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3 Amazing Irresistible Pistachio Cream Cookies

If you’re tired of the same old chocolate chip routine, trust me, we need to talk about pistachio! There is something so elegant and just *different* about baking with that beautiful green nut. It’s a subtle flavor, almost earthy and sweet, and when you get it just right, it’s pure magic.

I spent way too many attempts trying to get the texture perfect on these cookies. Too much flour, they crumble; too little paste, and they taste bland. But I finally nailed it! This is the ultimate Irresistible Pistachio Cream Cookies Recipe To Try Today because they bake up beautifully soft in the center but hold their shape perfectly. That first bite, where the slightly sweet dough meets that delicate pistachio flavor and then that snowy dusting of powdered sugar? Heaven. You have to try these immediately!

Gather Your Ingredients for This Irresistible Pistachio Cream Cookies Recipe To Try Today

Okay, don’t panic when you look at the list! We’re actually using pretty standard stuff, but the star here is that pistachio paste. Make sure your butter is softened—this is crucial for getting that fluffy base later. Baking is chemistry, even for an easy cookie like this! You can see my favorite carrot cake cookie recipe for comparison if you want more baking tips, but for these, just stick to the measurements!

Dry Ingredients for the Irresistible Pistachio Cream Cookies Recipe To Try Today

We keep this simple so the pistachio flavor really shines through.

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients and Flavor Components for Your Irresistible Pistachio Cream Cookies Recipe To Try Today

This is where the magic happens! Make sure that butter is soft, but not melty. And your egg should be at room temperature; it mixes in much better that way, trust me.

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, nice and softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup pistachio paste (this is your flavor powerhouse!)

Finishing Touches for the Irresistible Pistachio Cream Cookies Recipe To Try Today

This last ingredient gives us that signature, melt-in-your-mouth finish. Don’t skip this dusting step!

  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar (for dusting after they cool)

Step-by-Step Instructions for Your Irresistible Pistachio Cream Cookies Recipe To Try Today

Alright, let’s get baking! This recipe comes together super fast, which I love. But you still need to pay attention during the mixing stages to get that perfect texture. Don’t rush the creaming step; that’s where we build the structure!

Preparing the Oven and Pans for the Irresistible Pistachio Cream Cookies Recipe To Try Today

First things first, get that oven preheated! We want it nice and steady at 350°F (175°C). Seriously, always preheat while you start mixing so it’s ready when your dough is. Line your normal cookie sheets with parchment paper. This makes cleanup a breeze and guarantees the bottoms don’t stick or brown too fast. I learned that lesson the hard way!

Mixing the Wet Base for Irresistible Pistachio Cream Cookies Recipe To Try Today

Grab your big mixing bowl. You need to cream together that softened butter and granulated sugar. I mean *cream* it—beat it until the mixture is noticeably lighter in color and looks fluffy, like soft clouds. Then, add your egg and that vanilla extract. Mix just until everything comes together smoothly. Don’t overbeat it once that egg goes in!

Combining Dry Ingredients for the Irresistible Pistachio Cream Cookies Recipe To Try Today

While the wet stuff is chilling out for a sec, grab another bowl. Whisk together your flour, baking soda, and salt. Whisking is important because it evenly distributes the leavening agent (the baking soda), so you don’t end up with one cookie that puffs up like a balloon and another that stays flat.

Incorporating Flavor and Forming the Dough for Your Irresistible Pistachio Cream Cookies Recipe To Try Today

Now, we mix! Gradually add those dry ingredients into your wet base. Mix slowly until they are *just* combined. I mean it—stop mixing as soon as the flour streak disappears. If you mix too much now, those cookies will be tough! Then, fold in that gorgeous pistachio paste. Make sure it’s folded evenly all the way through so every cookie gets that great flavor.

Baking and Cooling Your Irresistible Pistachio Cream Cookies Recipe To Try Today

Use a spoon or a small cookie scoop—I shoot for rounded tablespoons, spacing them about 2 inches apart on the lined sheet. Pop them in the hot oven for 10 to 12 minutes. You are looking for edges that just barely start to look golden brown. When they come out, let them hang out right on the hot baking sheet for about 5 minutes. This resting period lets them set up. Then, very carefully, slide them onto a wire rack to cool totally. Once they’re cool, you can make a mess dusting them with powdered sugar. You can find more tips on making perfect cookies, like these button cookies, over on my other page!

A stack of soft, pale green Pistachio Cream Cookies on a white plate, one cookie broken open to show the chewy interior.

Tips for Success with Your Irresistible Pistachio Cream Cookies Recipe To Try Today

Baking this cookie is easy, but getting that authentic, deep pistachio flavor—that takes a tiny bit of insider knowledge! My best tip is about boosting that flavor. If you roast a handful of raw pistachios and then chop them finely to fold into the dough along with the paste, wow, the depth is incredible. It gives you little pockets of intense nutty goodness.

