Gjusta's Pistachio Cookie
My attempt to recreate one of my favorite cookies: the impossibly fragrant, delightfully chewy, superbly nutty orange-scented pistachio cookie from Gjusta. Did I hit the mark? You tell me.
Ingredients
1 cup roasted pistachios
zest from 2 decent sized oranges
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp orange flower water (optional)
1 cup AP flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
flaky sea salt for finishing
Directions
Combine dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, salt) in a mixing bowl and whisk to distribute.
Pulse the granulated sugar and orange zest in a food processor for 30 seconds or so, until the zest is finely chopped and the sugar takes on the orange oil. Remove and set aside. (Alternately, rub the finely chopped zest into the sugar with your fingers).
Pulse the pistachios in the food processor to a consistency of course meal. Don't over-work. Set aside.
Cream the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer until it lightens. Add the orange-scented granulated sugar along with the brown sugar and continue to cream until the mixture lightens and increases in volume.
Add the egg and all extracts and blend to combine.
Add the flour mix to the mixer and continue to cream for 5ish seconds or until loosely combined. Fold in ground pistachios. Don't overwork. (If you're extra cautious, add both flour mix and nuts by hand and gently fold with a spatula instead of using the mixer for this step.)
Let the dough rest in the fridge for at least an hour.
Preheat the oven to 350.
Using a #20 disher, scoop the dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet, leaving at least 4 inches between each ball. Flatten each ball evenly until they're roughly 1/4 inch thick and 4 inches in diameter. Sprinkle tops with a bit of finishing salt.
Bake for 12 -13 minutes or until the outer half inch of the cookie is golden, rotating the pan 180 degrees at the half way point for even heating.
Cool for a minute or two before removing to a cooling rack. Cookies taste best completely cooled.
*a #20 disher is your standard ice cream scoop and holds a bit over 3 TBS leveled














