For Christmas my family gifted me a jar of pistachio butter. It was much sweeter than other nut butters — almost too sweet to enjoy straight from the jar — so I decided to use it as an ingredient. The result: pistachio butter cookies. They turned out so well I’ll be buying another jar.
Texture and Flavor
These cookies have a remarkable texture: slightly crisp at the edges and chewy inside, with a subtle crackle or melt-in-your-mouth quality. It’s a unique sensation you don’t always get with a typical butter cookie. The pistachio flavor is present but not overpowering — the cookies lean toward vanilla and buttery notes with sweet pockets from the chocolate chunks used. If you want a more pronounced pistachio taste, try adding a small amount of pistachio extract or using a pistachio butter with a stronger nut concentration.
CAMPO D’ORO Pistachio Butter
I used CAMPO D’ORO pistachio butter for these cookies. Compared to some other brands, it’s on the sweeter side, with more sugar and a slightly lighter pistachio intensity. That candy-like sweetness works nicely in desserts and brings a bit of Sicilian-style richness. My jar came from a local Italian market, though availability varies by store. If someone in your family enjoys baking, a jar of this pistachio butter makes a thoughtful gift — provided there are no nut allergies.
Pistachio Butter Cookies Add-Ins
I didn’t have shelled pistachios on hand, so I used a mix of white chocolate, dark chocolate, and macadamia nuts. The dough is very adaptable and will accept most add-ins you prefer — chocolate chips, chopped nuts, dried cherries, or even toffee bits. In the photos you can see variations: one cookie with dark chocolate and macadamias, another with white chocolate chunks. Cherries would be excellent here, too, if you have them.
- Chocolate Pistachio Thins
- Small Batch Pistachio Pudding Dessert
- Pistachio Cherry Chocolate Chip Bars
- Pistachio Coconut Corn Flake Cookies
- Pistachio Pudding Mix Scones
Recipe
Pistachio Butter Cookies With White Chocolate or Dark
Anna
Pin Recipe
15 mins
15 mins
20 mins
24 cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted or salted butter, softened (114 grams)
- ½ cup pistachio butter (smooth or slightly textured) (130 grams)
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed (150 grams)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar (65 grams)
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt (increase to ¾ tsp if using unsalted butter)
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (220 grams)
- 1 ¼ cups semisweet or dark chocolate chips, or chunks of white or dark chocolate (200 grams)
- Optional: chopped pistachios or flaky salt for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, or wait to line them if you plan to chill the dough first.
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together the butter, pistachio butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
- Add the egg, the yolk, and vanilla; beat on high for another minute.
- Add baking soda, baking powder, and salt; beat until evenly combined, scraping the bowl as needed.
- Add the flour and mix by hand or on low speed until just combined.
- Fold in chocolate and any other add-ins you like (nuts, dried fruit, etc.).
- Using a medium cookie scoop, portion dough into balls and arrange them on a plate. Cover and chill overnight for best flavor, or bake immediately if short on time. Chilled dough deepens the flavor, while room-temperature dough spreads into prettier cookies.
- Bake 12–14 minutes, until edges are golden and centers still look slightly soft. Transfer to a rack after letting cool on the sheet for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with flaky salt if desired.
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