Pistachio cookies are soft, chewy cookies made with instant pistachio pudding mix, crushed pistachios, and white chocolate chips. The pudding mix gives the cookies their light pistachio flavor, soft texture, and signature green color.
These pistachio pudding cookies come together quickly with simple pantry ingredients and bake into soft cookies with chewy centers and lightly golden bottoms. The combination of pistachios and white chocolate chips adds a nutty sweetness that makes these cookies stand out from traditional cookie recipes.
They're especially popular for spring baking and St. Patrick's Day desserts, but they're easy enough to make anytime you want something a little different from classic chocolate chip cookies.
If you enjoy pistachio desserts, you might also like these Pistachio Chocolate Chip Cookies or browse my Favorite Cookie Recipes collection for more baking ideas.
Why This Recipe Works
- Instant pistachio pudding mix adds flavor and helps create soft cookies.
- White chocolate chips balance the nutty pistachio flavor.
- Crushed pistachios add texture and extra pistachio flavor.
- The dough mixes quickly with simple pantry ingredients.
- The cookies bake up soft in the center with lightly crisp bottoms.
Ingredients for Pistachio Cookies
- Salted butter - if using unsalted butter instead, add 1 teaspoon of salt to the ingredients.
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs
- Baking soda
- All-purpose flour
- Pistachios - crushed (a food processor is great for this)
- White chocolate chips
- Pistachio instant pudding - adds pistachio flavor, soft texture, and the signature green color.
How to Make Pistachio Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter and granulated sugar until smooth.
- Add the eggs and the instant pistachio pudding mix and beat until well combined.
- Add the flour and baking soda and mix until a soft cookie dough forms.
- Stir in the white chocolate chips and crushed pistachios until evenly combined.
- Scoop the cookie dough using 1½ tablespoons (or a #40 cookie scoop) and place the dough balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheet.
- Bake for 9-12 minutes, or until the bottoms of the cookies are lightly browned.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 to 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once cooled, store the cookies in an airtight container.
Pro Tip
Quickly Crush Pistachios
Crushing pistachios is easy: use a food processor for a few quick pulses, or place them in a zippered bag and gently crush them with a rolling pin. You can also use ground pistachios in this cookie recipe.
Helpful Tips
- Use softened butter so the dough mixes smoothly.
- Do not overbake the cookies. The centers should still be soft when removed from the oven.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet first so they finish setting without drying out.
- Use a cookie scoop to keep the cookies evenly sized for consistent baking.
Variations and Substitutions
Unsalted butter - If using unsalted butter instead of salted butter, add 1 teaspoon of salt to the flour mixture.
Cranberry pistachio cookies - Stir dried cranberries into the dough for a sweet and tart twist that pairs well with pistachios.
For another cookie with white chocolate chips, try these White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies. For more green desserts perfect for spring baking, these Green Velvet Cupcakes are another fun option.
Storage
Store pistachio cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
For longer storage, place the cookies in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Common Questions About Pistachio Cookies
Why do pistachio cookies use pudding mix?
Pistachio pudding mix adds both flavor and texture to the cookies. It helps create a soft and chewy cookie while also giving the dough its light green color and pistachio flavor.
Can I use salted pistachios in pistachio cookies?
Yes, you can use salted pistachios for baking cookies. In fact, some recipes call specifically for roasted and salted pistachios, as the salt provides a nice contrast to the sweetness of the cookies. However, when using salted pistachios, you may want to adjust the added salt content in your recipe accordingly to maintain a balanced flavor.
These pistachio pudding cookies are soft, chewy, and easy to make with simple pantry ingredients.
📖 Recipe
Soft Pistachio Pudding Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter* - softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 3.4 ounce instant pistachio pudding - 1 box
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup pistachios - crushed
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Prepare cookie sheets by lining them with parchment paper.
- Combine the softened butter and the sugar together in a bowl.
- Beat in the eggs and add in the instant pudding mix.
- Add the flour and baking soda and combine well until soft dough forms.
- Stir in the white chocolate chips and the crushed pistachios.
- Scoop by 1.5 tablespoons (or use a #40 cookie scoop) and place 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 9-12 minutes, or until the bottoms are lightly browned.
- Allow the cookies to cool for 5 to 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
- Store in an airtight container once cool.
Notes
- Do not overbake. The cookies should still be soft in the center.
- Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet before transferring.
- Use a #40 cookie scoop for evenly sized cookies.
- Store cookies in an airtight container to keep them soft.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate based on third-party calculations. Actual values may vary due to ingredients, measurements, and serving sizes.
© Mama Needs Cake
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Dana is an experienced recipe creator who crafts easy and delicious recipes for all levels of home cooks.
Her recipes range from classic comfort foods to healthy and nutritious meals, and she is always on the lookout for new and exciting ways to bring flavor and variety to the table.
Linda says
These cookies look amazing! Who would have thought there’s an instant pudding in it. And I can’t wait to try these.
Lisa says
I cant find instant pudding can we use regular?
Dana says
I haven't personally used cook and serve puddings in my cookies but a google search tells me that people have done it! If you give it a try, let me know how it goes!
Sally says
Can you use sugar free pistachio pudding?
Dana says
You can!
ShirleyMerritt says
These sound delicious!!!!
Richard Culver says
Made these last weekend for the first time and had nothing but high reviews.
Kathy says
I have made these several times and they are amazing! I am curious as to why mine are a thicker cookie than what you show. My family loves them but I'm wondering what I'm doing wrong.
Dana says
If your family loves them I don't think you're doing anything wrong at all! 🙂 The thicker cookie could simply be the flour content may be a little higher in the recipe. I spoon and level my flour in my recipes so that could be the difference.
Mindy says
Made these today for a Christmas bake exchange. They are great!
Alice says
These turned out amazing! Such good flavor - loved the saltiness and chewiness from the pistachios, and pistachio pudding is one of those things I’ve always liked but rarely had, so it’s a good recipe to use it in. And the white chocolate chips added that extra sweetness. Thank you! 🙂
Sheryl Pieknik says
Fabulous cookies! Only variation was I used semisweet chocolate chips instead. So delicious!!!!!
Dana says
Semisweet chips are very good in the cookies - I'm really happy to hear you liked them, Sheryl!