Pistachio Cookies are made with simple ingredients like, sour cream, and pistachio pudding mix for extra flavor and softness. Loaded with white chocolate chips and crunchy pistachios, every bite is rich, nutty, and OH SO delicious.
This recipe works perfectly for St. Patrick’s Day! Check out this excellent collection of Fun & Festive St. Patrick’s Day Recipes!
These chocolate chip pistachio cookies have just the right amount of crunch and plenty of flavor without being overly strong. The instant pistachio pudding mix not only gives the dough its pretty green color, but also adds that subtle pistachio taste while helping the cookies bake up soft and tender. My family loves these cookies, they never last long once they come out of the oven.
They’re also perfect for St. Patrick’s Day! If you want something festive that isn’t another mint dessert, these cookies are a fun change of pace and a great treat to bring to any holiday gathering.
Recipe Highlights
- Perfect Pistachio Flavor – The instant pistachio pudding mix gives these cookies a delicious pistachio taste that’s flavorful but not overpowering, making them enjoyable even for people who prefer a more subtle nut flavor.
- White Chocolate + Pistachio Combination – White chocolate chips pair perfectly with the slightly nutty pistachios, giving these cookies a rich flavor and a great mix of creamy and crunchy textures.
- Naturally Festive Green Color – The pistachio pudding mix gives the dough a soft green color, making these cookies a fun and easy treat for St. Patrick’s Day or any time you want something a little different.
Chewy Pistachio Cookies Ingredients
Sugar – Sugar sweetens the cookies and helps create lightly crisp edges while keeping the centers tender.
Butter – Butter adds rich flavor and gives the cookies their soft, buttery texture.
Egg – The egg helps bind the ingredients together while adding structure and moisture to the cookies.
Sour Cream – Sour cream adds extra moisture and richness, helping create a softer cookie.
Milk – Milk helps loosen the dough slightly and contributes to the soft texture.
Instant Pistachio Pudding Mix – The pudding mix adds pistachio flavor, gives the dough its light green color, and helps keep the cookies soft.
Salt – Salt balances the sweetness and enhances the overall flavor of the cookies.
Baking Soda – Baking soda helps the cookies rise and spread slightly while baking.
All-Purpose Flour – Flour provides the structure and base for the cookie dough.
White Chocolate Chips – White chocolate chips add sweetness and creamy bursts of flavor throughout the cookies.
Shelled Pistachios – Chopped pistachios add a mild nutty flavor and a light crunch that complements the soft cookie texture.
Tips for making Perfectly Chewy Pistachio Pudding Cookies
- Use Instant Pistachio Pudding Mix (Not Cook & Serve) – Instant pudding mix is essential for the texture and flavor of these cookies; cook-and-serve pudding will not give the same softness or consistency in the dough.
- Roughly Chop the Pistachios – Chopping the pistachios into small pieces helps distribute the nutty flavor throughout the cookies so you get a little crunch in every bite.
- Don’t Overbake the Cookies – These cookies should look slightly soft in the center when you take them out of the oven. They will continue to set as they cool, which keeps them tender instead of dry.
How do I store Chocolate Chip Pistachio Cookies?
Once the pistachio cookies have cooled completely, store them in an airtight container or a gallon-sized Ziploc bag at room temperature for up to two weeks, though they always taste best when enjoyed fresh.
These cookies also freeze very well, making it easy to save some for later—just let the frozen cookies thaw at room temperature for a few minutes before eating so they soften up nicely.
Chewy Pistachio Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup butter softened (1 stick)
- 1 egg
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup milk
- 3.4 oz box instant pistachio pudding mix
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups white chocolate chips
- ½ cup shelled pistachios chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, set them aside.
- Cream together the sugar and butter in a large bowl. Add the egg, sour cream, milk, and pudding mix. Stir until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt & baking soda. Incorporate flour mixture into the pudding mixture and mix until combined.
- Add in white chocolate chips and chopped pistachios. Mix again.
- Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Serve & enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
📫 Save this recipe! Send it to your email! 📩
I consent to receiving emails from this site.
