The Vantage Kitchen

straight from my personal cookbook.

[
[
[

]
]
]

Salted Dark Chocolate Chunk Pistachio Cookies

salted dark chocolate chunk pistachio cookies

makes

15 cookies

Prep time

30 minutes

chill time

2+ hours

bake time

12-15 minutes

These dark chocolate pistachio cookies are the perfect mix of sweet and salty, with just a hint of bitterness from the dark chocolate. The baking soda makes them spread out instead of rising, and when you bake them at 375°C, you get these nice, crispy edges while keeping the center chewy. The key to getting the right texture is chilling the dough in the fridge for at least 2 hours before popping them in the oven. I baked these for my holiday cookie boxes last year, and since everyone kept asking for the recipe, I figured I would make it my first post!

Note: I included the cup measurements in this recipe, but I highly recommend weighing ingredients! Measuring by weight is more accurate and more consistent. Plus, you won’t have to dirty a measuring cup.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup (60g) roasted, salted pistachios (de-shelled) + extra for topping
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 7 tbsp salted butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (110g) packed light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp almond extract
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 cup + 2 tbsp (160g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp matcha powder, for color (optional)
  • 1 cup (5oz) 72% cacao dark chocolate bar chunks
  • Flaky salt, for topping

Directions

  1. Prepare the Pistachio Paste:
    • Use a blender or a food processor to pulverize 60g de-shelled pistachios until finely ground.
    • Add 1 tbsp olive oil to form a course paste. It should look a little dry and crumbly. Don’t be tempted to add more oil, it will cause the cookies to turn out flat. Note: if you double the recipe, don’t double the oil here. Just add until the paste forms.
  2. Make the Dough:
    • eat 7 tbsp room temperature butter with 110g light brown sugar and 50g granulated sugar until pale and fluffy.
    • Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
    • Beat in the egg.
    • Beat in 1/2 tsp vanilla extract.
    • Beat in 1/4 tsp almond extract.
    • Beat in pistachio paste.
    • Again, use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl and make sure all ingredients are fully incorporated.
    • In a separate bowl, mix 160g all-purpose flour, 1 tsp matcha powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, and 1/4 tsp salt. Whisk to combine.
    • Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture in thirds, fully incorporating with a spatula in between additions.
    • Coarsely chop dark chocolate bars into jagged chunks. Fold 5oz of the dark chocolate into the cookie dough.
  3. Let Dough Chill: Tightly cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill the dough in the fridge for at least 2 hours. The longer the dough chills, the more flavor will develop. If time allows, chilling for 24 hours is best.
  4. Bake:
    • Preheat oven to 375oF.
    • Line cookie sheets with parchment.
    • Scoop 1 ounce dough balls and place them onto cookie sheets about 3 inches apart.
    • Sprinkle with extra chopped pistachios.
    • Bake until golden around edges. My oven takes about 12-15 minutes, but try a single test cookie for your oven before baking the full batch!
  5. Garnish and Serve:
    • Remove pan from oven and allow pan to cool for a couple of minutes before individually transferring the cookies to the wire rack.
    • While still warm, sprinkle the cookies with flaky sea salt and the extra chopped pistachios to finish.

Note: These cookies can be stored in an airtight container and stay on your counter for up to 5 days. If you want to make these cookies in large batches or far in advance for an event, it’s best to freeze the formed dough balls for up to two months. After freezing, let the cookies thaw at room temperature before following the baking instructions above.