No one can argue with the fact that American cookies are the best. When I lived in Paris and came to the US, I kept bringing a ton of American cookies home to my friends and relatives. Cookies are always a nice treat no matter the age of the cookie monster or the occasion being celebrated. We thought Santa would appreciate and taste some of our homemade cookies with an exotic twist (pandan extract) for a change.
Today is Christmas Eve and the girls decided we would leave some milk and cookies for Santa tonight. My little munchkin thinks she’ll get more presents this way.
1. Info for Pandan Pistachio White Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 60 mins
- Servings: 36
- Calories: 259
2. Ingredients for Pandan Pistachio White Chocolate Chip Cookies
- 16 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 sticks), soft at room temperature
- 1 cup brown sugar, tightly packed
- ¼ cup superfine sugar (or granulated sugar)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2-½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon sea salt (or regular salt)
- 2 tablespoons pandan paste
- 8 ounces vanilla chips
- 4 ounces shelled whole pistachios, roasted and coarsely chopped
3. Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs with the superfine sugar for about 5-6 minutes. You’ll get a pale, yellow foam and the texture of the eggs will be thicker. Add vanilla extract.
- In a bowl, combine the flours, salt, baking powder and cream of tartar. Sift all the dry ingredients.
- Cream the butter with brown sugar (whisk using a stand-mixer to get as much air as possible in the butter). Add the egg mixture and the dry ingredients. Mix well. Add the pandan paste. It will bring a distinct bright green color to the dough. Mix well using a silicone spatula. Add the coarsely chopped pistachios and vanilla chips. Divide the dough and roll into 2 (2-¼” diameter) logs. Chill them in the freezer until firm (this step is optional but it helps make evenly-shaped cookies). It will take at least 30 minutes to harden (see storing tips).
- Slice the logs into ¼” to ½” thick disks. Place the cookies on a baking sheet previously lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Make sure they are spaced apart so they don’t touch each other when they expand while baking.
- Bake for about 5 minutes at 375°F, then lower the heat to 350°F for another 6-8 minutes, depending on how soft you prefer them. Don’t over-bake them; you want them to be moist and chewy. Remove from the oven. Transfer the cookies to cooling racks. Allow to cool completely.
- Enjoy with a tall glass of sharbat (pink-colored Indian milk drink).
- Bon appétit!
