William and I went to a spring bake sale at our neighborhood where someone sold these bright green pistachio pudding cookies soft, chewy, slightly nutty cookies that looked almost too colorful to be natural. They sold out in 20 minutes, and William managed to buy four before they disappeared. “These are incredible,” he said, examining the soft green cookie. “They’re not overly sweet, they’re perfectly chewy, and that pistachio flavor is amazing. How hard could this be?” That casual observation sent us on a mission to recreate what became our most-requested cookie recipe.
Why You’ll Love These Pistachio Pudding Cookies
This pistachio pudding cookies recipe solves that eternal baking problem of wanting cookies that look impressive, taste amazing, stay soft for days, and don’t require complicated steps or expensive ingredients. Most impressive cookies need precise techniques, specialty equipment, or ingredients you can only find at gourmet stores. This pudding mix cookie recipe is literally mixing pudding mix into standard cookie dough-William can make a batch in 15 minutes of active work, and they bake in 10 minutes. If someone who used to burn slice-and-bake cookies can become known for “those amazing pistachio cookies,” literally anyone can.
Here’s what makes this pistachio instant pudding mix approach absolutely genius the pudding mix serves triple duty as flavoring, color, and moisture retention that keeps cookies soft. Traditional pistachio cookies require expensive pistachios, food coloring for green hue, and careful moisture management. These pudding cookies get everything from one box of instant pudding intense pistachio flavor, beautiful natural green color, and chemical compounds that trap moisture keeping cookies soft for days instead of going stale overnight. William’s grandmother who “doesn’t trust anything unnatural” ate three of these and admitted that pudding mix is legitimate baking magic.
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Ingredients You Need for Pistachio Pudding Cookies
For Basic Recipe (Makes 48 cookies):
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 box (3.4 oz) instant pistachio pudding mix
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
For Pistachio Pudding Cookies with Chocolate Chips:
- Add 1½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Or use white chocolate chips
- Or dark chocolate chunks
For Pistachio Pudding Cookies with Cream Cheese:
- Replace ½ cup butter with 4 oz cream cheese
- Creates ultra-soft, tangy cookies
- Incredible richness
For Extra Nutty Version:
- Add 1 cup chopped pistachios
- Provides crunch and visual appeal
- More intense pistachio flavor
For Pistachio Pudding Cookies with Cake Mix:
- Home cooked harvest style
- Replace 1 cup flour with 1 cup white cake mix
- Even softer, sweeter cookies
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Pistachio Pudding Cookies Step by Step
Cream Butter and Sugars:
In a large bowl with electric mixer, beat softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy the mixture should look pale and airy, not dense. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla extract and instant pistachio pudding mix (the dry powder, not prepared pudding!). Beat for 1-2 minutes until pudding mix is fully incorporated and everything is uniformly green. The mixture should be smooth, fluffy, and vibrant green.
Add Dry Ingredients:
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture all at once. Mix on low speed just until combined-about 30 seconds. Don’t overmix or cookies become tough. The pistachio cookie dough should be thick, green, and slightly sticky. If adding chocolate chips or chopped pistachios, fold them in by hand with a spatula. Scrape bowl to ensure everything is mixed. The dough can be used immediately or refrigerated for up to 3 days (chilled dough spreads less).
Shape and Bake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a cookie scoop or spoon, drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto prepared sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. Don’t flatten let them spread naturally. Bake for 9-11 minutes until edges are set and just starting to turn golden but centers still look slightly underdone. The thick chewy cookies will continue cooking from carryover heat. William used to bake until fully golden, creating hard cookies. Slightly underbaking is key for soft texture.
Cool and Store:
Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes they’ll firm up as they cool. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely. The cookies should be soft and chewy with slightly crispy edges and soft centers. Store in airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months. William makes double batches and freezes half for emergency cookies when unexpected guests visit.
Serve:
These melt-in-your-mouth cookies are perfect at room temperature. Each cookie should be soft and chewy throughout, with subtle pistachio flavor, beautiful green color, and slight sweetness. William always makes extra because people eat 3-4 cookies minimum-they’re dangerously addictive.
