Tender, Chewy Pistachio Sugar Cookies Recipe
Pistachio Sugar Cookies take everything you love about a classic soft, tender sugar cookie and lift it with a warm, refined pistachio flavor. Each bite is tender with slightly crisp edges and a subtle, buttery nuttiness that feels both familiar and a little elegant.
I bake a lot with pistachios and have found the best results come from keeping things simple. When pistachios are finely ground and paired with butter and sugar, their sweet, nutty character shines through without needing any additional extract. That simplicity is exactly why these sugar cookies—made with straightforward pantry ingredients—are a perfect way to showcase the nut.
If you prefer a bolder contrast, try using pistachios in chocolate chip cookie recipes for a deeper flavor profile.
The Recipe
This recipe follows a standard sugar cookie method with two pistachio additions: half the ground pistachios are mixed into the dry ingredients and the other half are blended with sugar to roll the cookie dough balls in before baking. Rolling in the pistachio-sugar is optional but adds both texture and visual appeal.
- When creaming butter and sugar, avoid over-aerating. These are not pound cakes; you want the mixture combined but not overly fluffy. A hand mixer or even a whisk will work fine.
- Use roasted, lightly salted pistachios for a slightly savory balance, or raw pistachios if you prefer. Do not use flavored or heavily salted nuts.
- Butter and eggs should be at room temperature to ensure a tender, not dense, cookie. If using a whisk, let the butter soften slightly more than usual.
- The cookies spread while baking, so space dough balls about 3–4 inches apart.
- If cookies spread unevenly while baking, gently reshape them at the 10-minute mark with a round cutter or the rim of a bowl to form a neat, even circle.
Yields and Storing
This recipe yields about 15 cookies when using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop, and 18–20 cookies if you use a 1.5-tablespoon scoop. The exact number depends on how large you shape each ball.
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. For longer storage, freeze fully cooled cookies in a sealed freezer bag for up to four weeks. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Tender and Chewy Pistachio Sugar Cookies
10 mins
13 mins
15 Cookies
Dikla Levy Frances
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 Cup (150g) Finely ground toasted pistachios — about 1 cup whole pistachios
- 1/3 Cup (70g) Sugar (for mixing with pistachios)
- 1 1/2 Cup (180g) All-purpose unbleached flour
- 1/2 teaspoon Baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Baking soda
- 9 Tablespoons (120g) Unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2/3 Cup (140g) Sugar (for creaming with butter)
- 1 Large egg, room temperature
- 1 Large egg yolk, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together half of the ground pistachios (about 75 g, roughly 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon), the flour, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.
- In a second bowl, combine the remaining ground pistachios (about 75 g) with 1/3 cup (70 g) sugar. This mixture is for rolling the dough balls.
- In a mixing bowl, cream the butter (120 g) with 2/3 cup (140 g) sugar until just combined. Do not over-cream—the mixture should be smooth but not overly light and fluffy.
- Mix in the whole egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract until incorporated.
- Add the dry flour and pistachio mixture and stir just until a cohesive dough forms and no dry streaks remain. Avoid over-mixing.
- Using a medium cookie scoop (about 2 tablespoons, #40), portion the dough. Roll each scoop in the pistachio-sugar mixture, then place the balls on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake one sheet at a time, placing about six dough balls per pan with roughly 2 inches between each to allow for spreading.
- Bake for 14–15 minutes, rotating the pan at the 10-minute mark for even browning. Remove when edges are lightly golden and centers are set.
- Allow cookies to cool briefly on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough.
Notes
- Store cooled cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to one week, or freeze in a sealed bag for up to one month.
- Do not over-cream butter and sugar, and avoid over-mixing once flour is added—both can change the texture.
- For best results, use a kitchen scale and make sure ingredients are at room temperature. If cookies are too dense, you may have added too much flour; if they spread too much, you may have used too little flour or too much sugar.