Pistachio Drop Cookies Brown Butter (Printable Recipe)
Soft cookies with real pistachio flavor and elegant brown butter icing. Simple ingredients, impressive results.
# Ingredients You'll Need:
→ Cookie Base
01 -
1 cup (130g) salted or unsalted pistachios
02 -
1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
03 -
¾ cup (90g) confectioners' sugar
04 -
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
05 -
1 teaspoon almond extract
06 -
2¼ cups (281g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
07 -
1-2 drops green food coloring (optional)
→ Brown Butter Icing
08 -
¼ cup (4 Tbsp; 56g) unsalted butter
09 -
1 cup (120g) confectioners' sugar
10 -
2 tablespoons (30ml) milk or heavy cream
11 -
¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
# Steps to Follow:
01 -
Pulse pistachios in a food processor until they form small, uniform crumbs. Measure exactly ¾ cup of finely chopped pistachios and set aside.
02 -
Using a handheld or stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat softened butter for 1 minute on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract, and almond extract, beating on medium-high speed until well combined.
03 -
Add flour, ¾ cup pistachio crumbs, and food coloring (if using) to the butter mixture. Beat on medium-high speed until dough forms a cohesive, thick consistency.
04 -
Cover cookie dough tightly and refrigerate for 30 minutes. This helps cookies maintain their shape during baking.
05 -
Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll chilled dough into balls using 1 tablespoon of dough each. Place balls 2 inches apart on prepared sheets. Bake for 14-15 minutes until lightly browned on bottom edges and barely golden on top.
06 -
Allow cookies to rest on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
07 -
Slice butter into pieces and place in a light-colored skillet. Melt over medium heat, stirring occasionally until butter foams and develops lightly browned specks (5-6 minutes). Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes.
08 -
Whisk cooled brown butter with confectioners' sugar, milk or cream, and vanilla extract until smooth. Adjust consistency by adding more sugar to thicken or more liquid to thin as needed.
09 -
Dip or drizzle cooled cookies with brown butter icing. Allow icing to set before serving.
# Extra Tips:
01 -
Choose high-quality pistachios that are vibrant green and smell fresh, not rancid
02 -
Confectioners' sugar is crucial - granulated sugar will cause cookies to spread too much
03 -
Don't panic if dough feels crumbly when shaping - warmth from hands helps bind ingredients
04 -
Dough can be refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen up to 3 months for advance preparation
05 -
Brown butter icing is best made fresh but can be prepared while cookies bake