These vanilla-flavored white chocolate chip cookies are buttery, chewy and delicious! They feature a handful of pistachios to increase flavor and texture. These are no ordinary cookies. They’re luxurious bakery-style desserts!
PIN WHITE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
RECIPE TESTING DISCOVERIES
After recipe testing, my team found that using melted butter rather than softened butter in the dough created an enhanced buttery taste. It’s not a 1:1 swap! When using melted butter, other ingredients need to be adjusted.
Additionally, we found baking these cookies at 375°F instead of the more standard 350°F, resulted in lovelier golden-blonde edges that were lightly crisp, while the middles remained softer and chewier. An exciting discovery!
Using this well-tested recipe you’ll feel confident in a wonderful outcome every time. Enjoy these fresh-baked cookies with a homemade iced vanilla latte. The tasty flavors are a wonderful pairing.
WHY MAKE THESE COOKIES?
- REAL CROWD PLEASERS: Among an amazing array of cookie choices, white chocolate chip cookies really stand out. They appeal to most taste buds in the USA and abroad. They’re irresistible treats!
- MAKE-AHEAD RECIPE: The dough can be made in advance and frozen. When ready to enjoy, just bake from frozen. No thawing needed.
- EASY TO TRANSPORT: They’re ideal for taking to potlucks, office parties, church socials, and holiday gatherings. Pack them as treats in lunch bags, or pair them with fruit and milk as after-school snacks.
INGREDIENTS
This recipe is easy to make with common pantry items.
- Butter
- Granulated sugar
- Large egg
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Sea salt
- White chocolate chips
- Pistachios
EASY INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTIONS
Missing an ingredient for this yummy recipe? Don’t put on your shoes and head to the market. Instead, head to your fridge or pantry. Check for these easy ingredient swaps.
It’s convenient and money-saving to use ingredients you already have on hand!
- BUTTER: The best substitution for butter is shortening as a 1:1 swap. While butter creates spread for flatter crispier cookies, shortening creates loftier cookies that are soft and tender.
- GRANULATED SUGAR: Use light-brown sugar instead.
- VANILLA EXTRACT: Sub with bourbon, brandy or amber rum.
- ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR: Use cake flour instead. For every 1 cup all-purpose flour, sub with 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cake flour. Just know, this swap will result in super light and tender, pillowy-soft cookies.
- WHITE CHOCOLATE CHIPS: Sub with bars of white baking chocolate. Just chop up the bars into pieces.
- PISTACHIOS: Use macadamia nuts instead. They’re super yummy and a common add-in for white chocolate chip cookies recipes.
RECIPE STEPS
ASSEMBLE COOKIE DOUGH
RECIPE PREP: Melt butter in the microwave or on stovetop. For even baking, adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Line 2 baking trays with parchment paper or reusable silicone baking mats.
- STEP 1: In a large (freezer-safe) mixing bowl, add granulated sugar and melted butter. Whisk until well combined. Add egg and vanilla extract. Whisk to incorporate.
- STEP 2: Add dry ingredients to the bowl: flour, baking soda, and sea salt. Mix until combined with no large lumps. Do not overmix.
- STEP 3: Sprinkle in white chocolate chips and nuts. Gently fold them in with a spatula. Chill the cookie dough in the freezer for 20 minutes, or in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- STEP 4: Preheat oven to 375°F. With a small (1 tablespoon) cookie scoop, form the dough into 18 balls. As you scoop, place the balls on lined baking trays leaving ample space (at least 2 inches) between pieces.
BAKE AND COOL COOKIES
- STEP 1: Bake cookies 15 minutes or until edges are set and they’re just starting to turn golden blonde. We want the centers of the cookies to remain soft with the exteriors lightly crisp.
- STEP 2: Let the cookies remain on the baking tray until completely cooled. During this time the cookies will set as they cool.
recipe faq
These are the most commonly-asked questions when making white chocolate chip cookies. Included are the most helpful answers for recipe success with these bakery-style treats.
