The prettiest green cookies EVER! Super soft and chewy, these Pistachio and White Chocolate Pudding Cookies are perfect for Easter and St. Patrick’s Day! No one can eat just one!
Love cookies? Me too! Try these favorites: Chocolate Crinkle Cookies, Coconut Macaroons and Peanut Butter Blossoms!
Does anyone else have an obsession with pistachios that I don’t know about? I was never that into pistachios growing up. My little sister Ashley was a totally different story. I can remember her getting bags of pistachios as presents and her being THRILLED. She also would choose to eat my Nana’s stewed tomatoes over ice cream any day of the week.
Weirdo.
But now I’ve totally come around to pistachios and I can’t get enough of them. I always have a bag tucked away for snacking on and that brilliant green color that peeks out from their shells always gives me a thrill.
I’m not a pistachio snob though. I’ll take it anyway I can get it and pistachio pudding mix is one of my faves.
It adds the prettiest green color as well as fantastic flavor to so many great recipes. I don’t know a single person that wouldn’t turn down a bowl of Pistachio Fluff and likewise with these cookies, no one can resist.
Incredibly soft, these cookies are perfectly chewy and just melt in your mouth. Studded with white chocolate chips ad chopped pistachios, they are just as pretty as can be.
This recipe makes about two dozen and I’m a little ashamed and embarrassed to say that a full dozen had disappeared by the time Chris got home from work.
I blame the boys.
The white chocolate chips add the perfect touch of sweetness to these cookies and complement the pistachio flavor beautifully. I couldn’t resist adding in some “real” pistachios to the mix because I love a little crunch in my cookies. You do too, right?
Trish’s Tips and Tricks
So here’s a couple tricks you’ll want to use to get the perfect cookie:
- Use clear vanilla extract if you can find it. Regular vanilla can make the pretty pistachio green color turn brownish.
- Make sure to refrigerate the dough. If you want a super thick cookie, bake at 350F for about 8 or 9 minutes. For a more traditional looking cookie bake at 325F for 11 to 14 minutes. I made them both ways and preferred the look of the cookies at 325F.
- I made these cookies three times before figuring out that as much as I love brown sugar, I had to drastically reduce the amount for the same reason as I needed to use the clear vanilla extract – it negatively impacts the color of the cookies. Don’t freak out when you see I only use 1/4 cup 🙂
- White chocolate chips tend to turn brown when baked in the oven. When you’re scooping your cookie dough keep those white chips inside the cookie dough. You can always add a few to the top when you pull them out of the oven.
More Cookies To Try
- Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
- No Bake Cookies
- Almond Joy Cookies
- Toffee Butter Icebox Cookies
- Funfetti Cake Mix Cookies
How To Make Pistachio Pudding Cookies
Pistachio and White Chocolate Pudding Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ⅔ cups all purpose flour
- 3.4 ounces instant pistachio pudding mix 1 box
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
- 1 egg room temperature
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- ½ cup chopped pistachios
- green or blue food color optional
Instructions
- Whisk together flour, pudding mix, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- Cream sugars and butter together until light and fluffy.
- Add in egg and vanilla and beat until well blended.
- Gradually stir in dry ingredients. Add food color if desired for a deeper green.
- Fold in chocolate chips and pistachios. Refrigerate dough for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- Line cookie sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease.
- Scoop out rounded tablespoons of cookie dough and place on prepared cookie sheet.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes or just until they are set. If you see any brown, pull them out.
- Remove from oven gently press a few white chocolate chips into the top of each cookie.
- Let cool on baking sheet for several minutes before moving to a rack.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Frannie says
How do these cookies come out when you use gluten free flour. What is the best brand of gluten-free flour to use for baking cookies?
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I don’t use gluten free flour so I’m not the best person to ask. My guess would be to buy one that is a 1:1. I’ve heard King Arthur makes a good one!
Lori says
What do you think of using almond extract instead of vanilla?
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I think YES! But then again, I am a big lover of almond extract 🙂 Honestly, I think it will be delicious!
Jen D says
Just want to say thank you! I’m a novice baker and these are so easy with your clear instructions and tips. I’ve made these for two years now and they are our favorite cookies—not too sweet, a little salty and kinda marshmallowy flavor—ymmmm!
I made a chunky version with dried cranberries, white chocolate chips and nuts. People like them and they are festive for the holidays (green, red and white). But I like them with just white chocolate chips the best.
I make them small and only bake for 7 minutes at 325 ( my oven runs hot). I also use the clear vanilla extract (found it at Michaels). I refrigerate the batter and then pat them into balls and bake them.
Best pistachio cookie recipe out there! Thanks!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thank you so much Jen! We love these cookies so much too!
