Salted Pistachio Chocolate Chip Cookies

Allow me to introduce you to one of my favorite cookie recipes – Salted Pistachio Chocolate Chip Cookies. Big, gooey cookies loaded with dark chocolate and crunchy, whole roasted pistachios. Topped off with a sprinkle of sea salt flakes, these are pure heaven.

Reasons to love these cookies

• The best flavor combo. Buttery salted pistachios play beautifully against gooey dark chocolate and big flakes of crunchy sea salt.
• Soft and chewy center. Cooked until golden around the edges but still fudgy in the middle. The ideal cookie texture.
• Crowd favorite. These cookies check all the boxes – taste, texture, and visual appeal. Ready for gifting or sharing with your favorite people.
• Pantry ingredients. You probably have all these ingredients in your pantry already (with the exception of maybe the pistachios).
• Simple one-bowl method. Because we’re working with melted butter for these cookies, everything can be easily mixed by hand in one bowl in just a few minutes. Plus, no need to chill the dough!

How to make pistachio chocolate chip cookies

For full instructions and ingredient measurements, scroll to the recipe card below. Here’s a quick overview on how to make these cookies:

1. Melt butter in a saucepan and allow it to cool slightly.
2. Mix wet ingredients: Stir in brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth, then beat in eggs one at a time and add vanilla.
3. Combine dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, and salt. Fold gently into the wet mixture just until combined.
4. Add mix‑ins: Fold in dark chocolate chips and roasted salted pistachios.
5. Shape cookies: Scoop about 3 Tbsp dough per cookie onto parchment‑lined trays, spacing about 2″ apart.
6. Bake at 350 °F until edges are golden but centers are still soft, about 9–11 minutes.
7. Finish: Immediately sprinkle with flakey sea salt as they come out of the oven.
8. Cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Bakery-secret cookie tips

I’ve worked at dozens of restaurants and bakeries and made thousands of cookies in my lifetime. These are the top tips I’ve learned for making the best-ever chocolate chip cookies.

Combine butter & sugar well. Whisk melted butter and sugars until the mixture comes together completely and the butter no longer separates. 

Use melted butter. Melted butter gives a tender, crinkly edge and chewy center – just be sure to let it cool slightly before adding the eggs in.

Choose good quality mix‑ins. Use roasted and salted pistachios for full flavor and ultimate salty-sweet goodness. Dark or semisweet chocolate chips ensure a rich contrast. This is a time where choosing higher quality ingredients will make a difference! I love Ghirardelli 60% dark chocolate chips.

Flatten before baking. Press down lightly on cookies before baking to ensure they spread nicely. I use my hand to do this, but you can also use the bottom of a measuring cup.

Bang the pan. You may have heard of the “pan banging method” that went viral on social media a few years ago. A brilliant pastry chef taught me this in my early baking days. When the cookies are about halfway through baking, rotate the sheet pan in the oven and bang it down hard against the oven rack a couple of times. The cookies will fall slightly, leading to more fudgy cookies rather than tall, cakey cookies.

Don’t skip the sea salt. Sprinkling flakey salt on top of these cookies as they come out of the oven brings that final layer of contrast that makes these cookies stand above the rest. I always have Maldon sea salt flakes in my cupboard. Other good options are fleur de sel and Jacobsen pure flake sea salt.

Watch baking time. The edges should be golden brown, but I recommend you pull the cookies out of the oven while the centers are still slightly underbaked. The cookies will continue to bake just a touch while setting. Pulling them a little bit early will ensure that chewy, gooey cookie center.

Substitutions & variations

Nut swaps: Pecans, walnuts, and peanuts are excellent alternatives. Use roasted and salted for similar texture and flavor.

Chocolate swap: Use your favorite chocolate chips for this recipe or try a combination of chocolates. Chopped dark chocolate and cacao nibs would also be excellent in this recipe.

Flavor add-ins: Try adding a pinch of cardamom or some orange zest for a fun flavor boost.

Serving and storage suggestions

Serve fresh-out-of-the-oven cookies while warm for melty chocolate and crispy edges.

Storage: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

Freezing dough or baked cookies:

Cookie dough: Scoop into balls and place (not touching) on a baking sheet. Freeze tray, then place cookie dough balls in a freezer bag. Bake from frozen (cookies may need an additional minute to bake). Cookie dough will keep in the freezer for several months.

Baked cookies: Freeze in a single layer in a sealed container, then transfer to a freezer bag. Thaw at room temperature or enjoy frozen!

More fun cookie recipes to try:

• Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookie Cups
• Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Blondies
• Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Black Sesame Swirl Cookies
• Trail Mix Cookies