Smart Swaps for Your Pistachio Pudding Cookies
Butter Alternatives:
- Margarine → Butter (different flavor, softer)
- Coconut oil → Butter (dairy-free, chewier)
- Half butter/half cream cheese → All butter (richer, tangier)
Sugar Options:
- All brown sugar → Mix (chewier, darker)
- All white sugar → Mix (crispier, lighter)
- Reduce sugar by ¼ cup → Standard (less sweet)
Mix-In Swaps:
- White chocolate chips → Semi-sweet (sweeter, prettier)
- Dried cranberries → Chocolate chips (tart, festive)
- Chopped almonds → Pistachios (different nut)
Flour Alternatives:
- Gluten-free flour blend → Regular (celiac-safe)
- Whole wheat flour → All-purpose (denser, nuttier)
Pistachio Pudding Cookies Variations
Classic Soft Pistachio Cookies:
- Just pudding mix, no add-ins
- Pure pistachio flavor
- Beautiful green color
- William’s standard version
Pistachio Chip Cookies:
- Add white and dark chocolate chips
- Sweet and nutty combination
- Crowd favorite
- Cookie exchange winner
Pistachio Crinkle Cookies:
- Roll dough balls in powdered sugar
- Cracks create beautiful pattern
- Elegant presentation
- Holiday cookie ideas
Pistachio Cake Mix Cookies:
- Use cake mix instead of some flour
- Extra soft and sweet
- Almost candy-like
- Kids love these
Equipment For Pistachio Pudding Cookies
- Electric mixer (stand or hand)
- Large mixing bowls
- Cookie scoop (for uniform size)
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper
Storing Your Pistachio Pudding Cookies
Room Temperature Storage (1 week):
- Store in airtight container with tight-fitting lid
- Keep at room temperature away from heat
- Layer with parchment if stacking
- Stay soft for 5-7 days minimum
Freezer Storage (3 months):
- Freeze baked cookies in freezer bags
- Or freeze cookie dough balls for bake-fresh anytime
- Thaw at room temperature 30 minutes
- Taste just-baked after freezing
Cookie Dough Storage (3 days refrigerated):
- Refrigerate unbaked dough up to 3 days
- Or freeze dough for 3 months
- Bake directly from fridge (may need +1 minute)
- Convenient for fresh-baked anytime
Gift Packaging:
- Perfect homemade gifts
- Package in decorative tins or boxes
- Stay soft for gifting and shipping
- Include storage instructions
Top Tip
- The absolute game-changer for perfect pistachio pudding cookies is refrigerating your cookie dough for at least 2 hours before baking, which makes the difference between thick, chewy, bakery-style cookies versus thin, flat, amateur cookies. William used to scoop and bake dough immediately thinking “fresh dough is best,” creating cookies that spread into thin puddles and had less intense flavor.
- The science is that resting time allows flour to fully hydrate by absorbing moisture from eggs and butter, creates more structured gluten networks that prevent excessive spreading, and develops flavor compounds that make cookies taste more complex. Chilled dough spreads less during baking, resulting in thicker, chewier cookies that look professional instead of homemade-flat.
- Here’s the practical technique: William makes his cookie dough, covers the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerates for minimum 2 hours (or up to 3 days). The longer it rests, the better overnight is ideal. When ready to bake, he scoops the chilled dough directly onto baking sheets without letting it warm up. The cold dough hits the hot oven and sets faster on the outside, preventing excessive spreading while the inside stays soft and gooey.
The Secret Sauce My Sister Keeps to Herself
My sister pulled me aside at a family cookie exchange where William’s pistachio pudding cookies disappeared first, and whispered, “Can I tell you something that will make your pudding cookies even better?” I was skeptical these were already the softest, most flavorful cookies we’d ever made and people were literally fighting over the last one. But when she leaned in close and said, “Let me share the secret I learned from my friend who owns a bakery. Let your cookie dough rest in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before baking. It allows the flour to hydrate fully and the flavors to develop, creating cookies that spread less and taste more complex,” I realized she’d been holding onto gold.
I tried it the next batch, making the dough and refrigerating it for 2 hours before baking. The difference was remarkable. The cookies spread less during baking, staying thicker and chewier instead of thin and crispy. The pistachio flavor was more pronounced and the texture was noticeably softer and more luxurious. William took one bite and immediately said these were “the best batch yet” even though we used the same recipe. When I told him it was my sister’s resting technique from her bakery friend, he was amazed that simply waiting 2 hours made such a dramatic difference.