Also, don’t forget our little trick from the notes! If you ever run out of vanilla or just want a slight twist, swap it out for almond extract. Seriously, almond and pistachio play so well together; it gives the cookie an almost marzipan-like warmth. For serving, these are fantastic alongside my recipe for Pistachio Wedding Cookies if you’re making a big spread, but honestly, they’re perfect all on their own with a strong cup of coffee. It’s all about keeping that dough cool before baking!

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions for Irresistible Pistachio Cream Cookies Recipe To Try Today

Let’s talk ingredients for a minute, because the quality here truly makes the difference between a good cookie and an irresistible one. When sourcing your pistachio paste, look for one that is labeled specifically for baking or pastry making. Often, the bright green colors you see in some tubs are artificially enhanced, but the flavor is what matters most. I usually buy mine from a specialty baking supplier, and I find the unsweetened versions work best since we are already adding a full cup of granulated sugar.

If you can only find sweetened paste, you might want to reduce the granulated sugar in the main recipe by about two tablespoons. Just taste the dough before you fold in the flour if you’re unsure! Also, I cannot stress this enough: room temperature butter and egg are non-negotiable friends when you are trying to achieve that light, fluffy base texture. Cold butter won’t cream properly, meaning you won’t incorporate enough air, and that leaves you with dense, heavy cookies instead of the soft ones we are after. It’s worth the extra thirty minutes to let them sit on the counter!

If you want to try branching out like I did when I made a batch for my friend’s birthday, think about swapping that vanilla extract for almond extract. It gives these Pistachio Cream Cookies a beautifully sophisticated, almost nutty aroma that I just love. If you ever get a chance to try those other pistachio wedding cookies I posted last year, notice how the almond note changes the whole profile!

A stack of soft, pale green Irresistible Pistachio Cream Cookies, with one cookie broken in half showing the moist interior.

Storage and Reheating Instructions for Your Irresistible Pistachio Cream Cookies Recipe To Try Today

These cookies are almost too good to save, but if you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, keeping them fresh is key! They really are best the day they are baked, that soft center and sugary surface are just perfect right out of the cooling rack. But they hold up surprisingly well if you treat them right.

For short-term storage, never just toss them in a container. They need an airtight container, obviously, but here’s the sticky part: the powdered sugar. If you dust them right away and then seal them up, that sugar will get damp and melt into a sticky glaze after a day or two, which isn’t what we want for these cream cookies. So, my rule is: store the cooled, un-dusted cookies in your airtight container at room temperature for up to four days. Then, dust them with that powdered sugar right before you serve them! It keeps that beautiful, snowy look.

If you need to keep them longer, freezing is your friend! You can totally freeze the dough balls—just pop them on a parchment-lined tray, freeze until solid, and then toss them into a heavy-duty freezer bag. They taste great baked straight from frozen, just add an extra minute or two to the baking time. If you have baked cookies you want to freeze, do that dusting *after* you thaw them. Thawing is best done slowly on the counter so the sugar doesn’t sweat when it hits room temperature. These easy cleanup cookies, similar to my button cookies, reheat beautifully in the microwave for about 8 seconds if they’ve been sitting out a while—it just softens that butter right back up!

Serving Suggestions for Your Irresistible Pistachio Cream Cookies Recipe To Try Today

Once these beauties are baked and dusted, the true joy begins: serving them up! Because pistachio has such a sophisticated, slightly savory-sweet profile, they pair wonderfully with things that aren’t overly sweet. They don’t need a lot of help, but sometimes a little companion beverage just makes everything better.

My absolute go-to is a strong, dark-roast coffee. The slight bitterness cuts through the richness of the butter and the sweetness of the sugar and that snowy topping perfectly. It creates this amazing balance in your mouth, so you can eat three cookies instead of just one—don’t worry, I’ve tested this extensively!

If you prefer tea, go for something earthy rather than floral. A nice Earl Grey or even a slightly smoky Lapsang Souchong works beautifully against the nut base. But honestly, these cookies shine brightest when they are the star of their own show, maybe setting them out on a platter next to a slice of my Vanilla Bean Pistachio Cake for a truly epic dessert spread. That cake is dense, so these little, soft cookies offer a delightful textural contrast.

A stack of soft, pale green Pistachio Cream Cookies on a white plate, with one cookie broken open.

For parties, I always place a tiny mint leaf right on top of the powdered sugar dusting before setting them out. It’s optional, of course, but that pop of green gives them such a festive look, and the slight mint scent right as someone picks one up is just divine. They fly off the plate every single time!

Frequently Asked Questions About the Irresistible Pistachio Cream Cookies Recipe To Try Today

Can I use pistachio pudding mix instead of pistachio paste?

Oh, I get this question a lot! Pudding mix is super tempting because it’s easy to find, but it won’t give you the same depth of flavor or that wonderful dense texture we are aiming for in these cream cookies. Pudding mix usually contains a lot of starch and artificial flavoring. If you absolutely must substitute, you could try replacing maybe half the paste with pudding mix, but you’ll likely need to decrease your flour slightly because the mix adds some dry bulk. For the *best* results, please stick to the actual paste for that true, irresistible pistachio flavor!

