Delish Pistachio Pudding Cookies

These are the soft, bakery-ish pistachio cookies that always get people talking—like, what is that flavor?! It’s the sneaky instant pudding mix that turns a simple dough into something plush and chewy with that nutty, salty-sweet vibe. They’re faintly green (you can boost it if you’re feeling festive), lightly crinkly on the outside, and studded with pistachios and creamy white chocolate chips if you’re into that.

My husband calls these “airplane cookies” because he swears two of them cure turbulence. Our kiddo just calls them green cookies and asks for them at 7 a.m., which… fair. These went from a random weeknight bake to the thing I freeze by the dozen for emergencies, school bake sales, and the kind of Sunday afternoons where everyone wanders into the kitchen “just to check.” They never make it to Monday.

How to Make It

Okay, grab a big bowl and cream 3/4 cup softened unsalted butter with 3/4 cup granulated sugar till it’s light and fluffy—you want that whipped, pale situation going on. Crack in 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk (trust me on the yolk; extra richness), splash in 1 teaspoon vanilla and a tiny 1/4 teaspoon almond extract if you have it. Now the magic: a 3.4-ounce box of instant pistachio pudding mix. Beat that in. The dough will turn green and smell like a bakery got married to an ice cream shop.

In another bowl (or just on top, I’m not judging), whisk 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour with 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Mix the dry into the wet until just combined—don’t overdo it. Fold in 3/4 cup chopped pistachios and 1 cup white chocolate chips if you love that creamy-sweet contrast. If the dough feels sticky, pop it in the fridge for 20–30 minutes. If you’re impatient, you can scoop right away, just know they’ll spread a touch more.

Scoop into 1 1/2-tablespoon balls (a cookie scoop makes this painless), roll gently so they’re cute, and space them on a parchment-lined sheet. Bake at 350°F for 9–11 minutes until the edges are set but the centers look a smidge underdone. Let them sit on the sheet for 5 minutes—they finish cooking there—then move to a rack. Sprinkle a breath of flaky salt if you’re a salty-sweet person. Yield: about 22–26 cookies, depending on how chonky you scoop.

✔Ingredient Notes

– Unsalted butter: Room temp is key. Too cold and your dough fights you; too melty and the cookies spread into pancakes.
– Instant pistachio pudding mix: The secret to plush, chewy texture. Must be instant, not cook-and-serve. One 3.4 oz box.
– Granulated sugar: Keeps things light. You can swap up to 1/4 cup for brown sugar for a deeper flavor and extra chew.
– Egg + extra yolk: That extra yolk is like a cheat code for fudgy-cookie energy. Don’t skip it.
– Almond extract: Tiny amount, big pistachio energy. Too much tastes like perfume—measure with your heart, but a careful one.
– Pistachios: Salted, roasted, roughly chopped. If yours are unsalted, add a pinch more salt to the dough.
– White chocolate chips: Optional but so good. They melt into pockets of creaminess that just work with the pistachio.
– Green food coloring: Totally optional. A drop or two if you want that bakery-green vibe without going neon.

✔Recipe Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment.
2. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 2–3 minutes.
3. Beat in egg, egg yolk, vanilla, and almond extract; mix in instant pistachio pudding mix.
4. Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; add to wet ingredients and stir just to combine.
5. Fold in chopped pistachios and white chocolate chips; chill 20–30 minutes if dough is sticky.
6. Scoop, space, and bake 9–11 minutes; rest 5 minutes on the sheet, then cool on a rack.

What to Serve It With

– Hot coffee or a little espresso—bitterness + sweet chew is perfect.
– A glass of cold milk or vanilla oat milk if that’s your lane.
– A scoop of raspberry sorbet or vanilla bean ice cream for easy dessert stacking.
– Fresh berries or a citrusy fruit salad if you want something bright next to that cozy cookie.

✔Tips & Mistakes

– Don’t overbake. Pull when the edges set and centers still look soft. They firm up on the sheet.
– If your cookies spread too much, your butter was too warm. Chill the dough 20 minutes or add a tablespoon of flour.
– Chop pistachios small so the dough scoops neatly and doesn’t crumble.
– Salt on top = chef’s kiss. A tiny pinch of flaky salt right after baking wakes everything up.
– Baking from frozen? Add 1–2 minutes to bake time, keep the temp the same.

✔Storage Tips

Room temp: Keep in an airtight container 3–4 days with a slice of bread or a marshmallow in the container to keep them soft.
Fridge: Up to a week—they’ll be extra chewy cold, which I weirdly love with coffee.
Freezer: Baked cookies freeze 2–3 months; thaw on the counter. Dough balls freeze like a dream—bake straight from frozen at 350°F, 11–13 minutes.
Breakfast cookie? Absolutely. No shame. It’s basically a muffin with personality.

✔Variations and Substitutions

– Chocolate swap: Try dark or milk chocolate chips instead of white, or skip chips and add more nuts.
– Citrus twist: Add 1 teaspoon lemon or orange zest into the dough for a bright lift.
– Gluten-free: Use a good 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose blend. Chill the dough a bit longer; they bake up great.
– Browned butter: Level it up by browning the butter, then cooling to room temp before mixing. Flavor = wow.
– Sandwich cookies: Smear with a quick cream cheese frosting or pistachio butter and make little whoopies.
– Less sweet: Reduce sugar to 2/3 cup, or use half granulated, half light brown for deeper flavor.
– Natural color: Skip food coloring. The pistachio bits give enough green. If you want color, 1–2 drops is plenty.
– Honey swap: Replacing more than a couple tablespoons of sugar with honey makes the dough sticky—if you try it, chill longer and expect slightly puffier cookies.

Frequently Asked Questions

Delish Pistachio Pudding Cookies

Soft, chewy pistachio cookies made with instant pistachio pudding mix, studded with chopped pistachios and creamy white chocolate chips for a bakery-style treat.

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes minutes

Total Time: 27 minutes minutes

Servings: 24

Calories: 120kcal

Ingredients

 

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Main Ingredients

• ▢ 0.5 cup unsalted butter, softened
• ▢ 0.5 cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 0.5 cup light brown sugar, packed
• ▢ 3.4 oz instant pistachio pudding mix
• ▢ 1 large egg
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1.5 cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ 0.5 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 0.25 teaspoon fine sea salt
• ▢ 0.75 cup shelled pistachios, chopped
• ▢ 1 cup white chocolate chips optional

Instructions

Preparation Steps

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, beat softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and creamy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
• Beat in the instant pistachio pudding mix until evenly combined and the mixture turns pale green.
• Add the egg and vanilla; mix until smooth, scraping the bowl as needed.
• Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Add dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix just until no dry streaks remain.
• Fold in chopped pistachios and white chocolate chips (if using).
• Scoop dough into rounded 1.5 tablespoon portions and place 2 inches apart on prepared sheets. For thicker cookies, chill the scooped dough for 20 minutes (optional).
• Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until edges are set and centers look just slightly underbaked. Let cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Notes

For extra flavor and color, lightly press a few chopped pistachios onto the tops of the dough balls before baking. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days or freeze up to 2 months.