Pistachio & Nutella Scoop Cookies

These Pistachio & Nutella Scoop Cookies are soft, chewy chocolate chip cookies with a gooey pistachio cream and Nutella centre.

The dough is made with cold butter, dark brown sugar, vanilla and plenty of chocolate chips. The Nutella and pistachio cream are frozen before being tucked into the cookie dough, then the dough is scooped into a greased 20cm baking tin.

As the cookies bake, the scoops spread and join together in the tin, creating one big, soft cookie with golden edges, chewy middles and pockets of melted pistachio and Nutella throughout.

Read more: Pistachio & Nutella Scoop Cookies

It is an easy way to make a batch of cookies without having to bake them individually, and there is something particularly good about pulling the whole thing out of the oven and cutting it into pieces.

Jump to:

• Recipe Snapshot
• Why You Will Love These Cookies
• Ingredients
• How To Make Pistachio & Nutella Scoop Cookies
• 3. Scoop into Portions and fill
• 4. Bake
• Variations
• Tips For The Best Scoop Cookies
• Storage
• Freezing
• FAQs
• 📖 Recipe

Recipe Snapshot

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Freeze Time: 30-60 minutes
• Bake Time: 25-30 minutes
• Total Time: About 1 hour 20 minutes
• Makes: 8 portions
• Tin: 20cm round baking tin or ovenproof dish
• Course: Dessert

Why You Will Love These Cookies

• Pistachio and Nutella centre - The two spreads melt together as the cookie bakes.
• Soft and chewy - Brown sugar, butter and an extra egg yolk give the cookie a lovely soft texture.
• Lots of chocolate chips - There is chocolate throughout the dough as well as in the centre.
• One tin, no individual baking - The dough is simply scooped into one greased tin.
• The scoops join together - As they bake, the cookie portions spread into each other, giving you one large cookie that can be cut into pieces.

Ingredients

Pistachio & Nutella Filling

Pistachio cream
Pistachio cream gives the filling its distinctive nutty flavour. Use a thick cream that can be scooped and frozen so it is easy to work with.

Nutella
Nutella adds chocolate and hazelnut flavour and pairs beautifully with the pistachio cream. Freezing it before adding it to the dough helps keep it contained while the cookie starts to bake.

Cookie Dough

Plain flour
Provides the structure for the cookie dough while still allowing the scoops to spread and join together in the tin.

Bicarbonate of soda (aka Baking Soda)
Helps the cookie spread and encourages browning.

Baking powder
Provides a little lift so the cookie isn't completely flat once baked.

Cornflour
Helps give the cookie a softer, more tender texture.

Dark brown sugar
Adds moisture, chewiness and a deeper caramel flavour. Light Brown Sugar also works. 

Granulated sugar
Helps the cookie spread and contributes to the slightly crisp edges. Caster Sugar also works.

Butter
Adds richness and helps create the texture of the finished cookie.

Egg and egg yolk
The egg binds everything together, while the extra yolk adds richness and helps keep the cookie soft.

Vanilla bean paste
Adds warmth and balances the rich chocolate and pistachio flavours. Any Vanilla works.

Chocolate chips
Give you pockets of chocolate throughout the cookie. Milk or Dark chocolate works well here because the centre is already sweet.

Salt
Balances the sweetness and brings out the chocolate and pistachio flavours.

Espresso powder
Optional. It can deepen the chocolate flavour but isn't necessary.

How To Make Pistachio & Nutella Scoop Cookies

1. Freeze the filling

Line a small plate with baking paper.

Scoop 6 heaped teaspoons of pistachio cream and 6 heaped teaspoons of Nutella onto the parchment, keeping them in pairs.

Place in the freezer until firm.

2. Make the cookie dough

Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F.

Grease a 20cm baking tin or ovenproof dish.

Add the cold, cubed butter to a stand mixer or large mixing bowl. Beat on high for about 2 minutes, until creamy.

Add the dark brown sugar and granulated sugar. Beat again for 2-3 minutes, until well combined.

Add the egg, egg yolk and vanilla bean paste. Mix on high for 3-4 minutes, until everything is well incorporated.

Add the plain flour, baking powder, bicarb of soda, cornflour and salt.
If using espresso powder, add it here. Mix until just combined.
Add the chocolate chips and mix until incorporated. Do not over mix.

3. Scoop into Portions and fill

Scoop the cookie dough into 12 portions.
Flatten each portion slightly and place a frozen portion of pistachio cream or Nutella in the centre.

Bring the dough around the filling and roll gently into a ball.
Place the filled cookie dough portions into the greased 20cm tin, leaving a little space between them.
You do not need to press them together. They will spread naturally as they bake.

4. Bake

Bake for 25-30 minutes.
The cookie dough will spread during baking and the individual scoops will join together in the tin, creating one large cookie.
The top should be golden and lightly crisp while the centre remains soft and chewy.

6. Cool and serve

Allow the cookie to cool in the tin before serving.
The cookie will continue to firm up as it cools, while the pistachio and Nutella centre remains soft.
Once cool enough to handle, cut into portions and serve.

Variations

White Chocolate & Pistachio

Replace some of the dark chocolate chips with white chocolate chips. The sweetness works particularly well with pistachio.

Extra Pistachio

Increase the amount of pistachio cream in the filling for a stronger pistachio flavour.

Nutella Only

Replace the pistachio cream with additional Nutella if you want a straightforward Nutella-filled version.

Tips For The Best Scoop Cookies

Freeze the filling first.
This makes both the pistachio cream and Nutella much easier to handle and helps keep the filling in the middle of the cookie while it bakes.

Grease the tin well.
Because the cookie spreads and bakes as one, make sure the base and sides of the 20cm tin are properly greased.

Don't squash the scoops together.
Place the filled portions into the tin with a little space between them. They will spread and join together naturally in the oven.

Seal the filling completely.
Make sure the dough completely surrounds the pistachio and Nutella filling so it doesn't escape before the cookie has set.

Don't overmix the dough.
Once the flour has been added, mix only until everything comes together.

Let it cool before cutting.
The cookie will be very soft when it first comes out of the oven. Give it time to settle before cutting it into portions.

Storage

Store the cooled cookie in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Warm individual pieces in the microwave for a few seconds before serving for a soft, gooey centre.

Freezing

You can freeze the baked cookie once completely cooled.

You can also prepare the filled cookie dough portions and freeze them before baking. Place the portions into the greased tin when ready to bake and allow a little extra time for the frozen dough to cook through.

FAQs

What size tin do I need?

Use a 20cm baking tin or ovenproof dish. The dough is placed into the tin as separate scoops, which spread and join together during baking.

Why do the cookies go into a tin rather than onto a baking sheet/tray?

The tin keeps the spreading cookie dough contained. As the individual scoops bake, they spread into one another to create one large cookie.

What is in the centre?

The centre is made from pistachio cream and Nutella. Six heaped teaspoons of each are portioned and frozen before being enclosed in the cookie dough.

Do I need to use espresso powder?

No. It is optional and simply adds depth to the chocolate flavour.

Can I use a different size tin?

You can, but the thickness and baking time will change. A larger tin will produce a thinner cookie and may need less time, while a smaller tin will make it thicker and may need longer.

How do I know when it is done?

The top should be golden and lightly crisp, while the centre should still look soft. It will firm up as it cools.

More Cookie Recipes:

Crinkly Brownie Cookies with Pistachio Cream

Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

Brown Butter, Pecan and Chocolate Cookies

Brown Butter Triple Chocolate Chip Cookie Tray Bake

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