If you like pistachios (my homemade pistachio paste and marshmallows with pistachios are two more of my favorites), you’ll love these cookies! I haven’t always been a fan of pistachios. In fact you could say that I used to hate them, which would be much closer to the truth. But now? I can’t get enough of them. So what changed? One fine summer morning (summer in the southern hemisphere) six years ago (almost to the day), I was introduced to a little cookie that blew me away with first impressions. And changed my mind. The meeting was far too brief for my liking, and I never got its name, but the memory of it lingered. Eventually I will return to that meeting place and reacquaint myself with that cookie many times in the following years. And then I moved away and I never heard from it again. And that’s when I decided I will take matters into my own hands and clone it in my kitchen. So I did. The name had always eluded me but that doesn’t really matter. Lets just call these Italian Pistachio Cookies, because something this alluring has got to be European right? All kidding aside, they actually are Italian cookies, as you may find them named elsewhere on the Internet. It was February 2009. My aunt wanted to show me Little Italy in Haberfield, Sydney, where she was going to get herself some Olives and few other deli items. So I went along. She took me to a little Italian bakery (the name of which I cannot remember unfortunately!) along Ramsay street, where I found all kinds of colourful and positively delicious looking Italian sweet treats. I just wanted to get a Rum Baba, but my aunt also got me some Pistachio cookies and Cannolis! And then we went to a place called Pasticceria Papa and got a big piece of their famous Ricotta cheesecake! If those exotic sounding words haven’t already convinced you, let me say it again. Those were little pieces of heaven in my mouth. Those cannolis are still the best I’ve ever had, the Rum Baba tasted amazing, and the cheesecake was the creamiest Ricotta cheesecake I’ve had so far. But the star was undoubtedly (and surprisingly) those soft, slightly fudgy / chewy Italian Pistachio cookies! They had lovely, crunchy pistachios on the outside and a soft center. I could have eaten them all day. As long as I was living in Sydney, I was able to catch a bus ride to Little Italy and get some of those cookies. But when I moved North along the coastline a couple of years later, I had to find a way to recreate them. I developed the recipe over several years and tried numerous batches before I got something that was very close to what I had first had in Sydney. And it’s so easy! You only need 4 ingredients: Pistachios, Almonds, Sugar and Egg whites (and no flour and no butter). It takes less than 30 minutes from start to end. I hope you like it just as much as I do! 🙂 The trick to baking these perfect Italian Pistachio Cookies is the baking time! You only want to bake these cookies until the bottom of the cookie is just lightly browned. You don’t want the top of the cookie to brown too much (only the edges!) because then these aren’t going to be too soft in the middle. The baking time depends on the shape and size of the cookies. If you make cookies that are about 1 1/2 inches in diameter, then they will need about 15 – 17 minutes in the oven. If you make cookies that are about 1 inch in diameter, they only require 10 – 12 minutes. I like to make crescent shaped cookies as well! When I make these Italian Pistachio Cookies in a crescent shape, I first make a 1 1/2 inch cookie ball and then shape into a crescent shape. These will be ready after baking for about 12 minutes. Because of the shape of these cookies, they take a shorter time to bake than their “ball” counterpart. For this recipe, I made 1 inch round cookies and crescent cookies made with 1 1/2 inch rounds. So that the baking time is the same for both. If you love Pistachios this is the cookie for you. However, even if you’r not a fan, you should still try them! 🙂 Because these cookies are what turned me to the green side! Besides they are so easy to make, why not give them a try? Soft in the center, a little fudgy, not too sweet and dairy free and gluten free! You can also check out my homemade pistachio paste for a deliciously nutty and sweet pistachio butter, or these orange blossom marshmallows with pistachios for more pistachio goodness! I always make a double batch, because trust me, they are not going to last very long! So my advice is, make a double batch secretly, and then pretend like you only made one. You won’t be sorry! 🙂 And if you’re making these for the holidays, check out my collection of candy recipes, cookie recipes, and Christmas recipes for more holiday favorites that everyone will love!
More holiday-worthy cookie recipes you’ll love
Shortbread cookies Chocolate shortbread cookies Chocolate chip & cranberry shortbread cookies Thumbprint cookies Linzer cookies Soft ginger cookies Funfetti cookies Best chocolate chip cookies Double chocolate chip cookies Chocolate hazelnut cookies Thyme and cheddar cheese cookies (savory cookies) Savory thumbprint cookies
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