Should I Use Salted or Unsalted Pistachios?
Use unsalted pistachios unless you want a noticeably salty cookie. Shelled pistachios make prep easier, but if you can only find salted ones, rinsing and drying them can help remove excess salt.
Can I Use A Different Type Of Chocolate Chip?
Of course you can! While white chocolate chips pair really well with these pistachio cream cookies, a dark chocolate could help to give it a luxurious twist. Choose any chocolate you want and see which one you like best! Let me know in the comments if you tried a different chocolate and how it turns out (I’m curious to know!)
Can I use regular pudding instead of instant pudding mix?
No, instant pudding is key for the soft texture, subtle pistachio flavor, and green color. Cook-and-serve pudding will change the dough consistency.
Can I make these cookies dairy-free?
You could try substituting dairy-free butter, milk, and sour cream, but the texture may be slightly different—softness and flavor might be affected.
Here are more of our favorite cookie recipes you’ve got to try!
- Bright, zesty, and oh-so-easy—these Lemon Sugar Cookies are packed with fresh lemon flavor and topped with a buttery lemon frosting rosette!
- Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies mix maraschino cherries and semisweet chocolate for a fun, colorful twist on a classic favorite!
- These Raspberry Chocolate Chip Cookies take a classic favorite to the next level with fresh raspberries baked right in. Sweet, juicy, and perfectly chocolatey!
- All the flavor of banana cream pie in a bite-sized cookie! These Banana Cream Pie Cookies are creamy, dreamy, and perfect for parties—no pie crust required.
- Copycat Swig Sugar Cookies hit the sweet spot between sugar cookie and shortbread, topped with a little frosting for extra goodness. No chilling or rolling required—just bake and enjoy!
- Sweet, tangy, and buttery—these Lemon Butter Cookies take classic butter cookies to the next level with a bright, zesty lemon flavor!
You’re going to love these Pistachio Cookies made with pudding mix—they’re soft, flavorful, and perfectly chewy! Everything a cookie should be, baked into one delicious treat.
Ivette says
I made these delicious delicacies over the weekend. My family prefers less sweet treats, so I reduced the sugar by half. Also, ran out of all purpose flour and ended up using 50% cake flour. They were absolutely perfect. So soft and airy yet kept their fluffy shape. I loved the dough didn’t need to be refrigerated, which allowed us to make and enjoy them immediately. Definitely a keeper for my recipe book!!
Alison says
Ivette, I love the changes you made and am pleased they turned out so well for you! Thanks for sharing!
Debbie says
I just made these , they are so flat . Was there suppose to be baking powder ?
Jessica says
No, the leavening agent in these cookies is baking soda. Did you soften your butter appropriately? Maybe try reducing the milk to 2 TBSP and bake a test batch of 3-4 cookies and adjust accordingly.
Sam says
Mine always come out in the same lumps that I place them on the tray in. Am I supposed to flatten them before baking? They never spread
Jessica says
Try adding some milk to the cookie dough Sam!
Hillary says
A huge crowd pleaser!
tbird says
You aren’t supposed to add milk to cookie recipes and sour cream is not a good ingredient to cook. I would recommend adding one more egg to this and cut a cup of the white chocolate chips out. This is also very good using confectioner sugar.
Jessica says
Says who? There are millions of cookie recipes with milk added… Sour cream is a fantastic alternative to more fattening ingredients and it’s fabulous to bake with! I use it in my biscuits too. Perhaps try it?
Tbird says
I won’t use sour cream in a cookie recipe. It’s not meant to be cooked. People above have repeatedly mentioned their own issues with using the exact ingredients you provided.
Robyn says
Dear TBIRD, I bake with butter, milk, buttermilk, sour cream, cheese, and yogurt ALL THE TIME! Cookies, quick breads, cakes, etc. I don’t know where you got the idea that dairy products should not be used, but you definitely should try it. It lends a richness and creaminess to whatever you are making. Be brave! 🙂
Kathy says
Tried this recipe and it turned out great! Not one cookie left out of the 3 dozen I made – they left by the handful! I like that they have a cakey type texture. I also didn’t follow directions (my fault). I mixed the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients separately. I mixed in the dry little by little to get a dough and used my cookie scoop to make them a consistent size. I’m making them again tonight for a work part tomorrow! Thank you for sharing.