Heather says
I use almond extract instead of vanilla extract. Most almond extract comes clear so you don’t have the discoloration problem and the almond really compliments the pistachios.
Holly says
These turned out PERFECT for me. My dough was not sticky or dry or crumbly. They are so delicious and a huge hit!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thanks Holly! We love these cookies!
Kelly Chelten says
I am currently making these for a cookie swap tomorrow…yes, I am the Queen of procrastination! At first, I thought I would have issues because the dough IS VERY crumbly…even after refrigerating for the suggested 30+ minutes. I ended up using a tablespoon and then forming small balls in my hands, using the warmth of my hands to make it all stick together. I also had to flatten them with a spoon or fork (your choice), so that they wouldn’t be under cooked and “doughy”. I took the advice of an earlier poster and cooked them at 425 for 14 minutes and they came out perfect! I topped each cookie with an additional 2 white chocolate chip while they were cooling. Perfect! Tastes more like a sugar cookie with a hint of pistachio, but I am confident they will be a hit tomorrow. Thanks for the recipe and I hope you don’t mind if I share on my blog…with giving you full credit of course!
Kenna says
I made these and they turned out great! I just wanted to say thank you for the clear instructions. The first batch got a little brown even though I checked on them at 10 minutes in the oven. It is probably because I made the cookies very small. So I recommend 8 minutes in the oven if making small cookies. Take them out when they still look pretty wet and before they brown. They dry up quickly on the cookie sheet. I added a little red sugar to the top before baking to give them a festive look, and a few white chocolate chips immediately after baking to make them look even more delicious. Unfortunately I couldn’t find unsalted pistachios anywhere so I did not add those. (But I recently saw them at Trader Joe’s for those who are looking.)
Oh, and I doubled the recipe and put the batter in the fridge overnight (make sure to cover it with tin foil or something.) Thanks again!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thanks Kenna! Loving all your tips!
Lexie Rae says
Please help they are delicious but my cookies came out cracked on top not flat people said because my dough was too dry by hey I measured all correctly and did step by step well I didn’t chill dough for full thirty but still all cookies came out cracked on top pretty but I still want flat cookies I rolled them into balls before baking don’t know if that’s the reason
jen says
My cooking/baking level is somewhere between novice and apprentice. I have to tell you, your recipe was wonderful. I managed to make these cookies by following your directions and they came out perfect! The kicker is, they taste even better than I had hoped! Thank you so much 😀
Kat says
Hi, I used hazelnuts and mini choc. kisses instead of the pistachios and white chocolate only because I was too lazy to go to the store. Otherwise went by the recipe. My husband and son both loved them. Thank you!
Gina says
These are absolutely amazing. Some of the best cookies I’ve ever made.
Sophie says
Hello,
Those cookies look fantastic and I really want to try baking them. Though I’m in France where I can’t find the pistachio pudding mix… Can you give me the ingredient for this or an alternative to it?
Thanks a lot,
Sophie
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I wouldn’t know how to recreate a pudding mix Sophie. Can you order from Amazon?
Andrea R. says
I completely forgot to chill the dough. They turned out great, anyway! What would the difference have been had I remembered to refrigerate? Also, I used about 3 drops of green food coloring and substituted 1/2 TSP almond extract, and 1/2 TSP regular vanilla extract. The cookies are very pretty and taste wonderful! ☺
Barbell Bunny says
I made these for a St. Patrick’s activity and they turned out great! They reminded me of a macadamia nut cookie :] I made HUGE cookies, and they were crispy on the permeter and chewy on the inside. Everyone I shared them with loved them. I didn’t have clear vanilla extract, and although they weren’t vibrantly green, they were green enough. I over cooked a few with compromised the color, so be sure to keep an eye on yours. I will definitely make this again and probably half the salt, but otherwise they were fantastic! Thanks for a festive and yummy recipe!
Alisha says
Trish,
A. What’s the minimum amount of time you would suggest refrigerating the dough for?
B. The cookies in the photos look amazing but I saw your comment about the white chips turning brown and keeping them in the dough. Your chips aren’t brown but looked baked in (even at the top of cookie). Did you add chips on top as soon as they came out of oven? If so, did you slightly press them down?
I’m going to make these for Easter tomorrow and add some green icing with the candy eggs on top of a few of them to add to the festive-ness 🙂
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
30 minutes minimum 🙂 I had to go look at the pics again to see what I did lol! For these cookies, I didn’t add chips to the top because plenty of them showed through. BUT, you totally could! Just press very lightly and they will soften and stick to the cookie. Have a wonderful Easter!
Alisha says
Oh, yes, you said 30 min right in the directions! Ok… Thanks so much 🙂 a very happy Easter to you as well!