Pistachio White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chewy cookies with pistachio nuts and white chocolate chips. Make them once and you'll be hooked.

By
Garrett McCord
Garrett McCord
Garrett McCord
Garrett has been writing about food and sharing recipes for 15 years. He is the author of Melt: The Art of Macaroni and Cheese.
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Updated June 09, 2022
Garrett McCord
Pistachio White Chocolate Cookies
Elise Bauer

This Pistachio White Chocolate Cookie recipe makes delicious use of pistachios, pairing them with white chocolate (or dark, should you so prefer).

The recipe is adapted from one in the Sacramento Bee by Jane Dewey, the wife of a local pistachio farmer. I tweaked the recipe a bit from the original. I prefer using a brick of white chocolate and chopping it into chunks for a more rustic look, but white chocolate chips will do just fine. I also reduced the butter and used kosher salt which gives a spark of contrast to the cookies' sweetness.

Super chewy and amazingly good, I promise these cookies are keepers!

By the way, almost all of the pistachios grown in America are produced right here in California (we’re a lucky state, we are). It’s a surprisingly labor intensive crop that requires a lot of attention for yields that can greatly differ from year to year.

The crop is relatively new to the U.S.; up until 1976, almost all of the pistachios were imported from Iran until President Carter placed an embargo on the country.

It was then California farmers started to plant the first pistachio trees here in America. Nowadays we can get pistachios from any local market and use their rich, mellow flavors as we please.

Pistachio White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 10 mins
Total Time 30 mins
Servings 72 servings
Yield 72 cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

  • 1 cup white sugar

  • 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed

  • 2 large eggs

  • 2 tablespoons milk

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  • 2 1/2 cups flour

  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt (can sub table salt)

  • 1 cup rolled oats

  • 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped pistachios, raw and unsalted

  • 1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips

Method

  1. Preheat the oven:

    Set the oven to 350°F.

  2. Combine the butter and sugars:

    Beat together the butter and sugars on high speed for 3 minutes.

  3. Add the eggs, milk, and vanilla:

    Add the eggs, milk and vanilla extract, and beat for 3 minutes, being sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure even mixing.

  4. Combine the dry ingredients, add to wet:

    In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and rolled oats. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture slowly, being sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl once or twice to ensure even mixing.

  5. Add the nuts and chocolate:

    Fold in the pistachios and white chocolate chips.

  6. Form the cookies:

    Drop heaping teaspoonfuls onto parchment lined cookie sheets.

    Add an extra pistachio or two on top of each bit of dough for decoration if desired.

  7. Bake:

    Bake at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to set up on the cookie sheets before moving to a baking rack to cool completely.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
100 Calories
5g Fat
12g Carbs
2g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 72
Amount per serving
Calories 100
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5g 7%
Saturated Fat 2g 12%
Cholesterol 13mg 4%
Sodium 60mg 3%
Total Carbohydrate 12g 4%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 8g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 0mg 1%
Calcium 19mg 1%
Iron 0mg 2%
Potassium 54mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.