In my undying adoration of peanut butter over the years, I’ve looked past some other nuts that are just as delicious. Sure, I’ve shown almonds some love (even cashews, too). But in all this time, I’ve ignored pistachios.
Well, one giant bag of pistachios from Costco later and I won’t ever make that mistake again. Salted pistachios are just so completely underrated as a snack, to top salads and especially to add a salty crunchy kick to baked goods.
Last week I added them to a salad of field greens topped with blue cheese, sliced strawberries and mango vinaigrette and this week I stuffed them into a chewy oatmeal cookie full of chocolate chunks. This nut can do no wrong.
So this cookie recipe originated from the Old World Inn, the bed and breakfast we stayed at in Napa. The first time we went there, three years ago, we were one over by their afternoon plates of cookies and late night chocolate dessert bar. Those cookies, though, stood out the most. The inn’s chewy chocolate chip cookie was flat and innocent looking but just so delicious. I made the original recipe shortly after that first Napa trip and hadn’t made them since. As soon as I came home with a giant bag of pistachios, I knew a play on that cookie dough recipe would be the perfect suit.
- ¾ cup all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
- ½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg yolk at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- ½ cup roughly chopped dark chocolate
- ½ cup salted shelled pistachios, lightly chopped
- In a medium bowl. whisk together flour, baking soda and salt; set aside
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugars on high speed until light and fluffy
- Add egg yolk and vanilla and mix on medium speed until combined; scrape sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed
- Reduce speed to low and slowly add flour mixture; add the rolled oats and mix on low just until combined
- Stir in chocolate and pistachios just until combined
- Refrigerate dough for one hour before baking
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper
- When oven is hot, scoop cookie dough using a medium cookie dough scoop or tablespoon (about 2 tablespoons each) onto baking sheets leaving at least 1½ inches between each scoop
- Bake cookies in oven for 9-11 minutes or until they appear firm around the edges and on the tops; do not overbake
You might also like:
Cranberry & White Chocolate Pistachio Dusted Cookies
Pistachio Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Buttercream
