Intro
Hi, I am Dulcia. These Sparkling Pistachio Cookies are a buttery, delicate cookie rolled in coarse sparkling sugar and extra chopped pistachios for crunch and shine. I love how simple ingredients create a cookie that feels special for gifting or teatime.
Origins
Pistachio cookies are inspired by Mediterranean and Middle Eastern uses of pistachio nuts, where pistachios appear in both sweets and savory dishes. For basic background on pistachios, see Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pistachio. For general guidance on nuts and nutrition, the USDA has helpful resources: https://www.usda.gov.
I often pair these cookies with other small sweets on my site, like my cheesecake experiments at https://www.dulciarecipes.com/philadelphia-cheesecake-filling/ and richer treats such as https://www.dulciarecipes.com/cinnamon-roll-cheesecake/.
Ingredients
- 16 tablespoons (226g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2/3 cup (75g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons King Arthur Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 teaspoon almond emulsion or almond extract
- 3/4 teaspoon table salt
- 1 cup (120g) pistachios, raw, unsalted, shelled, very finely chopped
- 2 cups (240g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour or King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour
- 6 tablespoons (86g) coarse sparkling sugar
- 3 tablespoons (23g) pistachios, raw, unsalted, shelled, very finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F with racks in the upper and lower third. Line two baking sheets with parchment or lightly grease.
- To make the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater or working in a large bowl with a dough whisk or flexible spatula, beat together the butter, sugar, vanilla, almond flavoring, and salt until smooth and well combined.
- Add the pistachios and mix to combine, then stir in the flour until no dry streaks remain.
- Use a spoon or a tablespoon cookie scoop to portion 1 1/4″ balls of dough (about 24g each), then roll them into neat balls.
- To make the coating: In a small bowl, combine the sparkling sugar and finely chopped pistachios.
- Roll the dough balls in the coating mixture to cover the entire surface, then arrange them on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them evenly apart (about 15 cookies per pan).
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the pans from front to back and top to bottom halfway through baking, until the cookies are puffed slightly and very lightly golden brown around the edges.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and allow to cool completely on the pan.
- Store airtight at room temperature for several days; freeze for longer storage.
Pistachio Cookies
- Total Time: 35–40 mins
- Yield: about 30 cookies 1x
Description
Buttery pistachio cookies rolled in sparkling sugar and finely chopped pistachios.
Ingredients
- 16 tablespoons (226g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2/3 cup (75g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons King Arthur Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 teaspoon almond emulsion or almond extract
- 3/4 teaspoon table salt
- 1 cup (120g) pistachios, raw, unsalted, shelled, very finely chopped
- 2 cups (240g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour or King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour
- 6 tablespoons (86g) coarse sparkling sugar
- 3 tablespoons (23g) pistachios, raw, unsalted, shelled, very finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350?F with racks in the upper and lower third and line two baking sheets with parchment or lightly grease.
- To make the dough: in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater or working in a large bowl with a dough whisk or flexible spatula, beat together the butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, almond flavoring, and salt until smooth and well combined.
- Add the 1 cup finely chopped pistachios and mix to combine, then stir in the flour until no dry streaks remain.
- Use a spoon or a tablespoon cookie scoop to portion 1 1/4″ balls of dough (about 24g each), then roll them into neat balls.
- To make the coating: in a small bowl, combine the coarse sparkling sugar and the 3 tablespoons of finely chopped pistachios.
- Roll the dough balls in the coating mixture to cover the entire surface, then arrange them on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them evenly apart (about 15 cookies per pan).
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the pans from front to back and top to bottom halfway through baking, until the cookies are puffed slightly and very lightly golden brown around the edges.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and allow to cool completely on the pan.
- Store pistachio cookies airtight at room temperature for several days; freeze for longer storage.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 20–25 mins
Tips
- Use a very fine chop for the pistachios that go in the dough so the texture stays tender. Reserve the slightly coarser chop for the coating to add visual sparkle and crunch.
- If using almond extract, a little goes a long way. Start with the amount listed and adjust in future batches if you want a more pronounced almond note.
- Rotate pans halfway through baking so browning is even between racks.
Variations
- Chocolate-dipped: Once cooled, dip half of each cookie in melted white or dark chocolate and let set.
- Citrus twist: Add 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest to the dough for a bright lift.
- Nut swap: Substitute pistachios with finely chopped toasted almonds or hazelnuts, though the pistachio flavor is my favorite.
FAQ
Q: How many cookies does this recipe make?
A: The dough portions at about 24g each and the recipe spaces about 15 cookies per pan, so you will get roughly 30 cookies.
Q: Can I make these gluten free?
A: Yes. Use King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour as suggested in the ingredients list.
Q: Can I toast the pistachios first?
A: You can, but keep them cool before chopping. Toasting will deepen the flavor and add extra color.
Conclusion
These Sparkling Pistachio Cookies are an easy way to make an elegant, nutty cookie that looks and tastes special. If you try them, please come back and tell me how they turned out. For more recipes and baking notes, visit my home page: https://www.dulciarecipes.com/.
Warmly,
Dulcia