Alison says
It’s great to hear everyone enjoyed these Kathy!
Carol says
Can you use self rising flour
Jessica says
I don’t, only because I never remember the ratio of leavening to flour… you’re welcome to though! Just adjust it accordingly.
Linda says
I love pistachio cookies!
Olivia says
Us too!
Ree says
I’m sorry but my daughter and I love baking and trying new recipes. These sounded great however, we didn’t like them. After baking the right amount of time, they seemed a bit raw. The next tray I cooked a little longer with similar result. I’m not sure if it’s because I didn’t add real pistachios? I won’t be making them again.
Jessica says
These are chewy pudding cookies- they’re softer than normal cookies.
Laura says
Made these according to recipe. They turned out great! Looks just like your pictures and taste delicious! Will definitely make again. Might add toffee bits next time (My mom used to make a pistachio pudding dessert with toffee bits on top… a cookie version sounds like it’d be good).
Thanks for a great easy recipe!
Jonathan says
Super tasty! Made them without the white chocolate chips, but added rainbow sprinkles on top (cooking with a 4-yearold). Only comment is mine were very under-done at 10 mins…had to do 12 mins.
Samuel Salcido says
Amazing turn out, made them for my first assignment in culinary school , theme Holiday , ST Patrick’s Day . Will be making them again !! The whole family lives them
Alison says
That sounds fantastic Samuel! Good luck in culinary school!
Tiffany says
Why didn’t mine come out green?? 😩 they are tasty. I substituted the entire chocolate chips with craisins. But I still want to know how to make them green.😞
Jessica says
Did you use pistachio pudding mix? That’s what adds the green color! Sometimes I add a few drops of natural green dye as well- depends on how green you want them!
Jenna says
Can this dough be refrigerated overnight before baking or is it best to do it right away?
Jessica says
Oh you can absolutely refrigerate the dough overnight! : )
Britt says
These are the most amazing cookies ever! My mom’s chocolate chip cookie recipe also uses sour cream, so I knew these would be great. Had to bake a little longer, but that’s normal for my oven. Thanks so much!
Debbie says
What can I use in place of sour cream? I don’t have any and wanted to use what I had in my pantry/fridge. I do have buttermilk (read online it could be a good replacement) but was worried about it being too liquid-y with the milk already added. Any suggestions?
Jessica says
You can use yogurt or yes, buttermilk in place of sour cream. Initially add just 1/3 cup and see how the texture of the cookie dough is. If it needs more moisture, I’d just add more milk.
June says
Could I substitute almond milk instead of regular milk?
Nellie says
That should work just fine!
barbara says
These cookies are absolutely delicious! My whole family loved them. I have one question. The first cookie sheet came out perfect. The subsequent ones not so much. They spread out a lot on the sheet after baking (it was a cold cookie sheet). I had to throw many away. What am I doing wrong. I followed the directions exactly.
Nellie says
Not sure why the cookies would spread so much…but you could try adding a little bit more flour or maybe just chilling the dough for 30-60 minutes before baking the cookies. Either of those things usually helps to avoid cookies from spreading too much. Good luck!
Debbie says
These cookies were easy to make and taste amazing! The only issue I had was the bottoms browning too fast. I used parchment paper on a non stick cookie sheet. So the next batch I lowered temp to 350 and they cooked more evenly.. Then the next batch I did on parchment and an aluminum cookie sheet and they were the best. Thank you.
Tina says
Is the dough supposed to be sticky
Jessica says
It’s fairly sticky, yes!
Jess says
Is the sour cream totally necessary? Seems odd to me.
Jessica says
You can use yogurt instead. It’s a great way to add a moist, light texture without a ton of added fat. : )
Rosemary says
Can you use regular pudding mix instead of instant?
Jessica says
Yes you sure can! I’ve actually tested both several times and don’t notice a difference!