April 20: Radium Chip Pistachio Cookies

Radium Chip Pistachio Cookies

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups (10.1 oz) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (8 oz) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 (3.4 oz) box instant pistachio pudding mix
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup quick-cooking oats (not instant)
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2/3 cup pistachios, toasted, unsalted, roughly chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 350 and place a rack in the center. Have ready two ungreased baking sheets.
2. Mix the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a medium-size bowl; set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter and both sugars on medium speed until creamy, scraping the sides of the bowl often. Beat in the pudding mix, and then beat in the eggs, vanilla, and almond extract, using the medium-low speed of the mixer. By hand or using the lowest speed of the mixer, add the flour mixture to the batter and stir until it is almost fully mixed in. Stir in the oats, chocolate chips, and pistachios.
4. Scoop up tablespoonfuls of dough and shape into balls about 1 inch in diameter (about 42 balls). Arrange about 2 1/2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Press down slightly so that tops are even. Bake one sheet at a time for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are nicely browned and the cookies appear set. Remove the cookies from the oven, and while they are still warm, using the tip of a spatula, gently nudge the edges of the cookies inward to add some crinkles and folds. Let cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Dry ingredients

Addition of pudding mix

Addition of eggs

Addition of vanilla

Addition of flour mixture

Addition of oats

Addition of chocolate chips

Addition of pistachios

Thoughts: Pistachios are expensive! I mean nuts in general are expensive but pistachios in particular! I almost bought a bag that yielded 1 1/2 cups for $8. I ended up finding them in bulk so I got the amount I needed for $4. Reading over this recipe again, I realized that I didn't use the tip of the spatula to make crinkles and folds...oops. I love pistachio flavored things like custard, milkshakes and pudding but I don't like actual pistachios...so these cookies were just ok.