Chocolate Chip and Pistachio Cookies

These chocolate chip pistachio cookies are chock full of sweet chocolate chips and crunchy pistachios for the perfect bite every time!

If you're a regular reader you've probably figured out I'm a bit of a pistachio nut. Pun intended!

I love those little green nuts. I've been munching on them for longer than I care admit.

My first crack at pistachios came when I was in grade school. A new girl moved onto our street, she was the same age as me. We became fast friends.

One day while we were lounging around watching Felix the Cat after school her mom asked if we wanted some snacks. She put a huge bowl of red pistachios on the table.

OMG!!! My whole world changed that day. The sun shone a little brighter, the world seemed a little happier, I heard harp music play as I took my first bite of those red, salty pistachios.

Too far? Okay, so maybe the harp music was a stretch but the rest is all true. I had never tried, or even heard of pistachios until that day. My 'rents were cheap-skates so we ate chips, not pricey nuts.

From that moment on my fingers were permanently stained red. I could not hide my new addiction.

Seriously, I would try to make up excuses why my fingers were red but finger painting is not a believable story as you move through your tween years.

Then one day I finally discovered you could get pistachios without the red dye. Colour me happy, and no longer red.

I was the happiest little nut in the world that day. No more stories about finger painting. Yeah!

As the years pass my fascination with pistachio nuts continues. Any chance I get to pop them in a recipe I'm going to take it.

I shared this Pistachio Chocolate Chip Recipe on Food Fanatic when I contributed as their chocolate fanatic.

Ingredients:

• Flour - I used all-purpose flour for the recipe. I would not recommend using any other kind.
• Baking Powder -  Any brand of baking powder will do. I only used baking powder because I wanted a cake-like chewy texture. If you like crispy cookies then swap the baking powder for baking soda.
• Salt - In case you didn't already know, salt enhances the flavor of other ingredients. Basically, the salt in these cookies will make them taste sweeter. If you are avoiding salt for health reasons you can omit, but otherwise I would add it.
• Butter - Salted or unsalted butter can be used in this recipe. If you use salted butter just adjust or omit the salt that is added separately. Most people do use unsalted butter for baking.
• Molasses - You can use light or dark molasses for these cookies. Either works really well. Dark molasses will give the cookies a darker appearance and a stronger molasses flavor. Light molasses will give the cookies a lighter appearance and a more subtle molasses flavor. Personally, I like light molasses for chocolate chip cookies but you do you!
• Egg - I would recommend using room temperature eggs for cookies. They will help the batter blend evenly.
• Vanilla Extract - Extracts help enhance and balance flavor so I wouldn't recommend omitting it. You can substitute almond extract if you like the taste of it though.
• Chocolate Chips - Semi-sweet chocolate chips work well in this recipe. You could also use dark chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, or milk chocolate chips. Another option is to chop up good quality chocolate and use chocolate chunks instead of chips.
• Pistachios - Already shelled pistachios are easy to use or you can buy them whole and shell them yourself. Chop them up so the chopped pistachios are about the same size as the chocolate chips. Costco actually sells them already shelled and they are really great quality pistachios.

Instructions for Chocolate Pistachio Cookies:

1. Begin by lining two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Set them aside.
2. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk until combined well, then set the bowl aside.
3. Next, combine the softened butter and brown sugar in a separate large mixing bowl. Cream the ingredients together by beating them in a stand mixer, or use an electric mixer, until the mixture is fluffy and light brown in color. This should take approximately 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Then, add the molasses, egg and vanilla extract to the bowl with the sugar mixture you just beat. Mix the ingredients again until well combined.
5. Next, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until they are well combined.
6. Carefully add the chocolate chips and pistachios to the bowl and mix by hand with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon just enough to combine the ingredients well. You can add more pistachios or chocolate chips if you like.
7. Grab your cookie sheets you set aside earlier. Use a cookie scoop to spoon the cookie dough balls onto the sheets, spacing evenly. Space them about 2 inches apart. You can easily adjust the size of the cookies. Make tiny ones or giant ones. Just adjust the cooking time a bit to account for the size of the cookies.
8. Transfer the cookie sheets to the preheated oven and bake for about 8 to 10 minutes for small-ish cookies, or 10 to 12 minutes for large-ish cookies. I typically cook one pan at a time because I like baking them on the middle rack and hate rotating cookies mid-bake. But if you are in a rush go ahead and bake both at the same time.
9. Carefully remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool slightly on the pan, then transfer them to a cooling rack to allow them to cool completely.
10. Serve or store for later.

How to Store Cookies:

Start by making sure the cookies are cooled completely before storing them.

Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 or 4 days. Any longer and they will begin to harden.

I don't recommend storing homemade cookies in the refrigerator. They typically do not stay moist in the fridge and it can affect the flavor.

Storing homemade cookies in the freezer is the best way to store them if you are baking in advance. Store them in airtight container, or resealable Ziploc bag, in the freezer for up to 2 months. I recommend wrapping cookies individually or in small batches with plastic wrap if you can. Or line the container with parchment or foil.

Can you Reheat Cookies:

Yes, you can. Chocolate chip cookies reheat pretty well.

Microwave Method:

My favorite way to reheat chocolate chip pistachio cookies is in the microwave.

1. Place the cookies on a microwave safe plate and pop them in the microwave for about 10 to 3o seconds, depending on how many you are reheating. Typically, one cookie takes about 5 to 8 seconds, no more than 10 seconds. It's better to start slow and have to put them back in than it is to light them on fire or burn them.
2. Remove them from the microwave.
3. Cool slightly.
4. Serve.

Oven Method:

The cleanup is a pain when using the oven, unless you are doing a large batch.  You can also reheat cookies in the oven, particularly if they are undercooked.

1. Turn oven on 350 degrees F and allow it to preheat. Place cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet and place them in the oven. Bake for about 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Remove them from the oven.
3. Cool slightly.
4. Serve.

Air Fryer:

Honestly, air fryers are one of the best ways to reheat any food. I use mine for reheating just about everything.

1. Set your air fryer temperature to 350 degrees F. You can place a small piece of parchment on the bottom or just slide the cookies right into the basket. Bake for about 2 or 3 minutes.
2. Remove from the air fryer.
3. Cool slightly.
4. Serve.

More Chocolate Recipes:

• Chocolate Tacos
• Cherry and Chocolate Chip No Bake Cheesecakes
• Marble Bark with Pistachios and Fleur de Sel
• Chocolate Cheesecake Dip
• Gingerbread Hot Chocolate
• Chocolate Crunch Bites

Places to stalk Cravings of a Lunatic!

Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Pinterest

Instagram ~ YouTube ~ Kiss My Smoke

Thanks for visiting today!

Check out my recipe index for more amazing recipes. Not only can find more cookie recipes but also tons of dessert recipes.

After that, please take a minute to follow me on Pinterest. I’m always pinning great recipes as well as fun DIY projects.

Lastly, be sure to follow me on Instagram. It’s actually a great way to stay up to date on all the latest and greatest blog recipes.

Toodles! xx