FAQ
Do you have to refrigerate pistachio cream?
Baked pistachio pudding cookies do NOT need refrigeration store them at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 1 week. The instant pudding mix in the cookies is shelf-stable and doesn’t require refrigeration. However, if you make pistachio pudding cookies with cream cheese (adding cream cheese to the dough), William refrigerates those for food safety since cream cheese is perishable. Plain pistachio pudding cookies stay softer at room temperature than refrigerated.
How to store pistachio cookies?
Store pistachio pudding cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 5-7 days they stay soft thanks to the pudding mix! Layer cookies with parchment paper if stacking to prevent sticking. For longer storage, freeze baked cookies in freezer bags for up to 3 months. William also freezes unbaked cookie dough balls on a tray, then transfers to bags for fresh-baked cookies anytime. The pudding mix keeps these cookies soft for days unlike regular cookies that go hard overnight. Don’t refrigerate unless you used cream cheese in the recipe room temperature storage is best!
Is Pistachio Pudding actually pistachio?
Instant pistachio pudding mix contains pistachio flavoring (natural and artificial) and small amounts of actual pistachio, but it’s primarily flavored with almond extract which creates that distinctive “pistachio” taste. William was surprised to learn most pistachio flavor comes from almonds! The green color is from food coloring, not pistachios. Adding actual chopped pistachios to the cookies provides authentic nut flavor and texture that complements the pudding mix. The pudding mix gives convenient pistachio flavor and moisture-retention properties, while real pistachios add crunch and authentic taste!
How many calories are in Pistachio Pudding cookies?
Each pistachio pudding cookie (from a 48-cookie batch) contains approximately 110-130 calories depending on size and add-ins. Plain cookies without chocolate chips are about 110 calories. Adding chocolate chips increases to 130 calories per cookie. William’s recipe makes 48 cookies from one batch, so each cookie is relatively modest in calories. For lower-calorie versions, reduce sugar by ¼ cup (saves 10 calories per cookie), use half whole wheat flour, or make cookies slightly smaller. They’re treats but not calorie bombs reasonable indulgence!
The Ultimate Cookie Victory!
Now you have everything you need to create these incredible pistachio pudding cookies-from proper dough resting to Auntie Margaret’s pudding mix wisdom. This easy pistachio pudding cookies recipe proves that bakery-quality cookies don’t require professional training or expensive ingredients. Sometimes the best baking involves discovering simple techniques that create dramatically better results.
Want even more delicious ways to bake with pudding mix? Explore our rich and creamy Best Yogurt Bark Recipe, a dessert that uses the same simple pudding technique but transforms it into a silky, crowd-pleasing treat perfect for any occasion. If you’re craving another batch of irresistibly soft cookies, our classic Delicious Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies Recipe deliver a warm cinnamon flavor and pillow-soft texture that offer a completely different yet equally comforting experience. And if you’re in the mood for something truly unique, don’t miss our bright and zesty The Best Red Velvet Blossom Cookies Recipe, which pair a soft, tender crumb with a burst of citrus that makes every bite unforgettable.
We love seeing your pistachio pudding cookies creations! Tell us whether you added chocolate chips or made them plain, if you tried Auntie Margaret’s resting trick, and if you became “the pistachio cookie person” at your gatherings. We get so excited seeing your beautiful green cookies!
Rate this Pistachio Pudding Cookies and tell us if you’ll ever buy bakery cookies again we love hearing about baking confidence victories!
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Pistachio Pudding Cookies
Pistachio Pudding Cookies
Soft, chewy pistachio pudding cookies with bright green color, subtle nutty flavor, and perfect moisture thanks to instant pistachio pudding mix. Easy to make, stay soft for days, and require no special equipment.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
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Beat butter and sugars together until the mixture becomes light and fluffy.
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Mix in eggs, vanilla, and pistachio pudding powder until fully blended.
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Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt, then gently mix into the wet ingredients.
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Refrigerate the prepared cookie dough for at least two hours to improve texture.
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Scoop dough onto baking sheets and bake until edges are set and centers look slightly soft.
Nutrition
Notes
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
