Dark Chocolate, Pistachio and Smoked Sea Salt Cookies

Dark Chocolate, Pistachio and Smoked Sea Salt Cookies

One of my current favorite cookbooks is Joy Wilson's (aka Joy the Baker) Homemade Decadence, which I posted about a couple months ago. Slowly I've been making (or baking) my way through her cookbook and I'd like to share another recipe of hers that is a creative twist on the classic chocolate chip cookie. A chocolate chip cookie with pistachios and smoked sea salt!

When I saw these cookies in Joy's book I was so intrigued by use of smoked sea salt and pistachios. I didn't have the smoked sea salt and I didn't really want to go out any buy this special (and expensive sounding) salt just for making cookies. Then when I was cleaning up my spice cabinet I found these little packets of hickory smoked sea salt that I had received from my Love with Food subscription that I had stashed away because I didn't know what to do with them. So this was a great surprise because I immediately remembered this cookie recipe!

I thought the smoked sea salt would be overpowering because the smell is very strong, so I started off with just a small sprinkling of it then I gradually added more. The smoked sea salt rounded out the sweetness, and the combination of the smoked sea salt with the dark chocolate and the pistachios made the cookies a little more savory which was wonderful.

These are not a cheap cookie to make, but this is a great recipe to pull out when you want a chocolate chip that's just a little more sophisticated but hardly stuffy. I hope you enjoy!

Note: I used Carolina Hickory Smoked Sea Salt that you can get at The Spice Lab; they also have many different types of smoked sea salt that you can try out.

Dark Chocolate, Pistachio and Smoked Sea Salt Cookies
from Joy Wilson's "Homemade Decadence" (pg. 80)

1/2 c. unsalted butter, room temperature (1 stick)
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. light brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. dark chocolate chips (I used chunks)
1 c. shelled pistachios, coarsely chopped (I left them whole)
Smoked sea salt, for sprinkling


Preheat oven to 350. Lines baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.

In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together the butter and the two sugars until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add in egg and beat for an additional minute. Mix in vanilla.

Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Gradually add the flour mixture into the butter mixer and beat on low speed until incorporated. Fold in pistachios and chocolate chips.

Scoop 1 1/2 - 2 tablespoon sized balls of cookie dough onto the lined cookie sheets, leaving about 2 inches of space between cookies. Sprinkle tops with smoked sea salt.

Bake 10-12 minutes until the edges are a golden brown. Let cookies cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Makes between 2 dozen and 3 dozen cookies, depending on size