Yes. Just leave out the nuts. Replace them with an equal amount of white chocolate chips.
Chilling cookie dough 20 minutes in the freezer, or 30 minutes in the fridge, before baking makes a huge difference in color, texture, and taste. The dough will spread less in the oven, will attain a beautiful golden blonde color, and will be chewy with enhanced flavor overall.
When stored at room temperature in an air-tight container, cookies will stay fresh for up to 3 days.
Line a plastic container with parchment paper. Use a metal cookie scoop to portion out the pucks, dropping the round balls directly into the container leaving space between the pieces. Divide layers with parchment paper. Attach lid to the container. Freeze up to 3 months.
Bake the dough straight from the freezer. Arrange them on a parchment paper-lined baking tray, leaving spaces between the balls. Bake according to recipe instructions, cooking about 1 to 2 minutes longer.
more yummy cookie recipes
If you enjoy white chocolate chip cookies, then you’ll also love these scrumptious treats. Perfect for the holidays and year round, these are the most requested cookies when bringing desserts to family gatherings.
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WHITE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
- Total Time: 45 Minutes
- Yield: 18 Cookies 1x
Description
These buttery vanilla-flavored white chocolate chip cookies are comforting, joyful and delicious! A sprinkling of pistachios increases texture and flavor. Enjoy these bakery-style treats with coffee or milk.
Ingredients
- 10 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, or a pinch more if desired
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup pistachios (shelled)*
*NOTE: If you have a nut allergy, just leave out the nuts. Replace them with an equal amount of white chocolate chips.
Instructions
RECIPE PREP: Melt butter in the microwave or on stovetop. For even baking, adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Line 2 baking trays with parchment paper or reusable silicone baking mats.
- In a large (freezer-safe) mixing bowl, add granulated sugar and melted butter. Whisk until well combined. Add egg and vanilla extract. Whisk to incorporate.
- Add dry ingredients to the bowl: flour, baking soda, and sea salt. Mix until combined with no large lumps. Do not overmix. Sprinkle in white chocolate chips and nuts. Gently fold them in with a spatula. Chill the cookie dough in the freezer for 20 minutes, or in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. With a small (1 tablespoon) cookie scoop, form the dough into 18 balls. As you scoop, place the balls on lined baking trays leaving ample space (at least 2 inches) between pieces.
- Bake cookies 15 minutes or until edges are set and they’re just starting to turn golden blonde. We want the centers of the cookies to remain soft with the exteriors lightly crisp.
- Let cookies remain on the baking tray until completely cooled. During this time the cookies will set as they cool.
Notes
OPTIONAL: As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, you can gently hand-press additional baking chips into the top of these treats. This is mainly for areas on the cookies that look sparse without white chocolate pieces.
HOW TO STORE COOKIES: Store cookies at room temperature in an air-tight container. They’ll stay fresh up to 3 days. For longer storage, wrap each cookie in parchment paper or plastic wrap. Arrange them inside a zip-top freezer bag. Freeze up to 1 month.
- Prep Time: 10 Minutes
- Chill Time: 20 Minutes
- Cook Time: 15 Minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: White Chocolate Chip Cookies, White Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe, Pistachio Cookie Recipe
white chocolate chip cookies > join the conversation
Do you enjoy baking fresh cookies year round? What do you think of this cookie recipe? Join the conversation. Share your thoughts below.
What a great recipe. My boyfriend totally loved these! He loves white chocolate. Can’t wait to make them again this weekend.
★★★★★
These were delicious. Crisp on the edges. Soft in the middle. I baked these for my son and he loved them. Thanks so much!
★★★★★
This cookie recipe has become a new favorite in our house! Thanks for sharing!
★★★★★
You can’t beat chocolate chip cookies and this white chocolate version was delicious. I changed out the pistachios for macadamia nuts.
★★★★★
They are just out of the oven and so delicious, I am already having one. they look so pretty too.
★★★★★