About the Recipe
I’ve always had a soft spot for cookies that look just a little fancier than your everyday batch—the ones that feel like they belong in a pastry shop window. It’s the same feeling I had the first time I made my Black and White Cookies, or those Homemade Fortune Cookies that had me folding fast before they hardened. And of course, let’s not forget the time I conquered Chocolate Hazelnut Macarons—delicious, but definitely a test of patience.
This recipe had that same intimidating energy. These pistachio cigar cookies had been on my “someday” list for years. I kept thinking, “They’re too delicate… too elegant… too pastry chef-y.” But one morning I decided it was finally time to give them a go. The first attempt? Messy. The second? Better. But the third time? Magic. Crispy edges, buttery centers, and a hint of pistachio that made them feel just a little bit special.
The real fun is dipping the tips in chocolate and rolling them in more crushed pistachios. They’re crunchy, nutty, and melt-in-your-mouth tender—and yes, they’re a little fussy, but oh so worth it. Whether yours turn out picture-perfect or a bit rustic, I promise they’ll be absolutely delicious. Just don’t expect them to last the night.
They look like they came from a bakery. Elegant and crisp with that dipped-chocolate finish, these cookies make you look very professional.
Pistachio flavor that shines. Using pistachio flour and chopped nuts gives these cookies a distinct, nutty richness that’s both subtle and luxurious.
That perfect crisp-but-melt-in-your-mouth texture. Like a tuile and a shortbread had a very fancy baby.
Impressive but totally doable. Yes, they take a little finesse—but once you’ve nailed one, you’ll be rolling like a pro.
They pair beautifully with coffee, tea… or just eaten by the handful. No judgment here.
What You'll Love
Can I use store-bought pistachio flour? Yes! Just make sure it’s finely ground and unsweetened. You can also grind your own using shelled pistachios—just be sure not to over-process them into paste.
What’s the key to rolling them without cracking? Timing is everything. Let them cool just a few seconds after baking until they’re firm enough to lift but still pliable—usually 15–20 seconds. Work quickly!
Can I make them ahead of time? Yes! Once cooled and dipped, store them in an airtight container. They’re best within 2–3 days, but they’ll still be crisp and delicious up to 5 days later.
What if I don’t have pistachios? You can sub with other finely ground nuts like almonds or hazelnuts—just note the flavor will change (but still be delicious).
Can I skip the chocolate dip? You can—but the contrast of the dark chocolate with the buttery pistachio cookie really adds something special. You could also try white chocolate dyed with a touch of green for a fun pop!
Mine spread too much—what happened? It could be that your butter was too warm or your egg whites too large. Chilling the batter slightly before baking can help control the spread.
Frequently asked Questions
Ingredints Explained
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
30g (¼ cup) All-Purpose Flour
30g (¼ cup) Pistachio Flour
(Optional: ¼ tsp Salt – only if using unsalted pistachios)
60g (4 tbsp) Unsalted Butter, softened
60g (½ cup) Icing Sugar
2 Egg Whites (from large eggs)
½ tsp Vanilla Extract
For the Dip:
60g (2 oz) Semi-Sweet Chocolate
30g (¼ cup) Finely Chopped Pistachios
Preparation
This recipe calls for very few ingredients and is an easy one to throw together. The tricky part comes when the cookies are baked and fresh out of the oven. But we will get to that later. First, prepare your ingredients. If you do not have ready made pistachio flour (or ground pistachios) it is easy to make. In fact, I prefer to make my own. For this recipe I used salted pistachios and so, left out using any extra salt in the recipe. If you are using unsalted pistachios however, I recommend adding it.
While you are preparing the batter, preheat your oven to 350F. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
Grind your pistachios in a food processor or small blender (I used my old Baby Bullet for this. I find it works really well for grinding nuts or small batches of things. Grind until you have a smooth powder (there may be some chunks left and that's ok, just get it down to looking as close to a flour consistency as possible. You'll see that at some point the oil in the nuts will start making it clump together a bit. This is when I say stop grinding. You don't want to get it too clumped up.
In a separate bowl, separate your egg yolks from your egg whites. You will just need the egg whites for this recipe.
Once you have your pistachio flour ready to go, grab a medium sized mixing bowl and mix the all-purpose flour and pistachio flour together. I used a whisk, I found it helped to undo the pistachio clumps. Add in the salt if you are using unsalted pistachios.
Next, using a hand mixer, mix in the softened butter, powdered sugar, egg whites and vanilla. Beat until you have a smooth creamy mixture.
Once you have achieved a nice creamy consistency, take a large spoon and scoop little batter circles onto your prepared baking sheet. Spread the batter with the back of your spoon in gentle circles until they are about 2mm thick. The thinner the better. You just want to make sure they are evenly spread so that one part of your cookie isn't thicker than the other as you want them to bake evenly.
Pop the baking sheet into the oven and bake for 5-7 minutes.
Once they look golden brown (especially around the edges) you know they are ready to come out.
It is a quick bake and you will have to act relatively quickly once the come out.
Once you pull them out of the oven, let them cool down for a minute or two, but as soon as you can, with the help of a spatula, lift one of the ends of the circles and roll them into 'cigars'. Careful as they will still be hot, but you do not want to let them cool down too much as they will start to harden and crumble if you try to toll them. I found this to be the trickiest part in making these. But once you do one or two the rest will be easy.
If you do not care to have them in perfect cigar shapes, you can also use the side of a glass and form more of a taco shape with them.
When they are formed let them cool completely (15- 20 minutes).
In the meantime, you can prepare your chocolate sauce and pistachio crumble for dipping the ends into.
Chop up your chocolate and place in a microwaveable bowl. Microwave the chocolate in 15 second intervals, stirring each time until the chocolate has melted.
Finely chop your pistachios.
Once your tuiles have cooled. Dip one end into the chocolate and sprinkle with the pistachio crumbs while the chocolate is still runny.
Place your dipped cookies onto a plate or baking sheet and put into the freezer for 10 minutes (or until the chocolate has solidified).
Take them out and let them come back to room temperature before transferring them to a serving dish. This will let the chocolate warm up a bit and prevent the cookies from staying stuck to the plate.
Enjoy!