Description
Buttery pistachio cookies sandwiched with a light espresso-kissed cream, perfect with a cup of coffee.
Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour: 2 cups
- Unsalted Butter, softened: 1 cup
- Powdered Sugar (for cookies): 3/4 cup
- Ground Pistachios, finely processed: 1/2 cup
- Vanilla Extract: 1 teaspoon
- Salt: 1/4 teaspoon
- Instant Espresso Powder (for filling): 1 tablespoon
- Heavy Cream (for filling): 2 tablespoons
- Cream Cheese, softened (for filling): 4 ounces
- Powdered Sugar (for filling): 1 cup
- Optional, crushed pistachios for garnish: 2 tablespoons
- Optional, powdered sugar for dusting: 1 tablespoon
Instructions
- Preheat Your Equipment: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Combine Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, cream 1 cup softened unsalted butter with 3/4 cup powdered sugar until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. Mix in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Gradually add 2 cups all-purpose flour and 1/2 cup finely ground pistachios, mixing until a soft dough forms.
- Prepare Your Cooking Vessel: Using about 1 tablespoon of dough per cookie, roll into balls and place on prepared baking sheets spaced 1.5 inches apart. Gently flatten each ball to about 1/4 inch thickness.
- Assemble the Dish: Bake cookies on the middle rack for 10–12 minutes, until edges are just lightly golden. Allow cookies to cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Cook to Perfection: For the filling, beat 4 ounces softened cream cheese until smooth. Add 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder, and 2 tablespoons heavy cream. Whip until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. Taste and adjust espresso or sugar if desired.
- Finishing Touches: Match cookies into similar-sized pairs. Pipe or spoon about 1 to 1.5 tablespoons of filling onto the flat side of one cookie, then sandwich with the matching cookie. Chill assembled sandwiches for 10 minutes to set. Garnish with crushed pistachios or a light dusting of powdered sugar if desired.
- Serve and Enjoy: Serve at room temperature with coffee or tea. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
- Chill the dough for 15–30 minutes if it feels too soft, this helps the cookies keep their shape.
- Toast pistachios lightly in a dry skillet before grinding to deepen the flavor.
- Do not overbake, the cookies should remain pale with only slightly golden edges for the best tender texture.
- Use a piping bag for a neater, bakery-style filling; a spoon works fine for a rustic look.
- To freeze, assemble sandwiches on a tray, flash-freeze until firm, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to two weeks.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich cookie
- Calories: 190
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 70 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg