I can’t wait to share my Pistachio Pudding Cookies, a simple pudding mix shortcut that yields soft, bakery style cookies studded with crunchy pistachios and white chocolate chips that surprised even me.

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I kept meaning to test that weird box of instant pistachio pudding mix in something other than a pie, then this happened. The cookies are oddly addictive, soft but with little pops of crunch from chopped pistachios and gooey bites of white chocolate chips, and yeah I call them Chewy Pistachio Pudding Cookies because that’s exactly what they are.

I didn’t expect the pudding mix to change the whole texture, made them pillowy in a way I didn’t know cookies could be. If you like mild nutty flavors with a sweet twist, these will make you rethink what a cookie is, trust me I was surprised.

Why I Like this Recipe

– I love the texture, soft in the middle but a little crunchy on top, makes it feel homemade even when i’m rushed.
– The flavor is kinda unexpected and memorable, people always ask me what I used.
– It’s super forgiving, I mess things up sometimes and it still comes out great, which is a huge relief.
– They look fancy enough for parties so I bring them alot, and everyone acts like I slaved over them.

Ingredients

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Pistachio pudding mix: Adds a nutty kiss, bright green color and extra sweetness, kinda artificial but tasty.
All purpose flour: Gives structure and chew, mostly carbs, not alot of protein or fiber.
Unsalted butter: Makes cookies tender and rich, it’s pure fat so high calories, but worth it.
Granulated and brown sugar: Granulated sweetens, brown sugar adds moisture and toffee like depth, sticky.
Eggs: Bind everything, add protein and moisture, help structure, sometimes over used.
Vanilla and almond extract: Tiny amounts amp up aroma and depth, don’t overdo it or wrong taste.
Pistachios: Give crunch, heart healthy fats, some protein and fiber plus a pop of color.
White chocolate chips: Creamy sweet blobs, mostly sugar and fat, not many nutrients but fun.

Ingredient Quantities

1 box (3.4 oz) instant pistachio pudding mix

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter softened room temp

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup shelled pistachios coarsely chopped (reserve a few for topping)

1 cup white chocolate chips

Optional: 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment or a silicone mat; measure everything first and coarsely chop 1 cup shelled pistachios, reserving a few for topping.

2. In a medium bowl whisk together 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; set aside.

3. In a large bowl cream 1 cup (2 sticks) softened unsalted butter with 3/4 cup granulated sugar and 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar until light and a bit fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Dont skimp on creaming or the texture will suffer.

4. Beat in 2 large eggs one at a time, then stir in 1 box (
3.4 oz) instant pistachio pudding mix, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and if using, 1/2 teaspoon almond extract, mixing until combined.

5. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients in two additions, mixing just until you cant see streaks of flour; overmixing = tough cookies.

6. Fold in the chopped pistachios and 1 cup white chocolate chips, saving a few pistachio pieces to press on top of each cookie before baking.

7. Scoop dough by level tablespoons or a
1.5 inch cookie scoop onto the prepared sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart; for thicker cookies chill the scooped dough 20 to 30 minutes, otherwise bake right away.

8. Bake one sheet at a time on the middle rack for 9 to 11 minutes, until edges are set and centers still look a touch soft; rotate the pan halfway if your oven bakes unevenly.

9. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes so they finish setting, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely; store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Equipment Needed

1. oven set to 350°F
2. two baking sheets plus parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
3. medium and large mixing bowls
4. electric hand mixer or stand mixer to cream the butter, dont skimp on this step
5. measuring cups and measuring spoons
6. whisk for the dry ingredients
7. rubber spatula and a wooden spoon for folding and scraping
8. 1.5 inch cookie scoop or a level tablespoon for portioning dough
9. cutting board and chef knife to coarsely chop the pistachios
10. wire cooling rack to let cookies finish setting

FAQ

Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted? Yes, but cut the added salt to 1/4 teaspoon so the cookies don’t come out too salty. Make sure the butter is softened to room temp so it creams up fluffy, if it's too soft pop it in the fridge for 10 minutes.

What if I don't have instant pistachio pudding mix? Use a 3.4 ounce vanilla instant pudding mix plus about 1 teaspoon pistachio extract or 1/4 cup finely ground pistachios for flavor and texture. A drop of green food color helps if you want that classic look, but it’s not needed.

How do I get chewy cookies instead of crisp ones? For chewy: use the full brown sugar, chill the dough at least 30 minutes, and pull them from the oven when the centers still look a little soft. For crisper cookies bake a minute or two longer until edges are golden and flatten the dough balls slightly before baking.

Can I freeze the dough or finished cookies? Yes. Scoop dough into balls, freeze on a tray until firm, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to three months. Bake from frozen, add 2 to 3 minutes to the bake time. Baked cookies freeze well too, store airtight and thaw at room temp.

Can I swap the white chocolate chips or pistachios for other mix ins? Totally. Dark or milk chocolate chips work great, or swap half the pistachios for chopped almonds or pecans. Just don’t add way more than about 1 to 1 1/4 cups total or the dough can get crumbly.

How should I store and refresh these cookies? Keep them in an airtight container at room temp up to four days. To refresh, warm a cookie in the microwave for 8 to 10 seconds or pop a few in a 300 F oven for 5 to 8 minutes, they’ll taste just baked again.

Pistachio Pudding Cookies Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Instant pistachio pudding mix: If you cant find pistachio, use a 3.4 oz box of instant vanilla pudding plus 1/2 to 1 tsp pistachio extract and 2 tbsp finely ground pistachios for real nutty flavor. If you only have almond extract use just 1/4 tsp cause it’s stronger.
All-purpose flour: Swap for a cup-for-cup 1:1 gluten-free baking blend (make sure it has xanthan gum) with no other changes. Or use whole wheat pastry flour 1:1, but the dough will be a bit denser so chill it 20 to 30 minutes before baking.
Unsalted butter: Use salted butter 1:1 but cut the recipe salt to 1/4 tsp or leave it out. Need dairy-free? Use solid coconut oil 1:1, chill the dough first because cookies will spread more and turn a bit crisper.
2 large eggs: Make flax eggs for an egg-free version, mix 2 tbsp ground flaxseed with 6 tbsp water, let sit 5 minutes. Or use 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce for a softer, more cake-like cookie.

Pro Tips

1) Toast the pistachios first, even just a couple minutes in a dry pan until they smell nutty, then let them cool before chopping. It makes a big difference in flavor, and don’t walk away or they’ll burn.

2) Measure flour the right way: spoon it into your cup and level it off or better yet use a kitchen scale. Too much flour = dry, tough cookies so dont eyeball it.

3) Cream the butter and sugars longer than you think until pale and fluffy, scrape the bowl between additions, and add eggs one at a time so the dough emulsifies. If your butter is too soft pop it in the fridge for 10 minutes, if its too cold the creaming wont work.

4) Chill scooped dough for at least 30 minutes or overnight for more flavor and thicker cookies; you can also freeze balls for later baking. Right after they come out of the oven press a few reserved pistachio bits on top and sprinkle a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt to make the pistachio and white chocolate pop.