealed container on your counter. After that, they dry out a bit. For melty middles on day two or three, zap them in the microwave for ten seconds.