Recipes

Salted Pistachio Chocolate Chip Cookies

Name: Salted Pistachio Chocolate Chip Cookies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 11 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon (7g) ground flaxseed; 2 tablespoons water, (room temperature); 1/2 cup (105g) vegan butter; 3/4 cup (130g) packed dark brown sugar; 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 1/4 teaspoon almond extract ((optional)); 1 1/4 cup (175g) all-purpose white flour, (spooned and leveled); 1 tablespoon (8g) cornstarch; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt; 1/2 cup (90g) vegan chocolate chips, (dark or semi-sweet); 1/2 cup (75g) unsalted shelled pistachios, (roughly chopped); Flaky salt, (for topping (optional))

Soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies with crispy edges. These pistachio cookies are based on my favorite vegan chocolate chip cookies with the addition of crunchy pistachios and a touch of almond extract. This is a simple one-bowl recipe with no chilling required. You can also find this recipe in my Cozy Vegan Cookies eBook.

What You Need:

Flax seeds: Ground flax seeds are soaked in water to create an egg substitute.
Vegan butter: I use vegan Becel, which is salted. See the FAQ section for more suggestions on vegan butter.
Granulated cane sugar and brown sugar: This recipe is made with a generous amount of dark brown sugar and just a small amount of granulated sugar for a rich flavor. Make sure to use vegan sugar to make this recipe completely vegan.
Vanilla extract: A generous amount of vanilla extract for flavor.
Flour: This recipe is made with all-purpose white flour. Check out the FAQ section for a gluten-free option.
Cornstarch: This helps create thicker and softer cookies.
Baking soda and salt: baking soda will help the cookies rise and the salt will balance the sweetness and enhance the flavors. Add a sprinkle of flaky salt to finish.
Chocolate chips: You can use dark or semi-sweet vegan chocolate chips. I prefer using semi-sweet. Feel free to do a combination of chocolate chunks and chips.
Pistachios: Use unsalted pistachios.

How to Make Vegan Salted Pistachio Chocolate Chip Cookies:

Here are the steps to make homemade vegan salted pistachio chocolate chip cookies.

Getting Ready
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
Prepare the Flax Egg
In a small bowl, combine the ground flaxseed and water. Let it thicken for a few minutes.
Combine the Wet Ingredients
In a medium to large bowl, add the vegan butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar. Stir until well combined, about 15-30 seconds. Add the vanilla extract, almond extract and flaxseed mixture to the wet ingredients. Combine.
Add the Dry Ingredients
To the same bowl, add the flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. Stir the dry ingredients together at the top before incorporating into the wet ingredients. Stir until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips and chopped pistachios.
Bake
Roll the dough into 12 balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet, keeping some distance between each cookie as they will spread. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes or until lightly golden. Sprinkle each cookie with a small pinch of flaky salt while they’re still warm. Let them cool for at least 10 minutes before eating.

Chocolate Chip Cookies FAQ:

What kind of vegan butter should I use?

Use refrigerated vegan Becel or a soft vegan butter for the best results. I haven’t tried this recipe with Miyoko’s vegan butter or other vegan butters that are harder when refrigerated. If using these, you might need to let them soften at room temperature a bit before using. I can’t guarantee the same results.

Can I make this recipe gluten-free?

I didn’t test a gluten-free version for this specific recipe, but I did test a vegan option for my chocolate chip cookies, which use the same base recipe. If you want to try a gluten-free version, here’s what I recommend: Replace the all-purpose flour with the same amount of 1:1 gluten-free flour mix (I used this one) and add an extra 2 tablespoons of cornstarch (a total of 3 tablespoons). I also recommend building little mounds with the cookie dough before baking, instead of rolling the dough in balls. This minimizes the spread and creates thicker cookies. Store them in a container, leaving the lid slightly open. This will help them stay soft.

If you want a different gluten-free vegan chocolate chip cookie, you can check out this recipe.

What is the “spoon and level” method to measure flour?

To measure the flour using the “spoon and level” method, use a spoon to scoop the flour, transfer it to the measuring cup, then level the flour using the back of a knife. Do not scoop the measuring cup directly into the flour and do not shake the measuring cup to fit more flour. This will result in dry cookies from using too much flour.

Can I use a stand mixer to make the cookies?

This recipe was tested by mixing the ingredients by hand, using a spoon. I personally don’t enjoy using a stand mixer to make cookies, but you can use one if you prefer. Just make sure to mix the ingredients in the same order as instructed in the recipe and don’t overmix the cookies once the flour is added.

More Vegan Cookie Recipes:

Salted Pistachio Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sweet and salty vegan pistachio chocolate chip cookies. These cookies are based on my favorite chocolate chip cookies with the addition of chopped pistachios and a hint of almond extract.

Course Dessert

Cuisine vegan

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 11

Servings 12

Ingredients

1 tablespoon (7g) ground flaxseed
2 tablespoons water, room temperature
1/2 cup (105g) vegan butter
3/4 cup (130g) packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
1 1/4 cup (175g) all-purpose white flour, spooned and leveled
1 tablespoon (8g) cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1/2 cup (90g) vegan chocolate chips, dark or semi-sweet
1/2 cup (75g) unsalted shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
Flaky salt, for topping (optional)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a small bowl, combine the ground flaxseed and water. Let it thicken for a few minutes.
In a medium to large bowl, add the vegan butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar. Stir until well combined, about 15-30 seconds.
Add the vanilla extract, almond extract and flaxseed mixture to the wet ingredients. Combine.
To the same bowl, add the flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. Stir the dry ingredients together at the top before incorporating into the wet ingredients. Stir until just combined.
Fold in the chocolate chips and chopped pistachios.
Roll the dough into 12 balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet, keeping some distance between each cookie as they will spread.
Bake for 11 to 13 minutes or until lightly golden. Sprinkle each cookie with a small pinch of flaky salt while they’re still warm. Let them cool for at least 10 minutes before eating.

Notes

Once completely cooled, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. This will help them stay soft and chewy longer, up to 1 week. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months.

You can substitute the cornstarch for tapioca starch if needed.

For slightly underbaked and gooey cookies, bake them for only 11 minutes. For well baked cookies, bake them for 13 minutes.

Use refrigerated soft tub vegan Becel or a soft vegan butter for the best results. I haven’t tried this recipe with Miyoko’s vegan butter or other vegan butters that are harder when refrigerated. If using these, you might need to let them soften at room temperature a bit before using. I can’t guarantee the same results. Some readers have made my chocolate chip cookies using harder vegan margarine that comes in a block and while the flavor is the same, the cookies will be much thicker.

To measure the flour using the “spoon and level” method, use a spoon to scoop the flour, transfer it to the measuring cup, then level the flour using the back of a knife. Do not scoop the measuring cup directly into the flour and do not shake the measuring cup to fit more flour. This will result in dry cookies from using too much flour. You can also use the weight measurements for more precise baking.

If you make these salted pistachio chocolate chip cookies, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! And if you try this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram!

Looking for More?

My Cozy Vegan Cookies eBook is packed with 38 plant-based cookie recipes for every occasion. You will find a variety of nutritious breakfast and snack cookies, veganized classics, and holiday-inspired recipes.

LEARN MORE