Description
Delight in these Pistachio Cream Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies, featuring a rich, nutty pistachio cream center enveloped in a tender, browned butter chocolate chip cookie dough. These cookies combine the luscious flavors of toasted pistachios and semi-sweet chocolate chips, finished with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt for a perfect treat.
Ingredients
Pistachio Cream Filling
- 430 g homemade or store-bought pistachio cream
Cookie Dough
- 225 g unsalted butter (1 cup)
- 200 g light brown sugar (1 cup)
- 135 g granulated sugar (⅔ cup)
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla paste or extract
- 360 g all purpose flour (2 ¾ cups + 2 Tbsp)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 200 g semi or bittersweet chocolate chips (1 cup) or chopped chocolate bar
- 100 g toasted pistachios, chopped (1/2 cup), plus more for sprinkling
- Flaky sea salt (for sprinkling, optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the pistachio filling: If needed, chill the pistachio cream in the refrigerator for about an hour to make it easier to scoop. Stir well to reincorporate separated oil. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and drop 2-teaspoon (12 grams) dollops of pistachio cream onto the sheet. Freeze these dollops until hardened while you prepare the dough.
- Brown the butter: Cut butter into tablespoons and melt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Swirl frequently and scrape pan sides with a heatproof spatula. Once bubbling slows, watch for it to turn golden with nutty aroma and brown specks. Remove from heat immediately before it burns and pour into a large heatproof bowl, scraping all brown bits.
- Cool the butter: Allow the browned butter to cool for 25-30 minutes until it is no longer warm to touch. Refrigerating can speed this step.
- Make the dough: Using a stand mixer with paddle attachment or hand mixer, beat cooled browned butter with both sugars on medium speed until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla paste or extract until combined.
- Add dry ingredients: On low speed, add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the mixing bowl. Mix until mostly combined; some flour streaks are acceptable.
- Incorporate chocolate and pistachios: Add chocolate chips and chopped toasted pistachios, mixing until evenly distributed and no flour streaks remain. Chill dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 72 hours.
- Preheat oven and prepare baking sheets: Heat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Shape cookies with filling: Allow chilled dough to warm for 15 minutes to ease scooping. Keep pistachio cream frozen. Scoop 1 ½ tablespoon (approx. 30 g) of dough and flatten into a disk. Place one frozen pistachio cream ball in the center and fold dough over completely, sealing the filling inside. Roll into an even ball and arrange on parchment-lined sheet. Repeat with remaining dough and pistachio cream balls.
- Freeze cookie balls: Freeze the assembled cookie dough balls on the tray for at least 15 minutes to firm up before baking.
- Bake cookies: Transfer half of the dough balls to the other lined baking sheet, spacing cookies at least 2 inches apart. Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until edges just start to turn golden brown.
- Finish and cool: Immediately after baking, sprinkle cookies with flaky sea salt and additional pistachio crumbs if desired. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for two minutes, then move to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.
Notes
- Chilling pistachio cream makes it easier to handle for stuffing.
- Browned butter adds a nutty depth of flavor to the cookie dough.
- Dough can be chilled up to 72 hours for enhanced flavor and texture.
- Freezing cookie balls before baking helps maintain shape and prevent filling leakage.
- Sprinkling with flaky sea salt balances sweetness and enhances pistachio flavor.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 14 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