How long do these pistachio cream cookies stay fresh?

Since these are softer cookies with high fat content, they are best eaten within three days. As I mentioned before, keep them in an airtight container, but don’t dust them with the powdered sugar until right before you serve them if you plan on keeping them for several days. If you wait to dust them, they’ll stay softer for longer. If you want them perfect, eat them the day you bake them—that’s usually my strategy!

Can I freeze the dough for these easy cookies?

Yes, freezing the dough is brilliant, especially if you want warm, fresh cookies on demand! Roll your dough into balls just like you would for baking, place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and freeze them solid—about an hour or two. Once they are rock hard, transfer those chilled dough balls into a heavy-duty freezer bag. They last great for up to three months. Just pull them off the tray and bake them straight from frozen, but remember to add a minute or two to the baking time we listed in the main instructions.

Why are my cookies spreading too much while baking?

Spread usually happens for two main reasons, and both are easy to fix next time you bake! First, check your butter. If it was too warm or melted when you creamed it with the sugar, the cookies spread out too fast before the structure sets. Second, check your flour measurement. If you scoop the flour directly out of the bag with your measuring cup, you pack too much in, which throws off the balance. Always use the “spoon and level” method for flour, or better yet, weigh it! A slightly thicker dough, like the one you’d see in my carrot cake recipe, spreads less.

Estimated Nutritional Information for This Irresistible Pistachio Cream Cookies Recipe To Try Today

Now, I know we bake these because they taste absolutely heavenly, not because they are diet food, right? But for those of you who track things, I pulled together the estimated nutritional breakdown based on the standard ingredients and measurements we used here. It’s always good to have a general idea!

Keep in mind that since we aren’t using exact brand weights or the precise fat content of the specific pistachio paste you buy, these numbers are really just a guideline. Think of them as the closest estimate we can get based on typical pantry staples. This recipe makes about 24 cookies, and the serving size is just one little delicious treat.

  • Serving Size: 1 cookie
  • Calories: 180
  • Sugar: 15g
  • Fat: 10g (including about 6g saturated fat)
  • Carbohydrates: 22g
  • Protein: 2g
  • Sodium: 50mg
  • Cholesterol: 30mg

If you’re worried about the sugar, remember that the powdered sugar dusting is totally optional, though I highly recommend it for the texture! Also, choosing a less sweet pistachio paste can shave a few grams off that sugar count. But honestly, the joy of biting into an Irresistible Pistachio Cream Cookie cancels out all nutritional worries for about five seconds, and that’s a trade I’ll take every time!

Share Your Irresistible Pistachio Cream Cookies Recipe To Try Today Creations

Okay, you’ve baked them, they look beautiful, and you’ve already eaten half the batch—now I want to see them! Honestly, seeing your creations is the best part of sharing these recipes. I love seeing how everyone’s cookies turn out!

Please take a picture of your perfect little snowy mounds and tag me on social media! I always check the tags because I’m so nosy about how your kitchen experiments went. Did you add the chopped nuts? Did you use almond extract instead of vanilla? Let me know what twists you tried on this Irresistible Pistachio Cream Cookies Recipe To Try Today.

And if you thought these were good, please do me a giant favor and leave a star rating right below this section. Five stars makes my day! If you only gave it three, tell me why in the comments so I can try to improve the recipe for the next batch. Did your edges brown too fast? Did they spread too much? Your feedback helps me troubleshoot for everyone else!

If you run into any weird issues or just have a burning question about baking in general after trying this, don’t hesitate to reach out through my contact page. I read every single message, even if it takes me a minute to reply!

Enjoy those cookies, my friend. They truly are something special!

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A stack of soft, pale green Irresistible Pistachio Cream Cookies, with one cookie broken in half showing the creamy interior.

Pistachio Cream Cookies


  • Author: recipebychefs.com
  • Total Time: 32 min
  • Yield: 24 cookies 1x
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

A recipe for making pistachio cream cookies.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup pistachio paste
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar (for dusting)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
  3. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until combined.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
  5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
  6. Fold in the pistachio paste until evenly distributed.
  7. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
  8. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
  9. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  10. Once cool, dust the cookies with powdered sugar.

Notes

  • You can substitute almond extract for vanilla for a different flavor profile.
  • For a stronger pistachio flavor, add 1 tablespoon of finely chopped pistachios to the dough.
  • Prep Time: 20 min
  • Cook Time: 12 min
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cookie
  • Calories: 180
  • Sugar: 15g
  • Sodium: 50mg
  • Fat: 10g
  • Saturated Fat: 6g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 4g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 22g
  • Fiber: 1g
  • Protein: 2g
  • Cholesterol: 30mg

Keywords: pistachio cookies, cream cookies, pistachio dessert, easy cookies, baked goods

Recipe rating