Pistachio Pudding Cookies + Video
Pistachio Pudding Cookies are easy to make and taste great. This recipe uses instant pistachio pudding mix to make soft, flavorful cookies loaded with additional pistachios and white chocolate chips. Add a little green food coloring to make them pop for St. Patrick’s Day or Christmas.
Pudding in Cookies
Pistachio lovers will be swooning over these cookies flavored with instant pudding mix.
Not only does pudding add a nice flavor, the cornstarch helps tenderize cookies. Soft, chewy cookies. What’s not to love? I really like using pudding mix in these butterscotch cookies and pumpkin spice pudding cookies as well.
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Holiday Cookies
Pistachios are naturally green, but a tiny drop of food coloring is added to these cookies to make them more vibrantly green. This green color is perfect for St. Patrick’s Day or Christmas.
Pistachio pudding cookies are also a great flavor for spring and Easter. Of course, you don’t need an excuse to indulge in these delicious cookies.
Ingredients in Pistachio Pudding Cookies
These pistachio cookies can be made with many ingredients you probably already have on hand if you’re a regular baker.
- Unsalted Butter – Always use unsalted butter in baking so you can control the amount of salt.
- Granulated Sugar – To sweeten the cookies.
- Light Brown Sugar – A little brown sugar adds moisture and richness to the cookies.
- Egg – To bind the cookie dough together.
- Clear Vanilla – Clear vanilla helps keep the color of the cookie lighter.
- If you don’t have clear vanilla, almond extract would work wonderfully since it is already clear and compliments other nuts well. Only use 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract as it is quite strong and you don’t want it overpowering the pistachio flavor. (FYI: Jell-O Pistachio Pudding uses almonds and pistachios in it.)
- Green Food Coloring – I like to use AmeriColor Soft Gel Paste. But any food coloring will work. Remember a little goes a long way.
- All-Purpose Flour – For structure.
- Pistachio Pudding Mix – Adds pistachio flavor, some color, and tenderizes the cookies.
- Baking Soda – To leaven the cookies so they aren’t flat.
- Salt – To bring out the flavors.
- White Chocolate Chips – Adds a nice creaminess to the cookies.
- Pistachios – For extra nuttiness.
*For the ingredient amounts and full directions for how to make these cookies, check out the recipe card at the bottom of the post. If you want to see step-by-step photo instructions, keep reading.
How to Make Pistachio Cookies
After you’ve got the ingredients, it’s time to bake. Pistachio cookies are easy to make in a few simple steps.
- Whisk together the flour, instant pistachio pudding mix, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- Cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a mixer until light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and green food coloring. Mix.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in the mixer. Mix until just combined.
- Gently mix in the white chocolate chips and pistachios.
Scooping and Baking
After the cookie dough is made it can be scooped into balls and baked.
I like to use a #40 or #30 scoop. Between 1 1/2 to 2 Tablespoons of dough.
NOTE: You may want to round this cookie dough in your hand before placing it on the baking sheet, to help the nuts and white chocolate chips stay tucked inside.
Bake the cookies at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-12 minutes. The edges and bottoms should be light brown.
Baking Tips and Storage
- The thickness of these cookies will depend on the temperature of your butter. If it’s too soft, or you cream the butter and sugar too long, they will flatten like a pancake.
- Butter should be room temperature for baking cookies — 68-72˚F. The temperature of your kitchen my not always coincide with “room temperature.” You’ll know it’s ready when the butter gives slightly (leaves a small indent) when touched. If you touch the butter and leave a major finger indent, it’s too soft. If the butter is extremely soft and you want thicker cookies, throw the dough in the fridge for 20-30 minutes before baking.
- For thicker cookies, you can add more flour.* I would only add 1-2 Tablespoons more. I actually altered this recipe from my butterscotch cookies with pudding mix that called for 2 cups of flour, and it ended up being too much for these particular cookies. (Very dry and crumbly dough. Although my in-laws loved how thick the cookies were.) I made them again with 1/3 cup less flour and was happy with the results. It’s always better to start with less and do a test cookie before adding more flour.
- Store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days. You can also store them in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
More Cookies to Try
- White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies
- Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Almond Joy Cookies
- Key Lime Crinkle Cookies
- Pecan Cookies
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Fluffernutter Cookies
- M&M Cookie Recipe
Pistachio Pudding Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ⅔ cups (200 g) all-purpose flour, (stir, spoon & level)
- 3.4 oz (96 g) small box instant pistachio pudding mix, (dry, not prepared)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter, (12 Tbsp) room temperature
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar, gently packed
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp clear vanilla extract, (or 1/2 tsp almond extract)
- 1 drop green food coloring, optional
- 1 cup (170 g) white chocolate chips
- ½ cup (56 g) shelled pistachios, chopped
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line sheet trays with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Whisk together the flour, instant pistachio pudding mix, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in an electric mixer with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg, vanilla extract, and green food coloring. Mix until incorporated.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in the mixer. Mix until just combined.
- Gently mix in the white chocolate chips and pistachios.
- Use a cookie scoop (a #40 or #30 scoop; about 1 1/2 to 2 Tablespoons) to scoop dough balls onto prepared sheet trays about 2 to 3-inches apart. You may want to round this cookie dough in your hand before placing it on the baking sheet, to help the nuts and white chocolate chips stay tucked inside.
- Bake the cookies at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-12 minutes. The edges and bottoms should be light brown. Allow cookies to rest on the tray for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Video
Notes
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-5 days or place in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Did you make this?
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I brought these into work and my coworkers devoured them!
Tip: If you use GEL food coloring, you’ll need 4 or 5 drops.
Can you use sugar free pudding?
I haven’t tried myself, but I had a reader say she made them with sugar free pudding but used 1.5 boxes (approx. 1.5oz) and she said they turned out great.
Hi there
What can I use instead of instant pistachio pudding mix?
I am on a keto diet also
Thanks
The pistachio pudding mix is where all the pistachio flavor is coming from in this recipe, so unfortunately you cannot replace it.
I made these and they were delicious
Loved these cookies! Incorporated semi sweet chocolate chips as I am not a fan of white chocolate, they were very good. Although…I felt like I was eating a chocolate chip cookie. Next time, I will increase the amount of pistachios and leave the chocolate chips out.
Thanks for sharing your review!
Did you use salted or unsalted pistachios? I’m going to make these for St Patrick’s Season 🍀🍀☘️☘️
You can use either based on your personal salt tolerance. Definitely make sure you use unsalted butter though.