Description
These Pistachio and Chocolate Cookies are rich, nutty, and delightfully indulgent treats featuring a creamy pistachio center surrounded by a chocolate and pistachio studded dough. The cookies combine buttery texture with hints of vanilla and sea salt, creating a perfectly balanced sweet and savory bite that is crispy on the edges and slightly soft in the middle.
Ingredients
Filling
- 120g pistachio cream
Dry Ingredients
- 250g plain flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- ½ tsp fine salt
Wet Ingredients
- 115g unsalted butter, diced and softened
- 110g light brown sugar
- 110g caster sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Add-ins
- 175g dark chocolate (65-75% cocoa solids), roughly chopped
- 75g shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
Topping
- Sea salt flakes for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Prepare Pistachio Cream: Spoon 12 small dollops of pistachio cream onto a small baking tray lined with baking paper. Place the tray in the freezer until the cream is solid to use as a filling in the cookies.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the plain flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and ½ tsp of fine salt to evenly distribute the leavening agents and salt.
- Mix Butter and Sugars: In a separate bowl, use a stand mixer or electric hand mixer to beat the softened butter with light brown sugar and caster sugar for 5 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy. Then add the egg and vanilla extract, beating for an additional 1 minute until fully incorporated.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients and Add-ins: Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture on low speed, mixing until just combined. Fold in the chopped dark chocolate and shelled pistachios, ensuring they are evenly distributed throughout the dough. Cover the dough and refrigerate for several hours or until firm; it can be stored up to three days in advance.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Trays: Heat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan)/Gas mark 4 and line two large baking trays with baking paper.
- Shape Cookies with Filling: Divide the chilled dough into 12 equal portions and roll each into a ball. Remove the frozen pistachio cream dollops from the freezer. Working individually, flatten each dough ball into a disc, place a pistachio cream dollop in the center, and carefully fold the dough edges over the cream, sealing it inside. Gently reshape into a ball. The assembled cookie dough balls can be frozen up to three months and baked directly with an extended baking time.
- Bake Cookies: Arrange the cookies evenly spaced on the prepared trays. Sprinkle each cookie with a pinch of sea salt flakes. Bake in the preheated oven for 16 minutes or until the edges turn golden while the centers remain slightly paler.
- Cool and Store: Remove cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking trays for 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store cookies in a sealed container for up to four days.
Notes
- Freezing the pistachio cream and cookie dough balls ahead of time makes assembling easier and allows for convenient baking later.
- To bake frozen cookie dough balls, increase the baking time by 1-2 minutes to ensure thorough cooking.
- Sea salt flakes enhance the flavor by balancing the sweetness; don’t skip this step for the best taste.
- Ensure pistachio cream is fully frozen before wrapping to avoid melting and dough sogginess.
- The cookies are best enjoyed within four days for optimal freshness and texture.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 16 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Western
