Description
These Pistachio Pudding Cookies are incredibly soft, chewy, and loaded with chopped pistachios. Made with instant pistachio pudding mix for the most tender texture, they’re easy to make and stay fresh for days. Perfect for holidays, cookie exchanges, or anytime you’re craving a delicious homemade cookie!
Ingredients
For the Cookie Dough:
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened (room temperature is key for proper creaming)
- ¾ cup packed light brown sugar (adds moisture and chewiness)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg (room temperature blends better)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (pure vanilla makes all the difference)
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour (spoon and level for accuracy)
- 1 (3 ounce) package instant pistachio pudding mix (must be instant, not cook-and-serve)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder (gives them that perfect puff)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups shelled chopped pistachios (lightly chopped, not ground)
- 2–3 drops green food coloring, optional (for that pretty pastel green hue)
Optional Add-Ins:
- White chocolate chips (adds sweetness and makes them extra special)
Instructions
Heat your oven to 375°F (190°C). This temperature is perfect for getting soft centers with slightly golden edges. If you’re using multiple baking sheets, position your racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven.
In a large bowl, beat together the softened butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale in color—this usually takes about 3–4 minutes with an electric mixer.
Don’t rush this step! Proper creaming creates air pockets that make your cookies tender. The mixture should look almost like frosting when it’s ready.
Add the egg and vanilla extract to your creamed mixture. Beat on medium speed until everything is just combined and smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
The mixture might look a little separated at first, but keep mixing and it’ll come together beautifully.
Add the all-purpose flour, instant pistachio pudding mix, baking powder, and salt to your wet ingredients. Mix on low speed until the dough just comes together—you should still see a few flour streaks, and that’s okay.
Over-mixing develops gluten, which can make cookies tough instead of tender, so go easy here.
Gently stir in the chopped pistachios and green food coloring (if using) with a spatula or wooden spoon until everything is evenly distributed throughout the dough.
The dough will be thick and slightly sticky—that’s exactly what you want! If you’re adding white chocolate chips, fold them in now too.
Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough per cookie and place them onto an ungreased baking sheet (or one lined with parchment paper), spacing them about 2 inches apart.
They’ll spread just a bit while baking, so give them room to breathe. You should get about 12 cookies per standard baking sheet.
Bake for 9–11 minutes, watching carefully toward the end. The cookies are done when the edges are set and just barely starting to turn golden, but the centers still look slightly soft and underbaked.
Trust me on this—they’ll continue cooking on the hot pan after you remove them from the oven, and this is what keeps them chewy!
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes—they’ll be too soft to move right away and need this time to set up. Then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Use a cookie scoop for uniform size — This ensures all your cookies bake evenly and look professional. A 1-tablespoon scoop is perfect.
- Chill the dough if it’s too sticky — If your kitchen is warm or the dough feels too soft to handle, pop it in the fridge for 15–20 minutes.
- Don’t skip the parchment paper — It prevents sticking and makes cleanup a breeze. Silicone baking mats work great too.
- Rotate your pan halfway through — For the most even baking, rotate your cookie sheet 180 degrees at the 5-minute mark.
- Avoid over-mixing — Once you add the flour, mix just until combined. Over-mixing develops gluten and makes cookies tough.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American