Recipe

Dark Chocolate Pistachio Cookies Are Both Salty and Sweet

By Brittany Arnett at Georgetown University

I like to think I know a thing or two about chocolate chip cookies. They need to be soft and gooey on the inside, golden brown on the outside, and have a great combo of flavors, whether they're classic or unique. Luckily, I have the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe that combines salty and sweet beautifully. And it has a secret ingredient: orange zest.

Yup, orange zest. I know it may sound weird, but the tanginess of the citrus combined with the saltiness of the pistachios and the rich, sweet flavor of dark chocolate is like a flavor bomb. These cookies are perfect for when you really want to impress people with how sophisticated you are. What are you waiting for? Get baking. 

Dark Chocolate Orange Pistachio Cookies

  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Cook Time: 12 mins
  • Total Time: 32 mins
  • Servings: 24
Ingredients
  • 1 1/8 stick butter at room temperature
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup shelled pistachios
  • 1 dark chocolate bar
  • 3/4 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
  • 1 orange
  • Sea salt for topping

Brittany Arnett

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Step 2

Combine butter and sugars together in the bowl of a stand mixer and cream until fluffy on medium speed, about 3-4 minutes.

Brittany Arnett

Step 3

Add in 1 egg and mix well.

Brittany Arnett

Step 4

Add in flour, baking powder, and salt and mix until a dough forms.

Brittany Arnett

Step 5

Chop up the dark chocolate bar and add to the dough.

Brittany Arnett

Step 6

Add chocolate chips and pistachios.

Brittany Arnett

Step 7

Zest the entire orange (make sure to only get the orange rind, not the white part!) and add to the dough.

Brittany Arnett

Step 8

Mix the dough on a low speed on the stand mixer until all the pistachios, dark chocolate, and orange zest are combined.

Brittany Arnett

Step 9

Roll a large tablespoon of the dough into a ball, and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Top ball with sea salt.

Brittany Arnett

Step 10

Bake cookies for 12 minutes or until golden brown. Enjoy!

Brittany Arnett

There you have it: delicious cookies with a depth of flavor that cannot be beat. The only thing that could make these better is a nice cold glass of milk. So go ahead, pour yourself a glass and dunk away.